Guided Notes: Chapter Seven, Section 3: Last Supper to the Ascension

Jesus leads a figurative army into Jerusalem, challenging religious and political powers (Rome) and the Temple.
This action makes a statement that the kingdom of God is coming.
It fulfills the prophecy by Zechariah 9:9: "Behold your king is coming to you, a just savior is he. Humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Jesus challenges the wealth and corruption of the Temple and its leaders.
He does not reject the Temple but wants it to be a place of worship, not a place to make money.
Before this event, the leaders were not very aware of Jesus.
Once Jesus challenged the economic life of the Temple, he was targeted to be killed.

In the Synoptic Gospels, the Last Supper is a Passover meal.
In John's Gospel, the Last Supper is the day before Passover.
The Eucharistic Celebration in the Synoptic Gospels centers on the offering of bread and wine.
Catholics believe in transubstantiation: the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus.
Multiple times in the New Testament (NT), the point is made that Jesus becomes present in the breaking of the bread and disciples recognize him.
In John's Gospel, Jesus performs a prophetic action: the washing of the feet of his disciples.
The feet were considered unclean, and this action was typically performed by the lowest servant in the house.

Historically, the crucifixion takes place on Passover.
John moves the crucifixion to the day before Passover.
In John's Gospel, Jesus dies at the same time as the New Passover lamb is being sacrificed in the Temple.
Jesus is presented as the New Passover Lamb, whose blood will save the people.

A New Covenant is made by the sacrifice of Jesus.
Jesus' sacrifice saves us from death.
We have access to the tree of life (eternal life) that the sin of Adam and Eve had taken from us.

The prophecy of Isaiah, specifically Isaiah 52:13-53:12, prefigures Jesus' suffering through poetry.
This is an example of typology that looks forward to Jesus' death.

The resurrection is God's justification of Jesus' suffering, death, and life.
It is God's great Amen (I agree!).
Jesus is raised by God's action, not his own.
All of the gospels agree that the first person to be told about the resurrection is Mary Magdalene.
Mary Magdalene is the apostle of the apostles; the first to tell others about the resurrection.
Jesus then appears to the other disciples and apostles.
Jesus is not a ghost but has physical form with a resurrected body.
Initially, they don't recognize him because of the change.
Like Jesus, both our body and soul will be joined together at the end in a resurrected body.
Jesus is made known to the disciples on the road to Emmaus in the bread breaking.

The apostles are commissioned to preach from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.
They are told to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit.
Two men in white garments stood beside them.
These two men are seen elsewhere.
When they return to Jerusalem, the 11, some women (including Mary), along with Jesus' brothers, devote themselves to prayer.
They have to choose a successor to Judas, who committed suicide.
They re-establish the symbolic 12 as the new Israel.

Pentecost is a Jewish feast that celebrated the receiving of the Law at Sinai, the formation of Israel as the people of God.
For Christians, Pentecost reverses the confusion of the tower of Babel.
Pentecost symbolizes the birthday of the Church.
All people are joined together by the Holy Spirit and can understand each other.
Peter gives the first preaching, and 3000 join the community.