Ministry of Jesus

The ministry of Jesus, in the canonical gospels, begins with his baptism near the River Jordan by John the Baptist, and ends in Jerusalem in Judea, following the Last Supper with his disciples.Christianity: an introduction by Alister E. McGrath 2006 pp. 16–22. The Gospel of Luke () states that Jesus was "about 30 years of age" at the start of his ministry.Paul L. Maier "The Date of the Nativity and Chronology of Jesus" in Chronos, kairos, Christos: nativity and chronological studies by Jerry Vardaman, Edwin M. Yamauchi 1989 pp. 113–129. A chronology of Jesus typically sets the date of the start of his ministry at around AD 27–29 and the end in the range AD 30–36.Jesus & the Rise of Early Christianity: A History of New Testament Times by Paul Barnett 2002 pp. 19–21.
Jesus' early Galilean ministry begins when after his baptism, he goes back to Galilee from his temptation in the Judaean Desert.The Gospel according to Matthew by Leon Morris p. 71. In this early period, he preaches around Galilee and recruits his first disciples who begin to travel with him and eventually form the core of the early ChurchThe Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels by Douglas Redford 2007 pp. 117–130. as it is believed that the Apostles dispersed from Jerusalem to found the apostolic sees. The major Galilean ministry which begins in Matthew 8 includes the commissioning of the Twelve Apostles, and covers most of the ministry of Jesus in Galilee.A theology of the New Testament by George Eldon Ladd 1993, p. 324.The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels by Douglas Redford 2007 pp. 143–160. The final Galilean ministry begins after the beheading of John the Baptist as Jesus prepares to go to Jerusalem.Steven L. Cox, Kendell H Easley, 2007 Harmony of the Gospels pp. 97–110.The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels by Douglas Redford 2007 pp. 165–180.
In the later Judean ministry Jesus starts his final journey to Jerusalem through Judea.Steven L. Cox, Kendell H Easley, 2007 Harmony of the Gospels pp. 121–135.The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels by Douglas Redford. 2007 pp. 189–207. As Jesus travels towards Jerusalem, in the later Perean ministry, about one third the way down from the Sea of Galilee (actually a freshwater lake) along the River Jordan, he returns to the area where he was baptized.Steven L. Cox, Kendell H Easley, 2007 Harmony of the Gospels p. 137.The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels by Douglas Redford 2007 pp. 211–229.Mercer dictionary of the Bible by Watson E. Mills, Roger Aubrey Bullard 1998 p. 929.
The final ministry in Jerusalem is sometimes called the Passion week and begins with Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The gospels provide more details about the final ministry than the other periods, devoting about one third of their text to the last week of the life of Jesus in Jerusalem.Matthew by David L. Turner 2008 p. 613.
== Overview ==
The gospel accounts place the beginning of Jesus' ministry in the countryside of Roman province Judaea , near the River Jordan.
The gospels present John the Baptist's ministry as the precursor to that of Jesus and the baptism of Jesus as marking the beginning of Jesus' ministry, after which Jesus travels, preaches and performs miracles.The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum 2009 p. 141–143. Jesus's baptism is generally considered the beginning and the Last Supper with his disciples in Jerusalem as the end of his ministry. However, some authors also consider the period between the Resurrection and the Ascension part of the ministry of Jesus.New Testament History by Richard L. Niswonger 1992 p. 154.
Luke states that Jesus was "about 30 years of age" at the start of his ministry. There have been different approaches to estimating the date of the start of the ministry of Jesus.The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum 2009 p. 140.Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible 2000 Amsterdam University Press p. 249.Jack V. Scarola, "A Chronology of the nativity Era" in Chronos, kairos, Christos 2 by Ray Summers, Jerry Vardaman 1998 pp. 61–81.Luke 1–5: New Testament Commentary by John MacArthur, Jr. 2009 p. 201. One approach, based on combining information from the Gospel of Luke with historical data about Emperor Tiberius yields a date around 28–29 AD/CE, while a second independent approach based on statements in the Gospel of John along with historical information from Josephus about the Temple in Jerusalem leads to a date around AD 27–29.The Riddles of the Fourth Gospel: An Introduction to John by Paul N. Anderson 2011 p. 200.Herod the Great by Jerry Knoblet 2005 p. 184.
In the New Testament, the date of the Last Supper is very close before the date of the crucifixion of Jesus (hence its name). Scholarly estimates for the date of the crucifixion generally fall in the range AD 30–36.Jesus & the Rise of Early Christianity: A History of New Testament Times by Paul Barnett 2002 pp. 19–21Paul's early period: chronology, mission strategy, theology by Rainer Riesner 1997 pp. 19–27 (p. 27 has a table of various scholarly estimates)
The three Synoptic Gospels refer to just one passover, specifically the Passover at the end of Jesus's ministry when he is crucified (with the exception of Luke's Gospel, which narrates a visit of the Holy Family for Passover when Jesus is twelve years old). There are three references to Passovers in John's Gospel: 2:13, 6:4, and 12:1. Some contend that the Gospel of John refers to only two actual Passovers, one at the beginning of Jesus's ministry and the second at the end of Jesus's ministry, and that the third reference to Passover is only a forecasting of the second Passover in the Gospel of John. But much scholarship recognizes that a lot of time passes between 6:4, "the Passover . . . was at hand," and 12:1, "Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany..," especially at the beginning of Chapter 7 which even includes another feast (Booths/Tabernacles), and then again at 10:22 another season passes as well as the Feast of Dedication.
This third reference to a passover in the Gospel of John is why many suggest that Jesus's ministry was a period of about three years. Scholars that support a three-year ministry, such as Köstenberger state that the Gospel of John simply provides a more detailed account.Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey by Craig L. Blomberg 2009 pp. 224–229.New Testament History by Richard L. Niswonger 1992 pp. 132–136.
During the ministry of Jesus, the tetrarch ruling over Galilee and Perea in this period was Herod Antipas, who obtained the position upon the division of the territories following the death of Herod the Great in 4 BC.The people's New Testament commentary by M. Eugene Boring, Fred B. Craddock 2004 p. 212.
==Baptism and early ministry==
The gospels present John the Baptist's ministry as the precursor to that of Jesus and the Baptism of Jesus as marking the beginning of Jesus' ministry.
In his sermon in , delivered in the house of Cornelius the centurion, Apostle Peter gives an overview of the ministry of Jesus, and refers to what had happened "throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached" and that Jesus whom "God anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power" had gone about "doing good".Who is Jesus?: an introduction to Christology by Thomas P. Rausch 2003 
 specifies the location where John was baptizing as "Bethany beyond the Jordan".Big Picture of the Bible - New Testament by Lorna Daniels Nichols 2009 p. 12 This is not the village Bethany just east of Jerusalem, but the town of Bethabara in Perea.John by Gerard Stephen Sloyan 1987 p. 11 Perea is the province east of the Jordan, across the southern part of Samaria, and although the New Testament does not mention Perea by name, implicitly refers to it again when it states that John was baptising in Enon near Salim, "because there was much water there". First-century historian Flavius Josephus also wrote in the Antiquities of the Jews (18 5.2) that John the Baptist was imprisoned and then killed in Machaerus on the border of Perea.Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible 2000 p. 583Behold the Man: The Real Life of the Historical Jesus by Kirk Kimball 2002 p. 654
 and indicate possible activities of Jesus near the Jordan River around the time of his baptism, as does the initial encounter with the disciples of John the Baptist in , where "two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus".Jesus of Nazareth by Duane S. Crowther 1999 p. 77The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels by Douglas Redford 2007 p. 92A Summary of Christian History by Robert A. Baker, John M. Landers 2005 pp. 6–7 Assuming that there were two incidences of Cleansing of the Temple, which was located in Jerusalem, a possible reference to an early Judean ministry may be .International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: E-J by Geoffrey W. Bromiley 1982 p. 1026Mercer dictionary of the Bible by Watson E. Mills, Roger Aubrey Bullard 1998 pp. 333–344
==Ministry in Galilee==
=== Early Galilean ministry ===
The Early Galilean ministry begins when, according to Matthew, Jesus goes back to Galilee from the Judean desert, after rebuffing the temptation of Satan. In this early period, Jesus preaches around Galilee and, in , his first disciples encounter him, begin to travel with him and eventually form the core of the early Church.
The Gospel of John includes the Wedding at Cana as the first miracle of Jesus taking place in this early period of ministry, with his return to Galilee.H. Van der Loos, 1965 The Miracles of Jesus, E.J. Brill Press, Netherlands p. 599Dmitri Royster 1999 The Miracles of Christ p. 71 A few villages in Galilee (e.g. Kafr Kanna) have been suggested as the location of Cana.Jesus and Archaeology by James H. Charlesworth 2006 pp. 540–541Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible 2000 p. 212
The return of Jesus to Galilee follows the arrest of John the Baptist.The Gospel according to Mark by James R. Edwards 2002 p. 43 The early teachings of Jesus result in his rejection at his hometown when in Jesus says in a Synagogue: "No prophet is acceptable in his own country" and the people reject him.
In this early period, Jesus' reputation begins to spread throughout Galilee. In and , Jesus goes to Capernaum, where people are "astonished at his teaching; for his word was with authority", in the Exorcism at the Synagogue in Capernaum episode, which is followed by healing the mother of Peter's wife.Reading Luke by Charles H. Talbert 2002 pp. 61–62John Clowes, 1817 The Miracles of Jesus Christ published by J. Gleave, Manchester, UK p. 31
 includes the first Miraculous draught of fishes episode in which Jesus tells Peter, "now on you will catch men". Peter leaves his net and, along with him, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, follows Jesus as disciples thereafter.John Clowes, The Miracles of Jesus Christ published by J. Gleave, Manchester, UK, 1817, p. 214, available on Google booksThe Gospel of Luke by Timothy Johnson, Daniel J. Harrington, 1992 p. 89The Gospel of Luke, by Joel B. Green 1997 p. 230
This period includes the Sermon on the Mount, one of the major discourses of Jesus in Matthew, and the Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel of Luke.The Sermon on the Mount: A Theological Investigation by Carl G. Vaught 2001 pp. xi–xiv The Sermon on the Mount, which covers chapters 5, 6 and 7 of the Gospel of Matthew, is the first of the Five Discourses of Matthew and is the longest piece of teaching from Jesus in the New Testament. It encapsulates many of the moral teachings of Jesus and includes the Beatitudes and the widely recited Lord's Prayer."Beatitudes." Cross, F. L., ed. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. New York: Oxford University Press. 2005
The Beatitudes are expressed as eight blessings in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, and four similar blessings appear in the Sermon on the Plain in Luke, where they are followed by four woes that mirror the blessings.The Synoptics: Matthew, Mark, Luke by Ján Majerník, Joseph Ponessa, Laurie Watson Manhardt 2005 , pp. 63–68 The Beatitudes present the highest ideals of the teachings of Jesus on mercy, spirituality and compassion.A Dictionary Of The Bible by James Hastings 2004 p. 15–19
File:Giotto - Scrovegni - -24- - Marriage at Cana.jpg|Marriage at Cana
File:Christus heilt einen Besessenen.jpg|Synagogue in Capernaum
File:Raphael - The Miraculous Draft of Fishes - Google Art Project.jpg|First disciples and Miraculous catch of fish
File:Bloch-SermonOnTheMount.jpg|Sermon on the Mount
===Major Galilean ministry===
The Major Galilean ministry, also called the Great Galilean ministry, begins in Matthew 8, after the Sermon on the Mount and refers to activities up to the death of John the Baptist.
The beginnings of this period include The Centurion's Servant () and Calming the storm (), both dealing with the theme of faith and fear. When the Centurion shows faith in Jesus by requesting a "healing at a distance", Jesus commends him for his exceptional faith.The Gospel According to Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary by R. T. France 1987 p. 154 On the other hand, when his own disciples show fear of a storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus instructs them to have more faith, after he orders the storm to stop.Michael Keene 2002 St Mark's Gospel and the Christian faith p. 26John Clowes, 1817 The Miracles of Jesus Christ published by J. Gleave, Manchester, UK p. 47
In this period, Jesus is still gathering the twelve apostles, and the Calling of Matthew takes place in .The Gospel of Matthew by R. T. France 2007 p. 349 The conflicts and criticism between Jesus and the Pharisees continue, e.g. they criticize Jesus for associating with "publicans and sinners", whereby Jesus responds: "It is not healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Commissioning the twelve Apostles relates the initial selection of the twelve Apostles among the disciples of Jesus.Harold Riley, The First Gospel, 1992 p. 47Mercer Dictionary of the Bible by Watson E. Mills, Roger Aubrey Bullard 1998 p. 48 Jesus goes out to a mountainside to pray, and after spending the night praying to God, in the morning he calls his disciples and chooses twelve of them.The Life of Jesus by David Friedrich Strauss, 1860 published by Calvin Blanchard, p. 340
In the Mission Discourse, Jesus instructs the twelve apostles who are named in to carry no belongings as they travel from city to city and preach. Separately, relates the Seventy Disciples, where Jesus appoints a larger number of disciples and sends them out in pairs with the Missionary's Mandate to go into villages before Jesus' arrival there.Luke by Sharon H. Ringe 1995 pp. 151–152
In two messengers from John the Baptist arrive to ask Jesus if he is the expected Messiah, or "shall we wait for another?"The Gospel of Matthew by Rudolf Schnackenburg 2002 p. 104 Jesus replies, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk".Mercer Dictionary of the Bible by Watson E. Mills, Roger Aubrey Bullard 1998 p. 459 Following this, Jesus begins to speak to the crowds about the Baptist.Harmony of the Gospels by G. T. Elihai 2005 p. 94
This period is rich in parables and teachings and includes the Parabolic discourse, which provides many of the parables for the Kingdom of Heaven, beginning in .Preaching Matthew's Gospel by Richard A. Jensen 1998 pp. 25 & 158Matthew by Charles H. Talbert 2010 (Discourse 3) pp. 162–173 These include the parables of The Sower, The Tares, The Mustard Seed and The Leaven, addressed to the public at large, as well as The Hidden Treasure, The Pearl and Drawing in the Net.
At the end of the Major Galilean ministry, Jesus returns to his hometown, Nazareth. His wisdom is recognised there, questioned, and rejected.
File: Rembrandt Christ in the Storm on the Lake of Galilee.jpg|Calming the storm
File: Brooklyn Museum - The Exhortation to the Apostles (Recommandation aux apôtres) - James Tissot.jpg|Twelve Apostles
File:70Apostles.jpg|Seventy Disciples
File: Oberzell Alte Kirche Decke Johannes im Kerker.jpg|Baptist's Messengers
===Final Galilean ministry===
The Final Galilean ministry begins after the death of John the Baptist, and includes the Feeding the 5000 and Walking on water episodes, both in . After hearing of the Baptist's death, Jesus withdraws by boat privately to a solitary place near Bethsaida, where he addresses the crowds who had followed him on foot from the towns, and feeds them all with "five loaves and two fish" supplied by a boy.Robert Maguire 1863 The Miracles of Christ published by Weeks and Co. London p. 185
Following this, the gospels present the Walking on water episode in , and as an important step in developing the relationship between Jesus and his disciples, at this stage of his ministry.Merrill Chapin Tenney 1997 John: Gospel of Belief p. 114 The episode emphasizes the importance of faith by stating that, when he attempted to walk on water, Peter began to sink when he lost faith and became afraid. At the end of the episode, the disciples increase their faith in Jesus, and, in Matthew 14:33, they say: "Of a truth thou art the Son of God".Dwight Pentecost 2000 The Words and Works of Jesus Christ p. 234
Major teachings in this period include the Discourse on Defilement in and where, in response to a complaint from the Pharisees, Jesus states: "What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'".Jesus the Miracle Worker: A Historical & Theological Study by Graham H. Twelftree 1999 p. 79
Following this episode, Jesus withdraws into the "parts of Tyre and Sidon" near the Mediterranean Sea, where the Canaanite woman's daughter episode takes place in and .Jesus the Miracle Worker: A Historical & Theological Study by Graham H. Twelftree 1999 pp. 133–134 This episode is an example of how Jesus emphasizes the value of faith, telling the woman: "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." The importance of faith is also emphasized in the Cleansing ten lepers episode in .Berard L. Marthaler 2007 The creed: the apostolic faith in contemporary theology p. 220Lockyer, Herbert, 1988 All the Miracles of the Bible p. 235
In the Gospel of Mark, after passing through Sidon, Jesus enters the region of the Decapolis, a group of ten cities south-east of Galilee, where the Healing the deaf mute miracle is reported in . After the healing, the disciples say: "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak." The episode is the last in a series of narrated miracles which builds up to Peter's proclamation of Jesus as Christ in .Lamar Williamson 1983 Mark pp. 138–140
==Judea and Perea to Jerusalem==
=== Later Judean ministry ===
In this period, Jesus starts his final journey to Jerusalem by going around Samaria, through Perea and on through Judea to Jerusalem. At the beginning of this period, Jesus predicts his death for the first time, and this prediction then builds up to the other two episodes, the final prediction being just before Jesus enters Jerusalem for the last time, the week of his crucifixion.St Mark's Gospel and the Christian faith by Michael Keene 2002 pp. 24–25The temptations of Jesus in Mark's Gospel by Susan R. Garrett 1996 pp. 74–75 In and , Jesus teaches his disciples that "the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.Matthew for Everyone by Tom Wright 2004 p. 9
Later in this period, at about the middle of each of the three Synoptic Gospels, two related episodes mark a turning point in the ministry of Jesus: the Confession of Peter and the Transfiguration of Jesus.The Christology of Mark's Gospel by Jack Dean Kingsbury 1983 pp. 91–95The Cambridge companion to the Gospels by Stephen C. Barton pp. 132–133 These episodes begin in Caesarea Philippi, just north of the Sea of Galilee, at the beginning of the final journey to Jerusalem which ends in the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus.The Collegeville Bible Commentary: New Testament by Robert J. Karris 1992 pp. 885–886 These episodes mark the beginnings of the gradual disclosure of the identity of Jesus as the Messiah to his disciples; and his prediction of his own suffering and death.Transfiguration by Dorothy A. Lee 2005 pp. 21–30
Peter's Confession begins as a dialogue between Jesus and his disciples in , and . Jesus asks his disciples: But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answers him: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.Who do you say that I am? Essays on Christology by Jack Dean Kingsbury, Mark Allan Powell, David R. Bauer 1999 p. xviThe Gospel of Mark, Volume 2 by John R. Donahue, Daniel J. Harrington 2002 p. 336 In , Jesus blesses Peter for his answer, and states: "flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven." In blessing Peter, Jesus not only accepts the titles Christ and Son of God, which Peter attributes to him, but declares the proclamation a divine revelation by stating that his Father in Heaven had revealed it to Peter.One teacher: Jesus' teaching role in Matthew's gospel by John Yueh-Han Yieh 2004 pp. 240–241 In this assertion, by endorsing both titles as divine revelation, Jesus unequivocally declares himself to be both Christ and the Son of God.Jesus God and Man by Wolfhart Pannenberg 1968 pp. 53–54
In the Gospel of Matthew, following this episode, Jesus also selects Peter as the leader of the Apostles, and states that "upon this rock, I will build my church".
In Jesus then continues:
"That thou art Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church". The word "church" (ekklesia in Greek) as used here, appears in the Gospels only once more, in , and refers to the community of believers at the time.The Gospel of Matthew by Rudolf Schnackenburg 2002 pp. 7–9
===Later Perean ministry===
Following the proclamation by Peter, the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus is the next major event and appears in , and .The Content and the Setting of the Gospel Tradition by Mark Harding, Alanna Nobbs 2010 pp. 281–282 Jesus takes Peter and two other apostles with him and goes up to a mountain, which is not named. Once on the mountain, states that Jesus "was transfigured before them; his face shining as the sun, and his garments became white as the light." At that point, the prophets Elijah and Moses appear and Jesus begins to talk to them. Luke is specific in describing Jesus in a state of glory, with referring to "they saw his glory".Transfiguration by Dorothy A. Lee 2005 pp. 72–76 A bright cloud appears around them, and a voice from the cloud states: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him".
The Transfiguration not only supports the identity of Jesus as the Son of God, (as in his Baptism), but the statement "listen to him" identifies him as the messenger and mouth-piece of God.Metamorphosis: The Transfiguration in Byzantine Theology and Iconography by Andreas Andreopoulos 2005 pp. 47–49 The significance is enhanced by the presence of Elijah and Moses, for it indicates to the apostles that Jesus is the voice of God, and, instead of Elijah or Moses, he should be listened to, by virtue of his filial relationship with God. echoes the same message: at the Transfiguration, God assigns to Jesus a special "honor and glory" and it is the turning point at which God exalts Jesus above all other powers in creation.The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: John's Gospel, Hebrews-Revelation by Craig A. Evans pp. 319–320
Many of the episodes in the Later Judean ministry are from the Gospel of Luke but, in general, these sequence of episodes in Luke do not provide enough geographical information to determine Perea, though scholars generally assume that the route Jesus followed from Galilee to Jerusalem passed through Perea. However, the Gospel of John does state that he returned to the area where he was baptized, and states that "many people believed in him beyond the Jordan", saying "all things whatsoever John spake of this man were true". The area where Jesus was baptised is inferred as the vicinity of the Perea area, given the activities of the Baptist in Bethabara and Ænon in John and .
This period of ministry includes the Discourse on the Church, in which Jesus anticipates a future community of followers and explains the role of his apostles in leading it.Behold the King: A Study of Matthew by Stanley D. Toussaint 2005 pp. 215–216 It includes the parables of The Lost Sheep and The Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18, which also refer to the Kingdom of Heaven. The general theme of the discourse is the anticipation of a future community of followers, and the role of his apostles in leading it.
Addressing his apostles in , Jesus states: "Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven". The discourse emphasizes the importance of humility and self-sacrifice as the high virtues within the anticipated community. It teaches that in the Kingdom of God, it is personal humility that matters, not social prominence and clout.Matthew by Larry Chouinard 1997 p. 321
At the end of this period, the Gospel of John includes the Raising of Lazarus episode in , in which Jesus brings Lazarus of Bethany back to life four days after his burial.Steven L. Cox, Kendell H Easley, 2007 Harmony of the Gospels pp. 155–170 In the Gospel of John, the raising of Lazarus is the climax of the "seven signs" which gradually confirm the identity of Jesus as the Son of God and the expected Messiah.The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum 2009 pp. 312–313 It is also a pivotal episode which starts the chain of events that leads to the crowds seeking Jesus on his Triumphal entry into Jerusalem—leading to the decision of Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin to plan to kill Jesus (Crucifixion of Jesus).Francis J. Moloney, Daniel J. Harrington, 1998 The Gospel of John Liturgical Press p. 325
==Final ministry in Jerusalem==
The final ministry in Jerusalem is traditionally called the Passion and begins with Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem early in the week that includes the Last Supper and is liturgically marked as Holy Week.The People's New Testament Commentary by M. Eugene Boring, Fred B. Craddock 2004 pp. 256–258The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Matthew-Luke, Volume 1 by Craig A. Evans 2003 pp. 381–395The Synoptics: Matthew, Mark, Luke by Ján Majerník, Joseph Ponessa, Laurie Watson Manhardt 2005 pp. 133–134The Bible knowledge background commentary: John's Gospel, Hebrews-Revelation by Craig A. Evans pp. 114–118, , The gospels pay special attention to the account of the last week of the life of Jesus in Jerusalem, and the narrative amounts to about one third of the text of the four gospels, showing its theological significance in Christian thought in the Early Church.Preaching Through the Christian Year, Year C by Fred B. Craddock, John H. Hayes, Carl R. Holladay, Gene M. Tucker 1994 p. 172
Before arriving in Jerusalem, in , after raising Lazarus from the dead, crowds gather around Jesus and believe in him, and the next day the multitudes that had gathered for the feast in Jerusalem welcome Jesus as he descends from the Mount of Olives towards Jerusalem in
, , and .John 12–21 by John MacArthur 2008 pp. 17–18 In as Jesus approaches Jerusalem, he looks at the city and weeps over it, foretelling the suffering that awaits the city.Mercer Commentary on the New Testament by Watson E. Mills 2003 pp. 1032–1036
In the three Synoptic Gospels, entry into Jerusalem is followed by the Cleansing of the Temple episode, in which Jesus expels the money changers from the Temple, accusing them of turning the Temple to a den of thieves through their commercial activities. This is the only account of Jesus using physical force in any of the Gospels.The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary by Craig A. Evans 2005 p. 49The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia by Geoffrey W. Bromiley 1988 pp. 571–572The Fourth Gospel And the Quest for Jesus by Paul N. Anderson 2006 p. 158 The synoptics include a number of well known parables and sermons such as the Widow's mite and the Second Coming Prophecy during the week that follows.
In that week, the synoptics also narrate conflicts between Jesus and the elders of the Jews, in episodes such as the Authority of Jesus Questioned and the Woes of the Pharisees, in which Jesus criticizes their hypocrisy. Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, approaches the Jewish elders and performs the "Bargain of Judas" in which he accepts to betray Jesus and hand him over to the elders., , All the Apostles of the Bible by Herbert Lockyer 1988 p. 106–111The Synoptic Gospels and the Book of Acts by Doremus Almy Hayes 2009 p. 88 Matthew specifies the price as thirty silver coins.
In Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21, Jesus provides a Discourse on the End Times, which is also called the Olivet Discourse because it was given on the Mount of Olives. The discourse is mostly about judgment and the expected conduct of the followers of Jesus, and the need for vigilance by the followers in view of the coming judgment.The Gospel according to Matthew by Leon Morris 1992 pp. 593–596 The discourse is generally viewed as referring both to the coming destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, as well as the End Times and Second Coming of Christ, but the many scholarly opinions about which verses refer to which event remain divided.
A key episode in the final part of the ministry of Jesus is the Last Supper, which includes the Institution of the Eucharist. In , , during the last supper, Jesus takes bread, breaks it and gives it to the disciples, saying: "This is my body which is given for you". He also gives them "the cup" to drink, saying this is his blood. While it may have been fermented, none of the biblical accounts refer to it as wine, but rather as "the fruit of the vine" or "the cup".
In , Paul the Apostle refers to the Last Supper., , , Steven L. Cox, Kendell H Easley, 2007 Harmony of the Gospels pp. 180–191The encyclopedia of Christianity, Volume 4 by Erwin Fahlbusch, 2005 pp. 52–56The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary by Craig A. Evans 2003 pp. 465–477 concludes the Last Supper with a long, three chapter sermon known as the Farewell discourse which prepares the disciples for the departure of Jesus.John by Gail R. O'Day, Susan Hylen 2006 , Chapter 15: The Farewell Discourse, pp. 142–168The Gospel according to John by Herman Ridderbos 1997 The Farewell Prayer: pp. 546–576
File:Brooklyn Museum - Woe unto You, Scribes and Pharisees (Malheur à vous, scribes et pharisiens) - James Tissot.jpg|Woes of Pharisees
File:Duccio di Buoninsegna - Pact of Judas - WGA06789.jpg|Bargain of Judas
File:Juan de Juanes 002.jpg|Last Supper and Eucharist
File:Christ Taking Leave of the Apostles.jpg|Farewell discourse
==See also==
:Gospels and theology
* Christ myth theory
* Gospel harmony
* Historical Jesus
* Jesus Seminar
* Jesus in Christianity
* Life of Christ in art
* Life of Jesus in the New Testament
* Miracles of Jesus
* Parables of Jesus
:Associated places
* Al-Maghtas
* Qasr el Yahud
== Notes ==
== References ==
; Citations
Category:Life of Jesus in the New Testament