Palm Sunday
Why is Jesus coming to Jerusalem?
To celebrate the Passover and to give his life.
What deal did Judas make with the chief priests and scribes?
Made a deal to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
Does this day fall on a Monday or Thursday?
Seriously?
What event in Jesus’ life takes place on this day?
Crucifixion and death.
What color is on the altar during Lent and why?
Purple as a sign of repentance.
“Beneath the cross of Jesus…”
"...I long to take my stand"
What type of branches were laid on the road before Jesus?
Palm branches.
What does Jesus use to cleanse the temple?
A whip... not chlorox.
Why is it called “maundy” Thursday?
"Maundy" comes from the Latin word "mandatum" or "mandate." Jesus gives a new mandate or command.
The crowd is given the option to choose between two people to be crucified, Jesus and whom?
Jesus Barabbas.
What does the term “holy” mean?
Dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose.
“Jesus, I will ponder now…”
"...on your holy passion"
Jesus is welcomed as a king, but who is the current king?
King Herod.
What kind of tree does Jesus cause to whither?
A fig tree as a symbol of the future devastation of Jerusalem.
The new command that Jesus gives is to love one another... How are we to love one another? (not by washing feet...have you seen camel dung before?!)
As Jesus loved us… giving our lives.
According to the Gospel of John, what important event of Passover was happening on this night?
The sacrifices of the Passover lambs.
In what century was Holy Week first recognized?
4th century by St. Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria.
"Blessed is the one..."
"... who comes in the name, who comes in the name of the Lord."
The people hailed Jesus as whose son?
Levine writes about a “First Supper” at the beginning of the week when Jesus is anointed by a woman. What part of Jesus’ body did she anoint and with what?
She pours costly nard/perfume on his head in Mark and Matthew, but his feet in John.
At the meal, who did Jesus say would deny him?
Peter.
In the early morning, Jesus is delivered to whom?
Pontius Pilate.
Who painted this famous painting?
Leonardo DaVinci
“O sacred head, now wounded…”
"...with grief and shame weighed down."
Why did the people wave palm branches?
Psalm 92:12, “The righteous flourish like the palm tree” and Leviticus 23:40, “On the first day of the festival you shall take branches of palm trees and rejoice before the Lord your God.”
What did Jesus do on Saturday? (hint... cartoons were not invented yet)
He descended to the dead/hell... preached to the souls in hell... proclaimed victory over death... more?
What type of celebration were Jesus and his disciples gathering for?
Passover.
After Jesus’ death, who laid Jesus in the tomb?
Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea
What is the Triduum?
Latin for “three days” of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
“So, you are the Christ, you’re the great Jesus Christ…”
"...Prove to me that you’re divine, turn my water into wine” or “Prove to me that you’re no fool, walk across my swimming pool.”
What does “Hosanna” mean?
"Save us, Lord!"
What did Jesus say are the two most important commandments?
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength… Love your neighbor as yourself."
To what garden does Jesus go to pray?
Gethsemane/Mount of Olives
In an attempt to appease the people, Pilate ordered Jesus be lashed how many times?
39... the maximum according to Jewish law of Moses.
What is another name for the story of the events of the last week of Jesus’ life?
The Passion.
“Christ the life of all the living…”
"...Christ the death of death, our foe."
Did Jesus ride a colt or a donkey or both?
According to Matthew, both, in order to fulfill Zechariah who uses poetic parallelism in 9:9, “See, your king comes to you, righteous and bringing salvation, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
What does Jesus shout as he cleanses the Temple?
“My Temple will be a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” (Levine 56-57, 59)
Who betrays Jesus and how?
Judas with a kiss.
What did the soldiers do to Jesus to mock and torture him?
Put a crown of thorns on his head, made him carry his cross, mocked him, stripped him...
What determines when Holy Week will occur each year?
Easter always falls on the Sunday after the paschal full moon which is the day of Passover.
“All glory, laud, and honor, to you redeemer king…”
"... to whom the lips of children made sweet hosanna’s ring."
When the Pharisees ordered Jesus to quiet the crowds, he told them that what would happen if the people were silent?
"Even the stones themselves would cry out!” Luke 19:40
How do the Pharisees and Herodians try to trap Jesus? Hint… April 18.
“Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not?” (Levine 72, 75)
What radical act did Jesus offer to his disciples?
Wash their feet.
What words of forgiveness did Jesus speak from the cross?
"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." – Luke 23:34
Pope Francis drew worldwide attention in 2013 when he washed the feet of whom?
Prisoners.
“In the cross of Christ I glory…”
"...tow’ring oer the wrecks of time."
What kind of a king were the people hoping for?
Mighty warrior or political leader.
A poor widow gives an offering that is more than all the others have given. How much did she give?
Two small copper coins. (Levine 83-84, 88)
To whom do the soldiers take Jesus first for trial?
Caiphas the high priest and council.
What did the sign read above Jesus’ head and in what language?
“Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek (INRI – Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum)
In all four gospels, how many chapters out of the total 89 are written about Jesus’ Passion? (30)
30
“Glory be to Jesus, who in bitter pains…”
"...poured for me the lifeblood, from his sacred veins."
That night, Jesus and his disciples spent the night in Bethany, probably staying at the home of this famous trio.
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.
Levirate marriage allow for a man to marry his brother’s widow. If there were seven brothers, the first married and died, then the second married the widow and died, so also the third all the way to the seventh… in the resurrection, whose wife shall the woman be?
Exactly... that's the kind of craziness the Pharisees used to try to trick Jesus! He shifts the conversation away from death to the resurrection that we live now.
What does Jesus pray for in the garden?
“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done” – Luke 22:42
From the cross, Jesus cried out, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani.” What does this mean and what was Jesus quoting?
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me." Psalm 22:1
How long should an official Easter Vigil service be?
From sun-down Saturday to sun-up Sunday (about as long as a Ugandan worship service).
“Were you there…” (ALL FOUR!!!!)
"...when they crucified my Lord... nailed him to the tree... laid him in the tomb... raised him from the dead"