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Passion of Christ

  1. Lesson One
    From Triumphal Entry to Criminal’s Arrest (Luke 19–23)
    21 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  2. Lesson Two
    Death of the Messiah: Crucifixion and Burial (Matt 27, Mark 14:1–15:20, Luke 23, John 19)
    24 Activities
  3. Lesson three
    Suffering Messiah (Psalm 22, Is 53, Zech 1–13)
    19 Activities
  4. Lesson Four
    Sacrifice and Passover (Mark 14:1–26, Luke 22:1–46, John 13–14)
    14 Activities
  5. Lesson Five
    Resurrection and Witnesses (Ezek 37:1-14, 47:1-12, Matt 28, John 16, 20)
    20 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  6. Course Wrap-Up
    Course Completion
    1 Activity
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    1 Assessment

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Some Bible scholars have suggested that the passion of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew is presented as the beginning of the end of the world. Jesus’ death is not just another human death for Matthew but something that foreshadows the biblical apocalypse. As the fate of Jesus unfolds in Matthew 26–28, it recalls Jesus’ teachings a few chapters earlier on the end times, in Matthew 10 and 24–25. Carefully read Matthew 10 and 24–28, then note the correspondence in the table below.

Source: Dale C. Allison, Jr., Studies in Matthew: Interpretation Past and Present, 2005, pp. 85-86.

The End of the WorldThe Fate of Jesus
“Keep awake, then, for you do not know in what day your Lord is coming.” (24:42)“All of them became drowsy and slept.” (25:5)Jesus tells his disciples to stay awake and then comes and finds them sleeping. (26:38-40)
Disciples will be handed over. (10:17, 19, 21; 24:9-10)Jesus is handed over. (26:2, 15, 16; etc.)
“Brother will betray brother to death.” (10:21)Jesus is betrayed by Judas, “one of the twelve.” (26:15-16, 24-25, 46-48)
“Then many will fall away.” (24:10)The disciples fall away. (26:31, 33)
Disciples will flee. (10:23; 24:16)The disciples flee. (26:56)
Disciples will be delivered up to Sanhedrin. (10:17)Jesus appears before a Sanhedrin of Jewish elders. (26:59)
Disciples will be led before “governors.” (10:18)Jesus is led away to the “governor” Pilate. (27:2; cf. 11-26)
The disciples will be flogged. (10:17)Jesus is flogged. (27:26; also 20:19)
Jesus will reign upon his throne. (25:31; also 19:28)Jesus suffers a mock enthronement. (27:27-31)
The sky will go dark. (24:29)There is a supernatural darkness. (27:45)
The temple will be destroyed. (24:1-2)The veil of the temple splits, symbolically destroying the institution. (27:51)
There will be earthquakes. (24:7)There is an earthquake. (27:51)
The disciples will be killed. (10:21, 28; 24:9)Jesus is killed. (26:4, 59; 27:1)
The dead will rise. (12:41-42; 22:23-33)Jesus and others rise from the dead. (26:23; 27:52-53, 64; 28:6-7)
Jesus will return as the Son of Man. (24:27, 30, 37, 39, 44; 25:31; etc.) Jesus is vindicated as the Son of Man. (28:18)