Your Study Guide to The Passion: Before the Suffering
Hey everyone! Welcome to your study notes for a really important part of Christianity: The Passion of Jesus. Don't let the word "passion" confuse you – in this context, it comes from a Latin word meaning 'to suffer'. So, we're looking at the final events of Jesus' life.
In this chapter, we're focusing on the crucial events that happened right before Jesus' arrest and crucifixion. Think of it as the build-up in a movie before the big, dramatic climax. Understanding these events is key because they show us:
- What Jesus believed his mission was.
- How his followers and enemies reacted to him.
- How these events set the stage for everything that followed.
Don't worry if it seems like a lot. We'll break it down step-by-step. Let's get started!
Part 1: Jesus Knows What's Coming - The Three Predictions
Imagine your favourite superhero knowing exactly how the final battle would go down, including their own sacrifice. This is what's happening here. Jesus wasn't caught by surprise. The Gospels tell us that he openly predicted his own suffering and death to his closest followers, the disciples, on three separate occasions.
Why did Jesus have to do this?
This is one of the most important concepts to grasp. According to the syllabus, we need to understand why the Messiah has to suffer. It was a shocking and confusing idea for the people back then!
- Common Expectation: Most Jewish people at the time expected the Messiah to be a powerful warrior-king, like King David, who would defeat the Roman occupiers and restore Israel's power. They were waiting for a hero who would win, not one who would suffer and die.
- Jesus' Mission: Jesus was turning this expectation upside down. His mission wasn't political; it was spiritual. He came to defeat sin and death, not the Roman army. This required a sacrifice, which was central to God's plan for salvation.
The Three Predictions of the Passion
(Biblical References: Mark 8:31-33, 9:30-32, 10:32-34)
Jesus laid it out very clearly:
- The Son of Man (a title Jesus used for himself) must suffer many things.
- He will be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law.
- He will be killed.
- After three days, he will rise again.
He repeats this message three times to make sure his disciples hear it, even if they don't understand it yet.
Digging Deeper: Key Concepts to Know
Peter's Misunderstanding of Jesus' Role: After the first prediction, Peter takes Jesus aside and tells him off! (Mark 8:32). Peter, like everyone else, couldn't accept the idea of a suffering Messiah. Jesus' reply is very strong: "Get behind me, Satan! ... You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns." This shows the huge gap between God's plan and human expectations.
The Messianic Secret: Throughout his ministry, Jesus often told people not to tell others who he was. This is called the Messianic Secret. Why? Because he knew people would misunderstand his mission. He didn't want them trying to force him to be a political king before he had completed his true purpose.
Preparing His Disciples: By telling them what was going to happen, Jesus was trying to prepare them for the trauma ahead. He wanted them to remember his words later, so they would understand it was all part of a divine plan and not a tragic accident.
Key Takeaway for Part 1
Jesus was fully aware of his impending suffering and death. He tried to prepare his disciples for this reality, but they struggled to understand because it was so different from what they expected the Messiah to be. This conflict between God's plan and human expectation is a central theme.
Part 2: The Triumphal Entry - A King on a Donkey?
This is one of the most famous events leading up to the crucifixion, often called Palm Sunday. It's the moment Jesus enters Jerusalem for the last time, and it looks like a massive parade in his honour.
What Happened?
(Biblical Reference: Mark 11:1-10)
As Jesus approached Jerusalem, he sent two disciples to find a young colt (a young donkey) that had never been ridden. He then rode this colt into the city. A large crowd gathered, laying their cloaks and palm branches on the road in front of him. They shouted:
"Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"
On the surface, it looks like they are finally accepting him as the Messiah King!
But... there's a deeper meaning (and a big misunderstanding).
Making His Role Public: Fulfilling Prophecy
This was no random parade. Jesus was deliberately making a public statement about who he was. By riding a donkey, he was fulfilling a 500-year-old prophecy from the Old Testament (Zechariah 9:9), which described a king coming to his people, gentle and riding on a donkey.
- A horse was a symbol of war and conquest. A king riding a horse meant business.
- A donkey was a symbol of peace and humility.
So, Jesus was publicly declaring: "Yes, I am your king, but I am a king of peace, not a king of war."
The Crowd's Misunderstanding of Messiahship
This is the most crucial point. The crowd was cheering, but they were cheering for the king they wanted, not the king Jesus truly was. When they shouted about the "coming kingdom of our father David," they were thinking of a political, earthly kingdom that would kick the Romans out.
Analogy Time: Imagine a new phone is released, and everyone cheers because they think it has an amazing new camera. But the phone's creator actually designed it for a revolutionary new type of communication. The crowd is excited, but for the wrong reason. They've missed the main point.
This misunderstanding is tragic because this same crowd that shouted "Hosanna!" ("Save us!") would, just a few days later, be shouting "Crucify him!" when they realised he wasn't going to be the military leader they had hoped for.
Key Takeaway for Part 2
The Triumphal Entry was Jesus' public, symbolic claim to be the Messiah. However, he did it in a way that defined his kingship as one of peace and humility. The joyful reaction of the crowd was based on a fundamental misunderstanding of his mission, which set the stage for their later rejection of him.
Part 3: A Beautiful Gift and a Dark Deal - The Anointing at Bethany
This story is a powerful contrast between selfless love and selfish betrayal. It happens just two days before the Passover, the time when Jesus will be killed.
The Story: An Extravagant Act of Love
(Biblical Reference: Mark 14:1-11)
Jesus is having dinner at the home of a man named Simon the Leper in a town called Bethany. During the meal, an unnamed woman comes in with a beautiful alabaster jar filled with very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She breaks the jar and pours the entire contents on Jesus' head.
Some of the disciples are angry. They complain, "Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor."
Jesus' Response: A Preparation for Death
Jesus defends the woman immediately. He says:
"Leave her alone... She has done a beautiful thing to me... She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial."
This is the key point. While the disciples saw a waste of money, Jesus saw an act of profound love and recognized it as a symbolic anointing for his own funeral. This woman, whether she fully understood it or not, was acknowledging the reality that Jesus had been trying to tell his disciples: he was going to die.
This event shows that Jesus praised her act of pure, sacrificial devotion.
The Plot Twist: Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
Right after this beautiful and moving scene, the mood changes dramatically. The Bible tells us that Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went straight to the chief priests to arrange a deal to betray Jesus.
The Jewish leaders' plot to arrest Jesus secretly was already in motion. They wanted to get rid of Jesus but were afraid of the crowds who supported him. Judas's offer was the perfect solution: he could lead them to Jesus at a quiet time, away from the public eye.
Why the sudden shift? The Bible doesn't spell it out, but the contrast is intentional.
- The woman gave something of immense value to honour Jesus.
- Judas accepted money (30 pieces of silver, according to another Gospel) to betray him.
Memory Aid: The A.B.C. of Bethany
- A is for Anointing: A beautiful act of love preparing Jesus for burial.
- B is for Betrayal: Judas makes a dark deal to hand Jesus over.
- C is for Conspiracy: The religious leaders get the inside help they need for their secret plot.
Key Takeaway for Part 3
The anointing at Bethany serves as a symbolic preparation for Jesus' death, an act of love that Jesus highlights as deeply meaningful. This act of devotion is placed in sharp contrast with Judas's decision to betray Jesus, which moves the plot by the Jewish leaders to arrest him into its final stage.
You've now covered the key events before Jesus' suffering! These stories are essential for understanding his identity, his mission, and the reasons for the conflict that led to his crucifixion. Great job working through it!