Written By: Justin Elder, Partnership Coordinator

We are in Holy Week—arguably the most significant stretch of days in the year for Christians.

It marks the final week of Jesus’ life leading up to his death and resurrection. But for Christians, it’s more than a sequence of events. Holy Week is the lens through which they understand who Jesus is, and what his life—and death—mean.

If you are familiar with the biblical narrative, you may know that up until this point, Jesus often moved quietly. He would heal people and tell them not to spread the word, or move from place to place when attention grew (Mark 1:44, Mark 5:43).

But after raising Lazarus from the dead—a very public miracle near Jerusalem (John 11:43–44)—something shifts. Jesus begins moving directly toward Jerusalem. He is no longer avoiding attention, but stepping into it.

In John 12:23–24, Jesus says:

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified… unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

Christians understand this as Jesus preparing his followers for what is about to happen. The “glory” he speaks of will come through death—like a seed that must be buried to produce life.

From this point on, everything moves toward Jerusalem—and toward the cross.

CONTEXT

At the time, the Jewish people were living under Roman rule. There had been multiple uprisings, and various leaders had claimed to be the Messiah (Acts 5:36–37). Each time, Rome crushed the movement by killing its leader.

So when Jesus enters Jerusalem on what is now called Palm Sunday, expectations are high.

People welcome him like a king (Matthew 21:8–9, John 12:12–13), waving palm branches—symbols tied to national hope and past deliverance. Many are anticipating a political or military leader who will overthrow Rome.

But Jesus enters on a donkey, not a war horse.

He is not arriving as a conquering general, but in humility.

Throughout the week, tension builds. Jesus teaches publicly, challenges religious leaders, and disrupts activity in the Temple, calling out exploitation and hypocrisy (Matthew 21–23). Meanwhile, plans form to have him killed, even as he tells his followers that he will be handed over and crucified (Matthew 26:1–4).

PASSOVER

All of this unfolds during Passover—the Jewish festival that commemorates God delivering Israel from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12).

Passover was both a religious observance and a remembrance of liberation from an empire. Each year, people gathered to celebrate God’s past deliverance while, in Jesus’ time, still living under Roman occupation.

Jerusalem would have been filled with pilgrims, expectation, and longing for freedom.

It is during a Passover meal that Jesus shares what Christians now call the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:19–20), giving the bread and wine new meaning and connecting them to himself.

Christians understand this as a profound claim: that the story of deliverance remembered at Passover is being fulfilled through him.

At Passover, families selected a lamb without blemish (Exodus 12:5–6). John the Baptist had earlier identified Jesus as “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). During Holy Week, Jesus is publicly examined—by religious leaders and Roman authorities—and, in the Gospel accounts, no true fault is found in him (Luke 23:4, 14–15; John 18:38).

For Christians, this reflects the idea of a spotless Passover lamb.

At the first Passover, the blood of a lamb marked households so that judgment would pass over them (Exodus 12:13). In Christian belief, Jesus’ death provides forgiveness and reconciliation with God (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:8–9; 1 Peter 1:18–19).

Christians see several parallels:

• The Passover lamb was without defect; Jesus is understood to be without sin.
• The lamb’s bones were not broken (Exodus 12:46); the Gospels note the same about Jesus (John 19:33–36).
• Passover looked back to rescue from Egypt; Christians believe Jesus points to a deeper rescue—from sin and death.

The apostle Paul later writes:

“Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7).

For the early Christian community, these were not coincidences, but fulfillment. It is also important to note that the earliest followers of Jesus were themselves Jewish. They did not see themselves as starting a new religion, but as living within the story of Israel—now understood in a new way through Jesus. The first Christian community emerged from within Judaism, shaped by its Scriptures, its practices, and its hope that God would act to redeem His people.

THE CRUCIFIXION

Who was responsible for Jesus’ death?

Historically, Jesus was executed by Roman authority, with involvement from some local religious leaders (Acts 2:23). Crucifixion itself was a Roman method of execution.

But Christians also understand his death theologically.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus says:

“No one takes my life from me—I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:18).

This is echoed in his words:

“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

In this view, Jesus is not simply a victim of political forces. His death is seen as intentional—a willing act of self-giving.

At the same time, the Gospel accounts suggest that Jesus did not avoid the growing conflict. Through his public teaching and direct challenges to religious and political authority, he moved deliberately toward the outcome he had already foretold.

For Christians, this leads to a deeply personal conclusion. If Jesus’ death was an act of rescue for sinners, then it is not something to observe from a distance. It means acknowledging that his death was not only the result of human injustice long ago, but also, in a deeper sense, for us—and because of the brokenness we all share. It invites a response, not just reflection.

Christians believe that what held Jesus on the cross was not merely the force of Roman execution, or the actions of those who opposed him, but his own willing love. The nails were real. The betrayal was real. The injustice was real. And yet, beneath all of it, they understand that he remained there by choice—giving his life willingly.

The Gospels also describe a dramatic shift in public response. The same city that welcomed him with “Hosanna” soon calls for his crucifixion (Luke 23:21).

From a Christian perspective, part of the explanation lies in expectation.

Many hoped for a political deliverer who would confront Rome. Instead, Jesus spoke about sin, repentance, and the kingdom of God. He did not take power; he moved toward suffering. On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus knelt to wash his disciples’ feet (John 13), taking the position of a servant. For Christians, this moment captures the heart of his mission—not to assert power, but to give himself away.

For Christians, this is central: that Jesus addresses not only external oppression, but the deeper realities of human brokenness and separation from God. “But he was pierced for our transgressions… and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5–6).

RESURRECTION AND MEANING

The story does not end with the crucifixion.

Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead (Luke 24:6–7), and this belief became the foundation of the early Christian movement.

Despite persecution, imprisonment, and execution, the movement continued to grow (Acts 2:41; 4:33). Early Christians were convinced that Jesus was not simply another failed revolutionary, but the risen Savior.

Holy Week, then, is not only about suffering. It is about what Christians understand to be the victory of life over death.

It shapes how they see God:

• Not distant, but near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18).
• Not indifferent, but patient and compassionate (2 Peter 3:9).
• Not removed from suffering, but willing to enter into it (Philippians 2:8–9).

For Christians, Holy Week is the central story of their faith—a story of sacrifice, love, and renewal.

For those outside that tradition, it still raises enduring questions:

• What kind of power chooses humility?
• What kind of love chooses sacrifice?
• What does it mean to confront not only injustice around us, but brokenness within us?

However one answers those questions, Holy Week remains one of the most influential narratives in human history.

And it invites each of us to consider what we will do with it.