Luke 22
At the Place of Suffering (Luke 22:39–46)
S. Kent Brown
The Testimony of Luke, BYU New Testament Commentary, excerpted on the BYU New Testament Commentary website (Jun. 2019)
Luke’s narrative describes how Jesus bleeds from every pore, spilling his blood for all people. An angel comes, giving him divine assistance.
Autumn Olives and the Atonement
Andrew C. Skinner
Religious Educator 1, no. 1 (2000)
Olives are revered in ancient and modern Israel and “are part of the landscape of belief.” Skinner lists the steps of olive oil production (harvesting, separating, crushing, gathering, pressing, and refining) and discusses the symbolism of the process.
By Simple Yet Propitious Means: The Art of Jorge Cocco Santangelo
Herman du Toit
BYU Studies Quarterly 55, no. 2 (2016)
This article includes many beautiful images of Christ, including one of Christ returning to his body at the Resurrection. Open the PDF to see the images.
Come, Follow Me Conversations with Robert Millet | Luke 22, Gethsemane (CFM 6/12–18) with special guest Peter Huff
Robert Millet, Peter Huff
The John A. Widtsoe Foundation Podcast (Jun. 2023)
Learn about Luke 22 from two scholars, a Latter-day Saint and a Catholic.
Dating the Death of Jesus Christ
Jeffrey R. Chadwick
BYU Studies Quarterly 54, no. 4 (2015)
While we can’t be certain, evidence suggests that Jesus was crucified on a Thursday in the spring of AD 30, on the eve of Passover, the fourteen-day Jewish month Nisan, which in that year fell on April 6 in the old Julian calendar.
Jesus’ Suffering Visible in the Verb Tense
BYU New Testament Commentary website (Mar. 2016)
The verb tense in the Gospels indicates that Jesus goes forward, falls, and prays, over and over again. His actions are evidence of his agony and humility.
Maundy Thursday
Eric D. Huntsman
God So Loved the World: The Final Days of the Savior's Life, excerpted on the BYU New Testament Commentary website (Mar. 2016)
The Gospels record two important ordinances at the Last Supper: the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper in the synoptics and the washing of feet in John. The earliest reference to the institution of the sacrament in the New Testament is actually in the letters of Paul, which were written before any of the Gospels. John’s omission of the sacrament is surprising, but sacramental imagery is woven throughout the body of his gospel (in the Bread of Life discourse, Jesus as the Fountain of Living Water, the Vine, etc.).
Latter-day Saint Seasonal Materials (Mar. 2024)
This day tells of the Last Supper, the sacrament instituted, the washing of the disciples' feet, and, most of all, the prayer and agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The Last Supper and the Timing of Passover
While the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) identify the Last Supper as a Passover meal, the Gospel of John maintains that the Last Supper was the night before the Passover meal. Efforts have been made to resolve this discrepancy, appealing to the possible use of different calendars by the various Jewish groups that existed in the first century AD. In the end, however, suspending judgment on which is "correct" and looking separately at symbolic and theological intents of the different gospels seems like the best approach.
The Passion (Final Week of Jesus’s Life)
Eric D. Huntsman, Julie M. Smith
Mormon Matters (podcast) (Mar. 2015)
A close look at the events of this week, as well as interesting textual issues about the Gospels. See also the Mormon Matters podcast series on Easter.
The Sacrament: Building upon Christ’s Rock
Monte S. Nyman
The Book of Mormon and the Message of the Four Gospels (2001)
The sacrament (partaking of bread and wine in remembrance of Christ) is practiced by many Christian churches. The Book of Mormon (3 Nephi) adds much to our understanding of the sacrament.
The Use of Gethsemane by Church Leaders, 1859–2018
John Hilton III, Joshua P. Barringer
BYU Studies Quarterly 58, no. 4 (2019)
This study identifies what Church leaders have taught about Gethsemane by analyzing their talks.
Wednesday
The Gospel of Mark allows three events on Wednesday: the plot of the Jewish leadership against Jesus, the story of an unnamed woman in Bethany anointing Jesus's head, and Judas's decision to betray Jesus.
What Do We Know about “the Sixth Month” in the Infancy Story?
BYU New Testament Commentary website (Dec. 2013)
What Do We Know about the Inn at Bethlehem?
John 18
The Legal Cause of Action against Jesus in John 18:29–30
John W. Welch
BYU New Testament Commentary website (Apr. 2017)
The accusation in John 18:29–30 holds a key for understanding the legal cause of action and strategy of the chief priests in the proceedings against Jesus.
The Trial and Death of Jesus
Why was Jesus killed? Who was responsible? Looking at the legal circumstances, it is clear that Jesus was in full control from beginning to end.
