AGENDA – CRUCIFY HIM

OPENING PRAYER - Heavenly Father, we thank you for this opportunity to read and study Your Word. Please guide our thoughts and open our hearts to understand the truths You want to reveal. In Jesus' name, Amen.
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – THE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY
POINT OF INTEREST - Many of the most important events in the Bible take place on mountains: from Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:2, 2 Chronicles 3:1), to Mount Sinai (Exodus24:12), to the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8), and many more. A prophecy in Zechariah says that in the final days God will appear on the Mount of Olives and the resurrection of the dead will begin from there (Zechariah 14:4-5). For this reason, the Mount of Olives has been a Jewish cemetery for over 3,000 years; people want to be buried there so that they will be among the first to see the Messiah in glory. Acts 1:12 tells us that Jesus ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives.
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE 
SCENIC VIEW - This event is described in all four gospels. Matthew, Mark, and Luke place it at the end of Jesus' ministry, John at the beginning. Scholars generally agree that it happened at the end of Jesus' ministry and was a catalyst for his crucifixion. The temple gathered tributes, some of which were sent on to Rome. The attack on the temple, then, was an attack on Rome. Crucifixion was reserved largely for seditionists. Jesus' activity in the temple could easily be understood as incitement of rebellion.
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – JESUS TEACHES IN THE TEMPLE
POINT OF INTEREST - Did you notice the sandwich storytelling technique? Mark brackets the cleansing of the temple with the cursing of the fig tree. The fig tree is used as a symbol for barrenness, to represent Israel's failure to bear the fruit of good works.
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – THE PARABLE OF THE WICKED TENANTS
SCENIC VIEW - When Jesus gives the great commandment, he is not saying something new. These two commandments come straight from the Hebrew scriptures: Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:8. Jesus is reminding people that they already know how they are called to live; they just have to actually do it. In John's gospel, Jesus will go one step further and give his followers a new commandment: to love one another as he has loved them (John 13:31-35). How is loving others like Jesus loves different from loving our neighbors as ourselves?
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – THE GREAT COMMANDMENT
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – A WARNING ABOUT THE SCRIBES
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – WIDOW'S MITE
POINT OF INTEREST - The story of the Widow's Mite comes immediately after the denunciation of the scribes who devour widows' houses. Yes, the woman is a model of faith. She also is a witness to the corruption of the religious leaders.
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – THE MINI-APOCALYPSE
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – JESUS IS ANOINTED
POINT OF INTEREST - Nard or Spikenard was a fragrant ointment or perfume that cost a year's wages. Fragrant perfumes were used to anoint kings, as in 1 Samuel 10:1 or 2 Kings 9:6; they were also used to anoint bodies for burial, as in Mark 16:1. This beautiful story occurs in all four gospels. Although the woman's act is praised, the story does not tell us her name.
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – JESUS' LAST MEAL WITH HIS FRIENDS
POINT OF INTEREST - Throughout his ministry, Jesus ate with all sorts of people. He ate with friends and enemies, people of status and people of ill repute. This practice communicated a radical acceptance that ruffled more than a few feathers. It is fitting that Jesus shares one final meal with his closest friends.
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – GETHSEMANE
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – JESUS IS ARRESTED
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – PETER DENIES JESUS
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – JESUS BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – JESUS DELIVERED TO PILATE
SCENIC VIEW - Pilate was an incredibly vicious ruler. Although he is depicted in the gospels (especially John, which you are reading here) as a reasonable man who only reluctantly condemned Jesus to death, Pilate was actually recalled to Rome for using excessive force.
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – JESUS IS CRUCIFIED
SCENIC VIEW - Crucifixion was frequently used in Rome to kill people who had rebelled against the empire. This cruel punishment tormented the condemned for days. They were a public spectacle, a warning to challenge the might of the empire. The punishment was so gruesome that very few ancient sources actually depict it. The gospels tell us more about crucifixion than many ancient authors were willing to divulge.
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – THE TWO THIEVES
YOU ARE HERE - All four gospels tell us that Jesus was crucified between two thieves, but only Luke tells us this detail about what the thieves say. One thief mocks Jesus, while simultaneously asking Jesus to save him. The other expresses belief and asks for Jesus to remember him. What might we learn about ourselves and about Jesus from this exchange?
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – THE DEATH OF JESUS
TRAIL CROSSING - In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus dies completely alone. All of his closest friends have abandoned him. Only a few faithful women watch from the distance. It is a very different scene than in the Gospel of John (John 19:16-30). Read that version and notice the differences.
AUDIBLE READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – JESUS IS BURIED
Scripture Citations 
JOHN 12:1, 9-12 | 18:28b-19:16a 
MARK 11:1-21, 27 | 12:28-34 | 12:38-40 | 13:1-13 14:1-11 | 15:21-32a | 15:33-47 
MATTHEW 21:33b-46 | 26:17-35 | 26:59-68 | 27:1-2
LUKE 21:1-4 | 22:39-62 | 23:39-43
QUESTIONS FOR THE JOURNEY 
1.	Jesus accuses the scribes of devouring widows' houses but praises the woman who pours nard worth a year of wages on his feet. Do you see a contradiction here? Why do you think the woman receives praise? 
2.	This is the story of how Jesus spent his final days and hours on this earth. What do we learn about what he valued most from the story—what he did, where he went, and with whom he spent his time in these final moments? What might that teach us? 
3.	According to the text, why does Jesus have to die? What other explanations have you heard for why Jesus had to die? 
4.	In his final days, Jesus is denounced by religious leaders, betrayed and denied by two of his disciples, and abandoned by almost all of his followers. What might we learn from these difficult parts of Jesus' life? 
5.	The liturgies of Holy Week developed as a way of mystically transporting Christians to Jerusalem so that we could walk with Jesus through his final days. How does the liturgical journey that we take during Holy Week connect to these stories? How has walking with Jesus through Holy Week impacted your faith journey? 
6.	In church, we share Holy Communion as a way to remember and connect to Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples. What connections do you hear between the stories we read and your church's celebration of Holy Communion? How do worship and communion nourish you for your journey with God?
1. The Widow’s House vs. The Alabaster Jar
At first glance, it seems inconsistent to condemn the "devouring" of widow's property while praising a woman for "wasting" expensive perfume. However, the distinction lies in coercion versus devotion. 
•	The Scribes: Jesus critiques a system of religious exploitation where leaders used their status to strip vulnerable people of their livelihoods [1].
•	The Woman: Her act was a spontaneous, sacrificial gift of love. Jesus praises her because she recognized the urgency of the moment—his impending burial—and gave her absolute best to him [1, 2].
•	The Lesson: Jesus values the intent of the heart. The scribes took by force; the woman gave by choice [2]. 
2. Jesus’ Final Priorities
In his final days, Jesus’ actions reveal a deep commitment to intimacy and preparation. 
•	Where he went: He retreated to the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane, seeking solitude and prayer with God [3].
•	With whom: He shared his most significant final meal with his disciples—the very people who would soon fail him—demonstrating a love that persists despite human weakness [4].
•	What he did: He washed feet and established the Eucharist, prioritizing servant leadership and communal remembrance [4, 5]. 
3. Why Jesus Had to Die
The Gospel of Mark suggests Jesus’ death was a "ransom for many," a necessary fulfillment of his mission to serve and give his life [6]. 
•	Biblical Explanations: Many traditions point to the Substitutionary Atonement (taking the punishment for human sin) or the Christus Victor model (defeating the powers of death and evil) [7].
•	Historical Explanations: Politically, he died because his message of a "Kingdom of God" directly challenged both the Roman Empire and the religious establishment of the time [6]. 
4. Learning from Abandonment and Betrayal
Jesus’ experience of being denounced, betrayed by Judas, and denied by Peter offers a profound look at human frailty and divine resilience. 
•	Solidarity: It teaches us that God understands the depth of human loneliness and betrayal because he lived it.
•	Grace: Even though his followers abandoned him, the post-resurrection stories show Jesus returning to them with peace, teaching that failure is not the end of a relationship with God [8]. 
5. The Holy Week Journey
The liturgies of Holy Week function as a "sacred drama" that allows believers to experience the narrative rhythm of Jesus’ life [9]. 
•	Connection: Palm Sunday represents the high of public acclaim; Maundy Thursday focuses on service; Good Friday sits in the reality of suffering.
•	Impact: By "walking" these steps, faith moves from an intellectual concept to an embodied experience, helping us find God’s presence in our own seasons of both celebration and sorrow [9, 10]. 
6. Communion as Living Memory
Holy Communion (The Eucharist) is the primary way the Church keeps the "Last Supper" present in the modern day. 
•	The Connection: When we hear the words "This is my body," we are linked directly to the upper room where Jesus shared his life with his friends [11].
•	Nourishment: It nourishes the journey by providing a physical "taste" of grace. It serves as a reminder that, just as Jesus fed his disciples before his hardest trial, God provides spiritual sustenance for our daily struggles [11].

NEXT STEPS 
•	Each of the gospels describes Jesus' death differently. Read Matthew 27:45-54; Mark 15:33-39; Luke 23:44-48; and John 19:28-30. Which scene do you find most compelling? Why? 
•	From the cross, Jesus cries out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" which is the beginning of Psalm 22. Read this psalm. What do you notice about this prayer? When have you felt like the psalmist? What does it mean to you that Jesus prayed this prayer?  
The Diverse Scenes of the Crucifixion
Each Gospel writer paints a unique portrait of Jesus’ final moments, highlighting different aspects of his character and mission:
•	Matthew (27:45-54): This is the most "cosmic" account. Earthquakes and tombs opening emphasize that Jesus’ death shook the very foundations of the world. It’s compelling because it shows that nature itself couldn't remain silent.
•	Mark (15:33-39): Mark focuses on the raw, human suffering and the perceived silence of God. The Centurion’s confession—"Surely this man was the Son of God"—is powerful because it comes from a Roman executioner, not a follower.
•	Luke (23:44-48): Luke’s version is the most "merciful." Jesus prays for his executioners and comforts the thief. His final words, "Into your hands I commit my spirit," show a sense of peace and trust.
•	John (19:28-30): Here, Jesus is in total control. There is no "cry of dereliction." Instead, he declares, "It is finished," signaling that he has successfully completed his work. It’s a scene of sovereign triumph.
Which is most compelling? Many people find Luke most moving because of the focus on forgiveness, while others lean toward John because it portrays Jesus as an empowered victor rather than a victim.

Psalm 22: The Prayer of the Forsaken
When Jesus cries out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" he isn't just venting—he is quoting Psalm 22.
What stands out in this prayer:
1.	Honest Agony: The psalmist describes feeling like a "worm" and being "poured out like water." It is a prayer for when you feel completely abandoned by God and surrounded by enemies.
2.	The Pivot: Halfway through (verse 22), the tone shifts dramatically from despair to praise. The psalmist moves from "Why aren't you helping me?" to "I will tell of your name to my brothers."
3.	Future Hope: It ends by looking toward a future where "posterity will serve him."
The Significance of Jesus Praying This:
It means that Jesus entered into the absolute basement of human experience. He didn’t just pretend to suffer; he felt the weight of God’s silence. When you feel "forsaken" or like your prayers are hitting a brass ceiling, you aren't alone—Jesus has been there. He took the words of a suffering human and made them his own, sanctifying our own moments of doubt and pain.
What does it teach us? It teaches us that lament is a form of faith. You don't have to pretend to be happy to talk to God; you can bring your "Why?" directly to Him.
When you look at the pivot in Psalm 22 from suffering to praise, does it feel like a natural progression of faith to you, or does that shift feel difficult to make when you're in the middle of a personal trial?
CLOSING PRAYER - Lord, thank you for this time of study and for Your Word. As we leave, please help us to carry the truths we've learned into our daily lives and to live out Your teachings. May we continue to grow in faith and reflect Your love to others. Amen.