A
Chronology of the Court Trial, Crucifixion,
Resurrection
and Ascension of Jesus Christ
Arranged
by Pastor Paul W. Martin
With
acknowledgements to the harmonies written by Thomas & Gundry
and Broadus & Robertson.
___________________________________________________________________
Section
One: The Two-Part Trial of King Jesus
I.
The Jewish Part of Jesus' Trial
A.
Home of Annas [John 18:13
-24] (around 3:00
AM )
1.
Jesus arrives bound having been arrested in Gethsemane
and is privately interrogated by Annas (father-in-law of Caiaphas,
he was deposed from High Priesthood in 29 AD, but still exercised
power through his son-in-law)
Abuse:
Struck by officer. Sent bound to Caiaphas.
B.
Home of Caiaphas [Mark 14:53
-65] (around 4:00
AM )
1.
An assembly of false witnesses cannot bring valid
testimony, so Caiaphas asks Jesus, "Are you the Christ?" Jesus
does not deny it.
2.
Peter denies Jesus and leaves at rooster-crowing
and "the look"
Abuse: Punched, slapped, spat on, blindfolded and
called upon to prophesy who struck him.
C.
Sanhedrin Council Chamber [Mk
15:1; Lk 22:66f] (around
6:00 AM)
1.
The "whole Sanhedrin" gathers and condemns Jesus
as a blasphemer: "Are you the Son of God?"
Abuse:
Bound and led away to Pilate at Praetorium.
Charge:
BLASPHEMY Penalty: DEATH
II.
The Roman (Gentile) Part of Jesus' Trial
A.
Pilate's Official Residence [Mk
15:1-5; Jn18:28-38]
1.
Religious Leaders (RL) not enter Praetorium but
accuse Jesus of making Himself King and insurrection
("not pay taxes")
2.
Conversation in Praetorium (Pilate: "Are
you the king of the Jews?" Jesus: "It is as you say."
Pilate: "What is truth?")
3.
Pilate pronounces Jesus innocent to RL (#1) ("I
find no guilt
in Him.")
4.
RL "accuse Him harshly" but Jesus remains silent
when Pilate asks Him to defend Himself. Sends Jesus to Herod
since Jesus a Galilean and Herod is ruler of that area and
"happens" to be visiting Jerusalem .
B.
Before Herod Antipas [Luke 23:6-12]
This
is the same Herod who beheaded John the Baptist. Jesus
is sent there by Pilate because Pilate is trying to get out
of this situation. Jesus does not say a single word to Herod!
Abuse: Mocked, sent back to Pilate in "gorgeous
robe."
C.
Second Appearance before Pilate [Mk
15:6-15; John 18:38b-19:16]
•
Pilate recalls Passover custom of prisoner
release and determines to use this to get Jesus freed. [Mt
27:15-16]
•
Pronounces that Jesus is innocent to crowds
(#2) [Lk 23:13 -16]
•
Bypasses envious RL [Mk 15:10
] and appeals to crowd to choose Jesus
for release over Barabbas (Pilate: "Do you want me to
release to you the King of the Jews?") [Mt 27:17-18]
•
Wife informs Pilate to avoid Jesus because
of her dream night before [Mt 27:19]
•
Crowds cry for Barabbas under influence of
chief priests [Mt 27:20-21]
•
Pilate sends Jesus to Roman soldiers (in attempt
to assuage crowds and RL) (Abuse: Scourging, crown
of thorns, robe, mock, punches to face) [Jn 19:1-3]
•
Pilate pronounces innocent to Jews (#3) [Jn
19:4]
•
Jesus presented to crowd with crown and purple
robe as Pilate seeks to win Jesus' release [Lk 23:20
] under "prisoner exchange" program
(Pilate: "Behold, the man!" "What shall I do with the... King
of the Jews?") [Jn 19:6]
•
Crowds call for crucifixion [Lk 23:21
]
•
Pilate pronounces innocent to Jews (#4) [Lk
23:22 ]
•
Crowds call for crucifixion "all the more"
[Mk 15:14b]
•
Chief Priests charge with blasphemy of calling
Himself "Son of God" (Pilate "all the more afraid") [Jn 19:7-8]
•
Pilate / Jesus "don't you know my power" conversation
[Jn 19:9-11]
•
Pilate's attempts to release Jesus [Jn 19:12a]
met with charge of insurrection against Caesar (Jews: "Everyone
who makes himself out to be a king is no friend of Caesar!")
[Jn 19:12b]
•
Pilate sits at Gabbatha ("the judgment seat")
and presents Jesus a second time to crowd (Pilate: "Behold,
your King!") [Jn 19:13-14]
•
Crowds chant "crucify Him!" Pilate: "Shall
I crucify you King?" Chief Priests: "We have no
king but Caesar!" [Luke 23:23
and Jn 19:15 ]
•
Pilate washes hands in attempt to absolve his
guilt [ Mt 27:24-25]
•
Pilate begrudgingly condemns Jesus to die.
[Lk 23:24-25] (Abuse: Soldiers strip Jesus, scarlet robe
and crown back on, reed in His hand, mock Him kneeling, spitting
and bowing: "Hail, King of the Jews!", take reed and repeatedly
strike Him on head. )
Charge:
INSURRECTION Penalty: DEATH
Section
Two: The Crucifixion of Jesus, the Son of God
I.
Journey to the Cross
A.
Abuse by soldiers concluded and Jesus re-clothed
and forced to carry His cross toward Golgotha
[Mt 27:31-32; Mk15:20; Jn 19:17]
B.
Simon of Cyrene
forced to carry Jesus' cross [Lk 23:26; Mk15:21 Mt 27:32]
C.
Jesus preaches to women who follow Him mourning
[Lk 23:27 -32]
D.
Arrival at Golgotha
("place of the skull") [Mt 27:33; Mk 15:22
; Lk 23:33 ]
E.
Jesus refuses the sedating wine [Mt 27:34; Mk 15:23
]
II.
The First Three Hours of His Crucifixion [9:00
AM - Noon
Friday]
A.
Jesus nailed to a cross set between two criminals
[Lk 23:33b; Jn 19:18 ]
SAYING: "Father, forgive them for they do not know what
they are doing." [Lk 23:34]
C.
His clothes divided among Roman soldiers [Mt 27:35-36;
Mk 15:24 ; Lk 23:34b;
Jn 19:20 -23]
D.
Note about Pilate's tri-lingual sign over cross:
"King of the Jews" [Mt 27:37-38; Mk 15:25-28; Lk 23:38; Jn
19:19-22 ]
E.
Mocking while on the cross: Passersby :
"Destroy temple? Save yourself!" RL : "Saved
others? Cannot save self! Come down!" Soldiers :
"King of Jews? Save yourself! Robbers : "You
are the Christ? Save us and you!" [Mt 27:39-44; Mk15:29-32;
Lk 23:35-37]
F.
Later repentance and salvation of one robber [Lk
23:39 -43] SAYING:
"Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise
."
G.
Care for His mother entrusted to John [Jn 19:25
-27] SAYING: "Woman, behold your son!
Behold your mother!"
III.
The Final Three Hours on the Cross [Noon
- 3:00
PM Friday]
A.
Supernatural darkness falls over the land (apparently
instills silence into the scene for the three hours) [Mt 27:45;
Mk 15:33; Lk 23:44-45]
B.
SAYING (near end of three hours): "Eloi, Eloi,
lama sabachthani?" [Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34]
C.
SAYING: "I am thirsty." [Jn 19:28]
D.
Jesus drinks sour wine (different from drugged wine
offered earlier) [Mt 27:47-49; Mk 15:35-36; Jn 19:29-30]
E.
SAYING: "It is finished." [Jn 19:30b]
F.
SAYING: (with a loud voice) "Father, into your
hands I commit my spirit!" [Mt 27:50; Mk 15:37; Lk 23:46]
G.
Jesus gives up His spirit and dies. [Mt 27:50; Mk
15:37; Lk 23:46; Jn 19:30c]
IV:
Reactions to Jesus' Death
A.
Physical: earthquake, veil torn, tombs opened. [Mt
27:51-53; Mk 15:38; Lk 23:45]
B.
Personal: Centurion: "Truly this was the Son of
God!" Crowds feel remorse. Disciples and women followers look
on. [Mt 27:54-56; Mk 15:39-41; Lk 23:47-49]
V.
Burial of Jesus' Body
A.
Death confirmed by spear in side of lifeless body
still on cross [Jn 19:31 -37]
B.
Joseph of Arimathea procures body of Jesus from
Pilate [Mt 27:57-58; Mk 15:42-45; Lk 23:50-52]
C.
Nicodemus assists Joseph in placing body in tomb
[Jn 19:39 ] (done
by 6:00PM Sabbath
start)
D.
Women watch where Jesus is placed [Mt 27:61; Mk
15:47; Lk 23:55-56]
E.
RL set guard over tomb to ensure no body-snatching
[Mt27:62-66]
Section
Three: The Resurrection and Ascension of Lord Jesus
I.
The Empty Tomb is Discovered
A.
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome
gather spices for burial and approach tomb [Mt 28:1; Mk 16:1]
B.
An angel rolls away the stone from tomb entrance
and sits on it - guards freeze like corpses! [Mt28:2-4]
C.
Women reach tomb at daybreak to find stone rolled
away [Mk 16:2-4; Lk 24:1-2; Jn 20:1]
D.
Angels tell women "He is risen" and command them
to inform disciples [Mt 28:5-8; Mk 16:5-8; Lk 24:3-8]
E.
Women inform 11 disciples of empty tomb and angelic
message [Lk 24:9-12; Jn 20:2]
F.
Mary Magdalene runs with Peter and John back to
empty tomb - Peter and John return home and leave Mary weeping
in garden [Jn 20:3-10]
II.
The Resurrection Day Appearances of Jesus
A.
Jesus appears to Mary (not the gardener!) [Jn 20:11-18]
B.
Jesus appears to the other women [Mt 28:9-10]
C.
Temple
guard inform RL of angel and empty tomb, then are paid off to
keep quiet about it [Mt 28:11-15]
D.
Jesus appears to Cleopas and companion on road to
Emmaus [Lk 24:13-22]
E.
Jesus appears to Peter [Lk 24:34; 1 Cor 15:5a]
F.
Cleopas and companion meet with most of the other
disciples and Jesus appears to them behind locked doors [Lk
24:36-43; Jn 20:19-23]
G.
Thomas does not believe they have seen Jesus [Jn
20:24 -25]
III.
Post-Resurrection Appearances of Jesus
A.
One week after resurrection day to Thomas and 10
other disciples again behind locked doors [Jn 20:26-31; 1 Cor
15:5b]
B.
To 7 of His disciples in Galilee
an unknown number of days afterwards
("Peter, do you love Me?") [Jn 21:1-25]
C.
To the 11 on a mountain in Galilee
(Great Commission) [Mt 28:16-20]
D.
To 500 disciples at one time [1 Cor 15:6]
E.
To His "brother" James [1 Cor 15:7]
F.
Various other meetings with the 11 over the 40 days
after His death [Lk 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-8]
IV.
The Ascension of Jesus (40 days after His Resurrection)
A.
Jesus leads 11 out to Mt of Olives (near Bethany
) [Lk 24:50]
B.
Jesus blesses 11 [Lk 24:51]
C.
Jesus is lifted up into sky until "received" into
cloud and disappears [Lk 24:51; Acts 1:9]
D.
Two angels tell 11 to stop staring and start waiting
for Jesus to return the same way He ascended [Acts 1:10
-11]
E.
11 return to Jerusalem
"with great joy. praising God. devoting themselves to prayer."
[Lk 24:52-53; Acts 1:12f]
V.
The Coming of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost - 50 Days
after Passover
{i.e. Jesus' death})
A.
11 and "the women" and Jesus' mother, Mary praying
in
Jerusalem [Acts
1:12 -14]
B.
Matthias chosen to replace Judas Iscariot who hanged
himself
[Acts 1:15 -26]
C.
12 in one place on Day of Pentecost and Holy Spirit
comes [Acts 2:1-13]
D.
Peter preaches, revival occurs and the church begins
to grow! [Acts
2:14-47]
A
Harmony of the Gospels
Robert
L. Thomas and Stanley N.
Gundry .
Moody
Bible Press, 1978
A
Harmony of the Gospels
A.
T. Robertson (Updating the work of John A. Broadus)
Harper
and Row, 1950
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Grace Fellowship Church
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