Timeline of the Last Supper, Jesus's Arrest and the Crucifixion
An estimate based on John the disciple's chronological account, reconciled with the other three gospels.
Matthew 26 and 27 Mark 14 and 15 Luke 22 and 23 John 13 (Passover) John 18 and 19 (Crucifixion)
- 6-9pm Thursday night. The Last Supper at a house in south-west Jerusalem (Judas leaves to fetch soldiers).
- 10pm Jesus and disciples leave that house and go to Gethsemane in the Kidron Valley, just north-east of Jerusalem.
- 11pm-2am Jesus leaves the disciples and goes to pray for three hours. Goes back to the disciples twice, wakes them, calling them to prayer. During the third hour, the sweat was pouring out of him "like blood". The angels come to his aid, and Jesus is in charge of his body once more, despising the coming shame and trauma he is about to endure ("like a sheep before the shearers is dumb, he does not open his mouth").
- 2am-5am Jesus's arrest (though with all the soldiers initially falling down before him). They bind him and take him to his trial, first at Annas's residence (he was the previous high priest), then to Caiaphas's residence (the present high priest). Note, the high priest at that time was taken from the Sadducees, intellectual aristocrats who followed the traditions of the Torah, the Law of Moses, with zero faith when it came to angels or spirits. John the disciple, who is known to the high priest, is able to be present for the trial, and obtains permission for Peter to be admitted, within Annas's doorway. Peter is thus able to observe, but denies that he is a disciple and follower.
- 5am It's early daybreak, first light of dawn in the sky. Following the trial, the cock crows at Peter's third denial and Jesus "turns and looks at him", as Peter's swearing does follow his previous oaths of undying loyalty. After blindfolding and beating Jesus they take him to Pilate's praetorium. Pilate's wife, being warned in a dream tells Pilate to have nothing to do with that "just man" and Pilate knows he's being handed over to him through envy.
Pilate, hearing he is from Galilee, sends Jesus to Herod's residence close by, pretty well straight away. Herod had long awaited this opportunity, to see Jesus perform a miracle before him. Herod questions him considerably but gets no answers. His soldiers clothe Jesus in a standout, possibly bright white robe, sporting and making juvenile fun of him before sending him back to Pilate. Afterwards, where Herod and Pilate had been enemies previously, they now became friends.
Pilate offers Jesus, now in this bright robe, or Barabbas (a rebel and murderer) to the people, one or the other, for release. When they ask for it to be Barabbas, Pilate instead has Jesus stripped and whipped, Pilate's soldiers placing a wreath of thorns on him, enrobing him in purple, placing a reed in his hand, mock-bowing, punching and beating him with a rod. Pilate brings Jesus out, severely marred now, to the crowd a second time. "Behold the man".
This second time, he is told how Jesus declares himself to be "The Son of Elohim (God)". "Where are you from?" he asks Jesus inside the praetorium. "You don't answer? Don't you see I have the authority to crucify you or to free you?"
"You hold no authority over me except that given you from above, therefore he who gave me over to you holds the greater sin" is Jesus's reply. Pilate is now more alarmed than ever, and wants to free him, but cannot get the people's approval.
- It is the sixth hour 6-7am Roman civil time according to John. This is the third time Pilate has gone out to the people, according to Luke. Pilate, unable to get the people to acknowledge that Jesus should be released, when he says "Crucify your king?" at the people's words "We have no king but Kai-sar" (Cae-sar - the Cutting/Destroying-Master) — "his blood be upon us and our children" — washes his hands, hands Jesus over for crucifixion. The soldiers engage in further mocking and beating with Jesus now in a robe of scarlet (dye from a crimson grub). They then put his own robe back on him temporarily, and wearing the crown of thorns, they lead him outside the walls, north of the city, bearing his cross. Simon of Cyrene is made to help Jesus. On the hill of Golgotha (the skull, in Latin Calvary-bald,nakedness,calving) he is nailed to the cross.
- 9am Crucifixion starts.
- 12 noon The sun grows dark.
- 3pm Jesus's last words in Hebrew-Aramaic: "Eloi Eloi lama sabacthani" My God, My God, "Why" - "What" "abandoning" - "forsaking" of me.
then "I thirst".
People listening think he is calling out for Elijah to come and rescue him. Someone brings a sponge to him with vinegar (sour juice).
finally "It is finished, Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit". Jesus dies, before sunset and thus His bones are not broken (just his body, it is terrifically marred). He is buried in a borrowed tomb.
- Resurrection. Click here for Jesus's close family, and these events on the Sunday.
** End of List
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