“Recounting the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life”

We estimate that Jesus was crucified at about nine o’clock on Friday morning and was then left on the cross for about six hours, which means He died at about three o’clock on Friday afternoon. In order to recount the last twenty four hours of His life, we begin on Thursday with the preparation for Jesus’ last Passover meal. The disciples went into the city, found a man carrying a jar of water, followed him to his house and inquired regarding the use of his guest room. They were sent by Jesus to find this man and to tell him that the Master wanted to use his guest room to eat the Passover meal. The disciples went into town and found everything just as Jesus told them (Mk 14:13-16). Jesus and the disciples arrived at the place prepared for them to eat the Passover meal and as the meal is being served, Jesus gets up, takes off His outer clothing and wraps a towel around His waist. He then pours water in a basin and begins to wash the feet of His disciples. Peter, about to have his feet washed by Jesus, protests and says, “No, You shall never wash my feet.” (Jn 13:8). After Jesus’ conversation with Peter about this matter, Peter allows Jesus to wash his feet (Jn 13:2-11). Jesus then puts on His clothes and returns to the meal. Being reclined at the table, Jesus proceeds to tell the disciples that one of them is going to betray Him. The disciples become very sad and began to say, “Surely not I, Lord?” (Mt 26:22). Jesus continues to tell them that it is the one whom He will give a piece of bread after He has dipped it into the dish. Then, Jesus dips the bread and hands it to Judas Iscariot, after which, Satan enters Judas. Jesus then says to Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” (Jn 13:27). Judas leaves to hand Jesus over to the authorities and Jesus then takes bread, gives thanks for it, breaks it, gives it to the disciples and says, “Take eat; this is my body.” Taking a cup Jesus gives thanks for it, offers it to the disciples, and proceeds to tell them, “Drink...This is my blood of the covenant...” (Mt 26:26-28).

After this, Jesus begins to explain to the disciples that He will only be with them a little while longer, and He instructs them to love one another as He has loved them. “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Jesus says. (Jn 13:36). Peter, being the outspoken one, speaks up and tells Jesus that he will lay down his life for Him. Then, like bursting a hot air balloon, Jesus deflates Peter by telling him that he will deny Jesus three times that night before the rooster crows in the morning. Knowing His time is short, Jesus takes these last few intimate moments to expound on a few things; He comforts them, gives the promise of the Holy Spirit, teaches them about the vine and branches, and tells them that the world hates them because they are His disciples (Jn 14&15). Next, Jesus explains to them that by the working of the Holy Spirit, their grief will turn into joy (Jn 16). Jesus prays for Himself, the disciples, and all believers (Jn 17). When the Passover meal and prayer is completed, Jesus takes the disciples and leaves for Gethsemane. Instructing the disciples to sit there and pray, He takes Peter, James, and John a little further into the garden. Becoming very sorrowful, Jesus asks Peter, James, and John to stop watch with Him. Jesus, going off on His own, falls and prays to the Father for a time and then, returning, He finds Peter, James, and John asleep. Waking them, Jesus tells them to pray and then removes Himself to pray to the Father again. Coming upon Peter, James, and John sleeping a second time Jesus returns to pray a third time without waking them. Then, upon Jesus’ third return, He wakes the disciples up saying “My hour has come, I am about to be betrayed.” (Mt 26:36-45).

Judas, arriving with a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, kisses Jesus as a signal to the crowd who Jesus was. The men stepped forward to seize and arrest Jesus, and at that moment, Peter draws his sword and cuts off the servant of the high priest’s ear (Jn 18:10). Luke 22:51 tells us that Jesus then mercifully touched the ear of this injured man and healed him. Following this, as the angry crowd converged upon Jesus, all the disciples fled and deserted Him. The crowd then took Jesus to Annas who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas the high priest (Jn 18:12&13). Jesus then is taken to Caiaphas, where the teachers of the law and elders were assembled (Mt 26:57). The Sanhedrin and the chief priests were looking for false evidence against Jesus. Many false witnesses gave testimony against Jesus, but there was nothing that would constitute a death penalty. Then, two people came forward to tell how Jesus had basically said destroy this Temple and in three days I will rebuild it. This infuriated the high priest who jumped up and demanded that Jesus tell them if He was the Christ the Son of God. Jesus responds by saying, “Yes. But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mt 26:64). Shouting out “blasphemy” the high priest tore his clothes asked the people, “What do you think?” The crowd says, “Jesus is worthy of death.” (Mt 26:65-67). Then, they spit in Jesus face, hit and slap Him repeatedly. Somewhere along this time, after Peter has denied Jesus three times and the rooster crows, Jesus and Peter make eye contact. Peter, then realizing what he had done went out and wept bitterly (Lk 22:56-62).

Early in the morning the council of the elders then leads Jesus off to Pilate (Lk 22:1). Pilate asks Jesus if He is the king of the Jews and Jesus says yes. Pilate announces to the crowd that he finds no fault in Jesus, but the crowd tells Pilate that Jesus stirs up trouble all over Judea. Learning that Jesus was a Galilean, Pilate sends Jesus to Herod Antipas because Herod had jurisdiction over this area (Lk 23:3-7). Herod, upon seeing Jesus, is pleased because he heard about Jesus and hoped to see Him perform some miracles (Lk 23:8). Herod asks Jesus some questions then sends Him back to Pilate.

Pilate, who found no fault in Jesus, tries to get Him released. Upon going out to the crowd, Pilate attempts to sway the crowd by reminding them it was custom to release a prisoner. Pilate asked if they wanted him to release Jesus or Barabbas, who was a murder, and the crowd shouted for the release of Barabbas. Pilate then asked what they wanted to do with Jesus. Furiously they shouted, “Crucify Him!” Pilate asked, “Why?” They shouted even louder, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him.” (Lk 23:16-22). Pilate then released Barabbas, had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified. The governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, stripped Jesus of His clothes, and placed a scarlet robe on Him. They then twisted together thorns into a crown and placed it on Jesus’ head, mocking Him (Mt 27:27-31). Forced to carry His own cross, Jesus was taken out to the place of the skulls, known as Golgotha (Jn 19:17). As they were going, a man from Cyrene, named Simon, was forced to carry Jesus’ Cross as He was more than likely not physically able to carry it alone (Mt 27:32).

Arriving at Golgotha, Jesus is nailed to the cross and crucified between two thieves. As His clothes were divided and soldiers cast lots for them, those passing by yelled out to Jesus, “Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God!” The chief priest also mocked Jesus by saying, “He saved others, but He can’t even save Himself.” Over Jesus’ head Pilate placed a saying that said, “This is Jesus, The King of the Jews.” (Mt 27:35-42). While on the cross, one of the criminals asks Jesus to remember him when Jesus comes into the Kingdom, Jesus responds, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.” (Lk 23:42&43). Sometime while Jesus was hanging on the cross, Mary, Jesus mother, was there as well as John. Jesus looks to His mother and says, “Here is your son,” and to John He says, “Here is your mother.” (Jn 19:26&27). About the ninth hour, or three o’clock, darkness was over the land and Jesus cries out saying, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46). Jesus being thirsty said, “I am thirsty.” Those close by lifted up a sponge soaked in wine vinegar to Jesus’ lips. Then, Jesus said, “It is finished”, bowed His head and gave up the spirit (Jn 19:28-30).

Timothy Fortune