A devotional through the Gospel of Mark of Jesus' last week.

By Pastors Joe Lavagnino and Alan Newlove

This devotional guide is designed for personal and / or family devotional use for the week of Palm Sunday (April 10) through Easter Sunday (April 17). The Scriptures suggested for each day walk you through Mark’s gospel account and describe the daily activities of Jesus during this volatile week of ministry leading up to His arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection. We’ve also included additional scriptures that you can cross reference in order to get the full picture of the gospel account.  Our desire in creating this guide is to provide you with a helpful tool that will focus your heart on the importance of the Passion Week which culminated in Christ’s resurrection from and victory over death!

Passion Week Video

Watch a brief, 3-minute video on an overview of the Passion Week

Sunday: The Triumphal Entry (Palm Sunday)

Read: Mark 11:1-11

As Jesus descends the Mt of Olives, riding triumphantly into Jerusalem on a donkey, He is fulfilling an ancient prophecy (Zechariah 9:9) and officially presenting Himself to the nation as their Messiah. The people welcome Him with the waving of palm branches and shouts of “Hosanna” attributing to Him the words of Psalm 118:25-26. This is undoubtedly a difficult time for Jesus as He is overwhelmed with emotion – love for the people and grief over their unbelief. The Gospels record that on this day He weeps over the city because of the coming destruction (which took place in 70 A.D., a few decades after Jesus). That evening Jesus and His disciples come to the temple, but it is late and so they go back to Bethany where they stay for the evening.

For a deeper study, read:
Matthew 21:1-9, Luke 19:29-38, and John 12:12-15.

Monday: Cleansing of the Temple

Read: Mark 11:12-19

On Monday Jesus and His disciples return to Jerusalem in the morning, cursing a fig tree along the way for its lack of fruit – making a connection to the Pharisees and their hypocrisy that had all the appearance of faith (“leaves”) but no genuine results (“fruit”). Upon arriving in Jerusalem, they enter the temple and Jesus chases out the corrupt money changers – fulfilling another prophecy that Jesus would enter the temple and take possession of it (Malachi 3:1). Again, they return to Bethany for the evening (According to John 11:18 Bethany was about two miles outside of Jerusalem the walk back and forth each day was, therefore, not a problem for Jesus and His disciples).

For a deeper study, read:
Matthew 21:12-22, Luke 19:45-48 and John 2:13-16.

Tuesday: The Day of Controversy & Teaching

Read: Mark 11:20-13:36

On the walk back to Jerusalem Jesus and the disciples see the tree that was cursed the day before and marvel at how quickly it has withered. In the city Jesus is teaching at the temple and His authority and claims are repeatedly challenged by the religious authorities. Jesus uses this occasion to personally confront the religious leaders, defending His claims to be the Messiah in a series of parables. The leaders are ticked that Jesus would challenge them in this way and begin to ask a series of questions that are meant to trap Jesus. The issues include taxation, the resurrection, and the greatest commandment that God has given to man.

Jesus does not back down from them, in fact, He turns the tables on them, showing them that the Messiah is not simply the Son of David, but also the Lord of David – in doing this He is making a claim that He is greater than Israel’s greatest King. He goes on to issue a warning to the crowd about the false piety of the religious leaders compared to the true piety of a poor widow. Clearly, the crowds in general, and the religious leaders in particular are furious with Jesus by the end of this day.

Jesus’ time in the city and the temple ends with a lament and a curse on the city - announcing that the Kingdom will be taken away from the nation. This is probably Jesus’ last visit to the temple before His crucifixion. As He returns to Bethany, the disciples are loaded with questions due to the events of the day. Jesus stops with them on the Mount of Olives overlooking the city and speaks to them through prophetic statements and parables about the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the temple due to the peoples’ rejection of Jesus as Messiah – this is known as the Olivet Discourse.

For a deeper study, read:
Matthew 21:18-24:51 and Luke 20:1-21:38.

Wednesday: The Silent Day

Read: Mark 14:1-11

After an exhausting previous day of confrontations, Jesus more than likely spends this day resting and visiting with His intimate friends in Bethany. Meanwhile the religious leaders are making plans for His arrest and crucifixion. It may be that Judas strikes his deal with the religious leaders to betray Jesus on this day.

For a deeper study, read:
Matthew 26:2-16, Luke 22:1-6 and John 12:1-8.

Thursday: The Last Supper (Maundy Thursday)

Read: Mark 14:12-72

Since this day is the day of the Passover Feast (Exodus 12:1-14), preparation is being made by the disciples for their time together in the upper room. The Passover is celebrated in the evening with Jesus taking the role of the servant with His disciples, much to their discomfort. At the end of the Jewish feast, Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, gives final instruction to offers the Upper Room Discourse and prays His High Priestly Prayer. Ironically, a dispute breaks out among the disciples about who is the greatest among them. This leads to Jesus’ prediction of Peter’s denial and Peter’s protest.

After the Passover meal Jesus and His disciples leave the Upper Room and go to the Garden of Gethsemane, near the Mt. of Olives, where it was customary for Jesus to spend time in prayer. After instructing His disciples to stay awake and pray for Him they soon fall asleep. This is a night of torment for Jesus – desiring to do the will of the Father but knowing full well what it would entail. While in the garden, Jesus is betrayed by Judas, who had previously left their group, and is arrested by the temple guards.

Sometime late that evening or just after midnight a series of trials begin.

For a deeper study, read:
Matthew 26:17-75, Luke 22:7-71, John 18:3-24 and 1 Corinthians 11:23-25.

Friday: The Crucifixion (Good Friday)

Read: Mark 15:1-41

Before dawn on Friday morning Jesus is tried twice before Annas and Caiaphas, the highest religious authorities in Jerusalem. There were rules about when these trials were to take place and what was required of witnesses – in this case those rules were violated, making these trials illegal. Jesus eventually was found guilty of blasphemy (claiming to be God), the highest of crimes in Jewish law.

However, in order to get the Romans to execute Jesus, the charges before Pilate were changed to insurrection (claiming to be king). Pilate finds Jesus innocent and desired to release him. He considers this a ‘Jewish problem’, so in an effort to pass the ‘problem’ of Jesus on to someone else, Pilate sends Jesus to King Herod, who in turn sends Him back to Pilate.

This time Pilate tries to appease the crowds by offering a choice – either Jesus or a well-known criminal Barabbas could be released as a sign of good will. The crowd chooses to release Barabbas, and Jesus is sentenced to be crucified. The crucifixion takes place at around 9am on a hill called Golgotha outside the city. At noon the sky becomes dark symbolizing the turning away of God the Father as He is unable to see the sin of the world which is being placed on Jesus. When His death is verified Jesus’ body is placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea before the Sabbath began at sunset – around 6pm.

For a deeper study, read:
Matthew 27:11-61, Luke 23:1-56, John 18:29-19:42, Isaiah 53:5-6 and 1 Peter 1:18-21.

Saturday: Jesus in the Tomb

Read: Mark 15:42-47

In an effort to control any possible conspiracies Pilate seals the tomb and places guards at the tomb to prevent anybody from stealing Jesus’ body.

For a deeper study, read:
Matthew 27:57-61, Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42, and Romans 6:22-23.

Sunday: Resurrection Day (Easter Sunday)

Read: Mark 16:1-20

Early on Sunday morning, when the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” rushed to the tomb and discovered it was empty. The Roman guards, fearing the results of their failed mission, report Jesus’ body as missing to the Sanhedrin. Jesus, now resurrected from the dead, appears to Peter, to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and to the rest of the disciples (Acts 1:3, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

For a deeper study, read:
Matthew 28:1-20, Luke 24:1-49, John 20:1-21:31 and Acts 1:9.