Jesus' Accounts

The Paschal Mystery

Several significant events recounted in the Gospels (Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension) that form the basis for Christian belief.

Passion Narratives (Etymology)

From the Greek word "paschō", meaning "to suffer"; these narratives describe the historical events of Jesus' suffering and how God defeated evil.

Jesus Enters Jerusalem

Commemorated on Palm (or Passion) Sunday, where people placed capes and palm branches on the ground as a sign of honor fitting for a King of Glory.

The Last Supper (Context)

The Passover meal Jesus ate with his Apostles, celebrating the memorial of God freeing the Israelites from slavery and establishing the Holy Eucharist.

The Institution of the Eucharist

During the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and wine, blessed them, and gave them to his disciples as his Body and Blood, shed for the forgiveness of sins.

The Agony in the Garden

After the Passover meal, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray before his arrest, where his Apostles fell asleep instead of comforting him.

Judas's Betrayal

The Apostle who identified and betrayed Jesus to the authorities with a kiss, which was a traditional sign of friendship.

Sanhedrin (Definition)

The seventy-one-member supreme legislative and judicial body of the Jewish people during Jesus' life on earth; many members were Sadducees.

Blasphemy (Definition)

Any thought, word, or act that expresses hatred or contempt for God, Christ, the Church, saints, or holy things.

False Prophet (Definition)

A person who claims to speak in the name of God without being inspired by Him.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

The high priest Caiaphas and other priests interrogated Jesus, accused him of blasphemy (a capital crime under Jewish Law), spat on him, and mocked him.

Peter's Denial

Out of fear, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times in the courtyard before the rooster crowed, just as Jesus had predicted.

Sedition (Definition)

Creating a revolt against civil leaders; this was a Roman capital offense.

Charges Before Pontius Pilate

Because blasphemy was not a capital crime under Roman law, Jewish authorities redefined the charges against Jesus to sedition, claiming he called himself a competing king to Caesar.

Pontius Pilate's Decision

Recognized Jesus' innocence but caved to crowd pressure, freed a convicted murderer named Barabbas, and sentenced Jesus to crucifixion.

The Way of the Cross

The journey to execution where condemned persons typically carried the horizontal crossbeam of their cross; Simon of Cyrene was enlisted to help a weakened Jesus.

Crucifixion Methods & Purpose

An execution method involving stretching and nailing/tying a person's extremities to wood to prolong agony, leading to death by dehydration, blood loss, shock, or suffocation.

Events at Jesus' Death

The veil in the Temple sanctuary tore from top to bottom, and a Roman centurion (a Gentile) professed, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"

Jesus' Burial

Joseph of Arimathea, a secret follower of Jesus and member of the Sanhedrin, asked Pilate for permission to bury Jesus' body, witnessed by several faithful women.

Jesus' Resurrection

A mysterious, real historical event where Jesus rose from the dead, first discovered by women like Mary Magdalene on Sunday morning after the Sabbath.

Post-Resurrection Appearances

Jesus appeared to various people, including two followers on the road to Emmaus, Mary Magdalene, the Apostles in the upper room, Thomas, and Saul (Paul).

Apostle Thomas's Doubt

Thomas refused to believe Jesus had risen until he was allowed to touch Jesus' wounds and see him eat, proving Jesus was not a ghost.

Impact of the Resurrection

Transformed frightened, disillusioned disciples into bold eyewitnesses who spread the Gospel far and wide, many eventually suffering martyrdom.

The Ascension of Jesus

Occurred forty days after the Resurrection, where Jesus was "taken up" into Heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father and be glorified.

The Ascension Promise

Before ascending, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, and two messengers in white garments told the Apostles that Jesus would return the same way he left.