Mar. 25, 2026

Dear Friends,

I hope you can join us tonight for Bible study. We will be studying some of the events, along with a calendar, of Holy Week. This is part one of a two-part study. Notes are attached.

LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

MARCH 25, 2026

Holy Week

The Week that Changed the World

pt. 1

Day(s) Events (selected) Scripture

Palm Sunday This will be the focus of this Sunday,

and so not as much attention will be

given to it this evening.

Matt. 21:1-11; Mk. 11:1-10; Lk. 19:28-40; Jn.

12:12-15

Mon-Tue Many teachings and events

Holy Wednesday Jesus predicts his suffering

Supper in Bethany at the house of

Simon the leper

The plot to kill Jesus is finalized

Matt. 26:1-2

Matt. 26:6-13; Mk 14:3-9; Jn 12:1-6

Matt. 26:3-5,14-16; Mk 14:1-2,10-11; Lk.

22:1-6; Jn. 12:9-11

Maundy Thursday

Passover, or Feast

of Unleavened

Bread

Place prepared for Last Supper

Judas revealed as the betrayer

Jesus washes the apostles’ feet—and

institutes servanthood as a model

Jesus blesses the bread and cup—and

institutes the Lord’s Supper

Jesus’ words to Peter

Jesus’ vast teachings, including his

High Priestly Prayer

The departure to the Mount of Olives,

then to Gethsemane

(to be continued …)

Matt. 26:17-19; Mk 14:12-16; Lk. 22:7-13

Matt. 26:20-25; Mk. 14:17-21; Lk. 22:21-23;

Jn. 13:2,18,21-30

Jn. 13:1,3-17

Matt. 26:26-29; Mk 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20

Matt. 26:33-35; Mk 14:29-31; Luke 22:31-33;

Jn 13:36-38

John 14-17

Matt 26:30-32,36-46; Mk 14:32-42;Lk 22:39-

46; Jn 18:1

Good Friday

Saturday

The Sabbath

Resurrection Day

Sunday

Jesus knew and prepared his disciples

Matthew 26, vv 1-2 - When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, 2 “You know

that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

“Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, ‘Whom do

you seek?’”—Jon 18:4

“had finished all these sayings” – between Matt 21 and Matt 26 (!).

“after two days” or in two days. So this was on Wednesday.

“to be crucified”—Jesus knew exactly what was in store.

“And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way

he said to them, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be

delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and

deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be

raised on the third day.’”—Matthew 20:17-19

2

“He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that

the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on

the third day rise.”—Luke 24:6

Supper in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper

“Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an

alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And

when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, ‘Why this waste? For this could have been sold

for a large sum and given to the poor.’ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the

woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will

not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.

Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also

be told in memory of her.’”—Matt. 26:6-13

“There were some who said to themselves indignantly, ‘Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this

ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.’ And they

scolded her.”—Luke 14:4-5

“Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had

raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those

reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard,

and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance

of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why

was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ He said this, not because he

cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help

himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my

burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.’”—John 12:1-7

____________

Three hundred denarii – a substantial sum. — @ $20/hr - $48,000

Judas is quoted and was apparently the leader of the “indignation,” but he was apparently not the only

one who felt that way.

Stinginess has been around a long time—and it can always find a “noble” reason not to spend the money

on the things of God.

ex. – the church and its $300,000.

Jesus’ statement about the poor was not really so much about the poor or poverty as it was a response to

pious and insincere excuse-making.

Mary gift was personal, an act of love (and grief)—and here, on the eve of Jesus’ suffering—that he had

consistently announced—she seems to be the only one who “gets it” and who is grieving over what

is in store for Jesus.

She was honored and defended by Jesus

The Washing of the Apostles’ Feet

John 13: 1,3-17

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this

world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end…. 3 Jesus,

knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was

going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it

around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe

them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord,

3

do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but

afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered

him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet

only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to

wash, except for his feet,[a] but is completely clean. And you [plural] are clean, but not every one of

you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 When

he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you

understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I

say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

___________

It is perhaps easier to institute a meal than a “foot-washing,” but it is almost inarguable that this aspect

of the Last Supper has been neglected throughout history. There is no comparison to Communion in the

attention it has received. And yet, in John’s gospel, it is of singular importance.

And related to this, do we give enough emphasis to the principle of servanthood in general?

Jesus blesses the bread and the cup.

26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples,

and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to

them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for

many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day

when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”—Matthew 26:26-29

22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said,

“Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and

they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out

for many. 25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink

it new in the kingdom of God.”—Mark 14:22-25

14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I

have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it until

it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take

this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the

vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it

and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new

covenant in my blood.—Luke 22;14-20

_________________

Whatever one’s theology of Communion, this is a holy moment for the Church.

Jesus took Passover unto himself. He fulfilled it, and in fulfilling it, he replaced it.

The Jewish households were passed over from death because of the blood of the lamb that was

over their door (cf. Ex. 12).

This made possible their exodus from slavery—God’s great act of salvation, their deliverance

from bondage.

4

Jesus took this very meal—this very ordinance—and he took it unto himself, as it was always

pointing to and dependent upon.

For generations, Passover was observed as a memorial of what God had done for the

Israelites in Egypt. Now, Jesus says, you do this in memory of me!

This bread is no longer the unleavened bread of the original Passover, the bread is now

my body.

It is no longer the lamb’s blood on the doorposts that causes the destroyer to pass you

over, it is my blood that God sees—the Lamb of God— and spares you from death.

This is the “new covenant in my blood.”