The tables below list the main events of the last days of Jesus Christ’s earthly life at His first coming, roughly in chronological order: from Lazarus Saturday to the Ascension. Each event is followed by the places in the Gospels where it is recorded. The mark “cf.” appears next to a passage describing a similar incident that may relate to this event.
Lazarus Saturday
Wikipedia: Lazarus Saturday, Anointing of Jesus.
| Event | Matthew | Mark | Luke | John |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anointing of Jesus by Mary, as if in anticipation of His approaching burial | 26:6-13 | 14:3-9 | cf. 7:36-48 | 12:1-8 |
| The plot to kill Lazarus | 12:9-11 |
Palm Sunday (Entry into Jerusalem)
Celebrated on the sixth Sunday of Great Lent, a week before Easter.
Wikipedia: Palm Sunday.
| Event | Matthew | Mark | Luke | John |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The triumphal entry into Jerusalem | 21:1-11 | 11:1-10 | 19:29-40 | 12:12-19 |
| Jesus weeps over Jerusalem | 19:41-44 | |||
| Jesus in the Temple | 11:11 | |||
| Return to Bethany | 11:11 |
Holy Monday
Wikipedia: Holy Monday.
| Event | Matthew | Mark | Luke |
|---|---|---|---|
| The cursing of the fig tree | 21:18-19 | 11:12-14 | |
| The second cleansing of the Temple | 21:12-13 | 11:15-17 | 19:45-46 |
| The plots of Jesus’s enemies | 11:18-19 | 19:47-48 | |
| The praise of the children | 21:14-17 |
Holy Tuesday
Wikipedia: Holy Tuesday.
| Event | Matthew | Mark | Luke | John |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The lesson of the withered fig tree | 21:20-22 | 11:20-26 | ||
| Jesus’s authority questioned | 21:23-27 | 11:27-32 | 20:1-8 | |
| The parable of the two sons | 21:28-32 | |||
| The parable of the wicked husbandmen | 21:33-46 | 12:1-12 | 20:9-19 | |
| The parable of the marriage of the king’s son | 22:1-14 | cf. 14:15-24 | ||
| The Pharisees’ trick about tribute to Caesar | 22:15-22 | 12:13-17 | 20:20-26 | |
| The Sadducees’ mockery. The resurrection of the dead | 22:23-33 | 12:18-27 | 20:27-40 | |
| A scribe tests Jesus | 22:34-40 | 12:28-34 | cf. 10:25-28 | |
| What do you think of the Christ? | 22:41-46 | 12:35-37 | 20:41-44 | |
| Woes upon the scribes and Pharisees | 23:1-36 | 12:38-40 | 20:45-47 | |
| The widow’s mite | 12:41-44 | 21:1-4 | ||
| Jesus’s farewell to the Temple | 23:37-39 | cf. 13:34-35 | ||
| The Greeks who wished to see Jesus | 12:20-36 | |||
| Jesus on the Mount of Olives | 24:1-3 | 13:1-3 | ||
| Jesus’s daily routine in those days | 21:37-38 |
Discourse on the end times
| Event | Matthew | Mark | Luke |
|---|---|---|---|
| The destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Coming of Christ | 24:4-44 | 13:4-37 | 21:5-38 |
| Eschatological parables | 24:37-42 | 17:26-37 | |
| — As a thief in the night | 24:43-44 | 12:39-40 | |
| — The watchful servants | 24:45-51 | 13:33-37 | 12:41-48 |
| — The ten virgins | 25:1-13 | 13:25-30 | |
| — The parable of the talents | 25:14-30 | cf. 13:34 | cf. 19:11-27 |
| — We are unprofitable servants | 17:7-10 | ||
| — The judgment of the nations | 25:31-46 |
Holy Wednesday (Spy Wednesday)
Wikipedia: Holy Wednesday.
| Event | Matthew | Mark | Luke | John |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus foretells His crucifixion | 26:1-2 | |||
| The decision to kill Him | 26:3-5 | 14:1-2 | 22:1-2 | |
| Judas’s betrayal | 26:14-16 | 14:10-11 | 22:3-6 | |
| The unbelief of the people | 12:37-50 |
Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday)
Wikipedia: Maundy Thursday, Last Supper, Maundy (foot washing).
| Event | Matthew | Mark | Luke | John | 1 Corinthians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation for the Passover meal | 26:17-19 | 14:12-16 | 22:7-13 | ||
| Jesus at table with His disciples | 26:20 | 14:17 | 22:14-18 | ||
| The disciples’ dispute over who is greatest | 22:24-30 | ||||
| The object lesson of humility in the washing of feet | 13:1-7 | ||||
| Jesus points out the betrayer | 26:21-25 | 14:18-21 | 22:21-23 | 13:18-32 | |
| The institution of the Lord’s Supper | 26:26-29 | 14:22-25 | 22:15-20 | 11:23-34 | |
| The new commandment of love | 13:33-35 | ||||
| The warning to overconfident Peter | 22:31-34 | 13:36-38 | |||
| Jesus’s farewell discourse | 14; 15; 16 | ||||
| The high priestly prayer | 17 | ||||
| The singing of the hymn | 26:30 | 14:26 | |||
| The prediction of Peter’s denial | 26:31-35 | 14:27-31 | |||
| The two swords | 22:35-38 | ||||
| Gethsemane | 26:36-46 | 14:32-44 | 22:39-46 |
Good Friday (Holy Friday)
Wikipedia: Good Friday, Crucifixion of Jesus, Denial of Peter, Pilate’s court, Flagellation of Christ, Crown of thorns, Christ Carrying the Cross, Descent from the Cross, Burial of Jesus.
| Event | Matthew | Mark | Luke | John |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The shameful betrayal | 26:47-50 | 14:43-45 | 22:47-48 | 18:1-5 |
| Peter draws his sword | 26:51 | 14:47 | 22:50 | 18:10 |
| Jesus heals Malchus’s ear | 22:51 | |||
| All the disciples flee | 26:56 | 14:50 | ||
| The interrogation before Annas | 18:13-23 | |||
| The interrogation before Caiaphas | 26:57 | 14:53 | 22:54 | 18:24 |
| Peter follows Jesus | 26:58 | 14:54 | 22:54-55 | 18:15 |
| The high priest demands a decisive answer | 26:63 | 14:61 | ||
| Jesus is mocked and beaten | 26:66-67 | 14:64-65 | 22:64-65 | |
| Peter’s denial | 26:69-75 | 14:66-72 | 22:54-62 | 18:17-22 |
| Jesus before Pilate | 27:1-2 | 15:1 | 23:1 | 18:28 |
| The suicide of Judas — Acts 1:15-20 | 27:3-10 | |||
| Pilate goes out to the people | 18:29 | |||
| Pilate questions Jesus privately again | 18:33 | |||
| The order to scourge Jesus | 27:26 | 15:15 | 19:1 | |
| The crown of thorns | 27:29 | 15:17 | 19:2 | |
| Ecce homo! (Behold the Man!) | 19:5 | |||
| The public accusation | 27:11 | 15:2 | 23:2 | |
| Jesus before Herod | 23:6-11 | |||
| “Behold your King!” | 19:14 | |||
| Pilate wants to release Jesus | 27:15 | 15:9 | 23:17 | 19:12 |
| This wish is confirmed by the warning of Pilate’s wife | 27:19 | |||
| The crowd demands crucifixion | 27:22 | 15:12-13 | 23:20-21 | 19:4-7 |
| Pilate’s symbolic washing of his hands | 27:24 | |||
| Barabbas | 27:15-26 | 15:6-15 | 23:17-25 | 18:39-40 |
| Jesus is condemned to crucifixion | 27:26 | 15:15 | 23:25 | 19:16 |
| Simon of Cyrene | 27:31-32 | 15:20-21 | 23:26 | |
| The daughters of Jerusalem | 23:27-32 | |||
| Golgotha. Jesus refuses the stupefying drink | 27:33-34 | 15:22-23 | ||
| The crucifixion | 27:35-38 | 15:25-28 | 23:33 | 19:18 |
| “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” | 27:37 | 15:26 | 23:38 | 19:19 |
The Seven Words
| Event | Matthew | Mark | Luke | John |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. | 23:34 | |||
| The soldiers divide Jesus’s garments (casting lots for them). The mockery of the people, the elders, the soldiers, and the thieves | 27:35-44 | 15:29-32 | 23:35-39 | |
| The repentant thief | 23:40 | |||
| 2. Today shalt thou be with me in paradise | 23:43 | |||
| 3. The words to Mary and John | 19:26-27 | |||
| Three hours of darkness (from noon to 3 p.m.) | 27:45 | 15:33 | 23:44-45 | |
| 4. Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? | 27:46 | 15:34 | ||
| 5. I thirst! | 19:28 | |||
| The drink of vinegar | 27:48-49 | 15:36 | 19:29 | |
| 6. It is finished! | 19:30 | |||
| 7. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit | 23:46 | |||
| The death of Jesus | 27:50 | 15:37 | 23:46 | 19:30 |
| The veil of the Temple is torn | 27:51 | 15:38 | 23:45 | |
| The appearance of the risen dead | 27:52 | |||
| The centurion’s testimony | 27:54 | 15:39 | 23:47 | |
| The women at the cross | 27:55 | 15:40 | 23:49 | |
| Jesus’s side pierced with a spear | 19:31-37 | |||
| The descent from the cross and the burial | 27:57-61 | 15:42-47 | 23:50-56 | 19:38-42 |
Holy Saturday
Wikipedia: Holy Saturday, Harrowing of Hell.
| Event | Matthew |
|---|---|
| The guard at the tomb | 27:62-66 |
Resurrection Day (Easter)
Wikipedia: Resurrection of Jesus.
| Event | Matthew | Mark | Luke | John |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The women at the tomb | 28:1-8 | 16:1-8 | 24:1-12 | 20:1-13 |
| The earthquake, the angel, the guard | 28:2-4 | |||
| The stone rolled away from the tomb | 16:3-4 | 24:2 | 20:1 | |
| Mary Magdalene runs to Peter and John | 20:2 | |||
| Peter and John at the tomb | 24:12 | 20:3-10 | ||
| The guards’ report | 28:11-15 |
Appearances of the Risen Christ
| Event | Matthew | Mark | Luke | John | 1 Corinthians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. To the women | 28:9-10 | 16:9-11 | 20:14-18 | ||
| 2. To grief-stricken Peter | 24:33-35 | 15:5 | |||
| 3. To two travelers on the road to Emmaus | 16:12-13 | 24:13-32 | |||
| 4. To the fearful disciples (Thomas absent) | 24:36-43 | 20:19-23 |
Appearances of the Risen Christ in the following days
| Event | Matthew | Mark | Luke | John | Acts | 1 Corinthians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5. To the disciples (Thomas present) | 20:24-29 | |||||
| 6. To the eleven disciples on the mountain in Galilee | 28:16-20 | 16:14-18 | ||||
| 7. To the disheartened fishermen | 21:1-14 | |||||
| 8. To five hundred believers | 15:6 | |||||
| 9. To James | 15:7 | |||||
| 10. To chosen witnesses | 16:19-20 | 24:50 | 1:1-11 | |||
| 11. To the apostle to the Gentiles | 9:3-5 | 15:8 |
Ascension
Wikipedia: Ascension of Jesus.
| Event | Mark | Luke | John | Acts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ | 16:19-20 | 24:50-53 | 1:9 | |
| The closing word of St. John the Apostle | 20:30-31; 21:24-25 |