Christian Religious Studies · Lesson 8

Triumphal entry, Last Supper, trials, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension

JAMBWAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

JAMB: 10 Triumphal entry and cleansing of the Temple (Mt 21:1-17; Mk 11:1-19; Lk 19:29-48); 11 The Last Supper (Mt 26:17-30; Mk 14:10-26; Lk 22:7-23; Jn 13:2-38); 12 Trials before the High Priest, Pilate and Herod; crucifixion and burial (Mt 26:36-75; 27:11-66; Mk 14:53-72; 15; Lk 22:66-71; 23; Jn 18:28-40; 19); 13 Resurrection, appearances and ascension (Mt 28; Mk 16; Lk 24; Jn 20; Acts 1:1-11)

WAEC: 16 Trials of Jesus (Gethsemane, Peter’s denials, condemnation); 17 Crucifixion, burial and resurrection (Mt 27:32-66; 28:1-10; Mk 15:16-47; 16:1-14; Lk 23:26-56; 24:1-35)

NECO: 16 Trials of Jesus (Gethsemane, Peter’s denials, condemnation); 17 Crucifixion, burial and resurrection (Mt 27:32-66; 28:1-10; Mk 15:16-47; 16:1-14; Lk 23:26-56; 24:1-35)

What you will learn

Narrate the triumphal entry and the cleansing of the Temple and explain their significance.
Describe the Last Supper and its meaning for Christians today.
Trace the arrest and trials of Jesus before the high priest, Pilate and Herod, and Peter’s denials.
Narrate the crucifixion and burial and explain the seven sayings from the cross.
Compare the resurrection accounts and the appearances of the risen Christ.
Describe the ascension and state the significance of the resurrection and ascension.

Key points

Jesus entered Jerusalem on a colt (Zech 9:9) to cries of “Hosanna to the son of David”; Luke says he wept over the city.
He cleansed the Temple: “My house shall be called the house of prayer” (Isa 56:7), “but ye have made it a den of thieves”.
The leaders plotted; a woman anointed him at Bethany; Judas agreed to betray him for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew).
At the Last Supper Jesus foretold betrayal and instituted the Lord’s Supper: bread as his body, cup as his blood of the new testament (covenant).
John records the footwashing, the new commandment to love one another, and the sop given to Judas.
In Gethsemane he prayed “not as I will, but as thou wilt”; Judas betrayed him with a kiss; Peter cut off Malchus’ ear and Jesus healed it.
Before Caiaphas Jesus was condemned for blasphemy; before Pilate the charges became political (Luke 23:2).
Peter denied him three times; the cock crew; Luke says the Lord looked on Peter, who wept bitterly.
Pilate found no fault, sent Jesus to Herod (Luke only), offered Barabbas, washed his hands and gave him to be crucified.
At Golgotha Jesus spoke seven sayings; the veil was rent; the centurion said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus buried him in a new rock tomb; Matthew records the guard and seal.
The tomb was empty on the first day of the week; Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, the Emmaus pair, the disciples and Thomas; he gave the Great Commission and ascended after forty days.

Start here: The triumphal entry

The last week of Jesus’ earthly life is often called Passion Week or Holy Week. All four Gospels give it great space: roughly a third of Mark and nearly half of John deal with these few days. Examiners therefore set many questions on it.

Preparing the colt (Mt 21:1-7; Mk 11:1-7; Lk 19:29-35)

Approaching Jerusalem near Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples into the village opposite to bring a colt on which no man had ever sat (Mk 11:2; Lk 19:30). If anyone asked why, they were to say, “the Lord hath need of him” (Mk 11:3). Matthew alone mentions two animals, “an ass tied, and a colt with her” (Mt 21:2), and explains the event as fulfilment of prophecy:

“Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.” (Matthew 21:5, KJV)

The words come from Zechariah 9:9. A king riding a donkey rather than a war-horse signalled peace and humility, not military conquest.

The welcome (Mt 21:8-11; Mk 11:8-10; Lk 19:36-40)

The crowd spread garments and branches on the road. John says they took “branches of palm trees” (Jn 12:13), which is why the Sunday before Easter is called Palm Sunday. They cried:

“And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” (Matthew 21:9, KJV)

“Hosanna” means “save, we pray”; “Son of David” is a messianic title. Luke records that the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke his disciples, and he replied that “if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” (Lk 19:40). When the city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”, the multitude answered, “This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee” (Mt 21:11).

Jesus weeps over Jerusalem (Lk 19:41-44)

Only Luke records that as he saw the city he “wept over it” (19:41), foretelling that enemies would cast a trench about it and not leave one stone upon another, “because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation”. Many readers see this fulfilled when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70.

Significance: Jesus openly presented himself as the Messiah-King; he fulfilled Zechariah 9:9; his kingship is one of humility and peace; the crowd’s misunderstanding (many expected a political deliverer) helps explain why some turned against him days later.

Worked exam answer

Q. Describe the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and state its significance. (JAMB/WAEC style)

A. Near Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples to fetch a colt that had never been ridden, telling them to say “the Lord hath need of him”. They put their garments on it and Jesus rode into Jerusalem. A great multitude spread clothes and branches on the road and shouted, “Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” The Pharisees asked him to rebuke his disciples, but he said the stones would cry out. As he drew near, he wept over the city. Significance: he declared himself Messiah; he fulfilled Zechariah 9:9; he showed that his kingship was humble and peaceful; and the event set in motion the final conflict with the authorities.

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Practice questions

1. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the multitudes cried

Hosanna to the son of David
Crucify him
Long live the king of the Jews
Elijah has come

Show answer

A: Hosanna to the son of David
Matthew 21:9.

2. When cleansing the Temple, Jesus said they had made it

a market of Gentiles
a house of idols
a place of sacrifice
a den of thieves

Show answer

D: a den of thieves
Matthew 21:13.

3. Which disciple asked, “Master, is it I?” and was told, “Thou hast said”?

John
Thomas
Judas
Peter

Show answer

C: Judas
Matthew 26:25.

4. Of the cup at the Last Supper Jesus said, “This is my blood of

the passover lamb”
the new testament”
the old covenant”
the vine”

Show answer

B: the new testament”
Matthew 26:28 (KJV “new testament”, i.e. new covenant).

5. In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “nevertheless not as I will, but

as thou wilt”
as they will”
as the prophets said”
as Peter wills”

Show answer

A: as thou wilt”
Matthew 26:39.

Key words

Passion: The suffering and death of Jesus (from Latin passio, suffering).
Hosanna: A Hebrew cry meaning “save, we pray”, used as a shout of praise.
Passover: The Jewish feast recalling the exodus from Egypt (Ex 12).
Unleavened bread: Bread made without yeast, eaten at Passover.
Eucharist / Lord’s Supper / Holy Communion: The Christian rite of bread and wine instituted at the Last Supper.
Gethsemane: The garden on the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed and was arrested.
Sanhedrin: The Jewish supreme council led by the high priest; the Gospels call it “the council”.
Blasphemy: Speaking against or insulting God; the charge on which the council condemned Jesus.
Praetorium: The Roman governor’s headquarters (“common hall”, Mt 27:27).
Golgotha / Calvary: “The place of a skull”, where Jesus was crucified; Calvary is from the Latin calvaria (skull).
Sepulchre: A tomb.
Arimathaea: The home town of Joseph who buried Jesus.

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