Jesus had entered the holy city of Jerusalem with shouts of acclamation from the Passover crowds.  Then He cleaned out the Temple of buyers and sellers of doves for sacrifices.  He healed many people of various physical needs.  He was challenged by the chief priests, the elders, the Pharisees and the scribes throughout those days.

  Jesus told many parables as He taught the people in the Temple area.  He warned of the coming judgments of God, He lamented over Jerusalem because they “missed” their Messiah through unbelief.  He told of the far distant future and some of the signs of His return (His second advent which is still future to us).

  Throughout this week, the religious leaders were plotting His death.  But He knew the hour He would die on the cross…they did not.
  Jesus instituted the “Last Supper”, communion for His followers.
  Then He led eleven of His disciples (Judas Iscariot had left to betray Jesus to the religious authorities) to the Garden of Gethsemane. 
  There, in that garden…He prayed…alone…for God the Father’s will to be done.
  The inky blackness of the early morning hours in that garden made it difficult to identify individuals.  His betrayer (Judas Iscariot) came and gave Him a kiss on the cheek to show
the soldiers the man they had come to arrest.  (Matthew 21-26)

  First there was the illegal trial before Annas then Jesus was sent to Caiaphas the high priest and other religious leaders, this occurred well before daybreak.  Jesus was beaten, spat upon, slapped and ridiculed.  All these actions were illegal according to Jewish laws.  (John 18:12-14; Matthew 26:57-68)

  Next He was taken to the Sanhedrin (ruling body of Pharisees) and again ridiculed then He was sent to Pilate for the Jews had no authority to sentence anyone to death. 
(Luke 22:66-71)

  He was taken to Pilate, the governor of Rome in Jerusalem.  Pilate sent Jesus to King Herod and there also He was mistreated.  Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate.  There was much drama, ridicule and torture in each of these trials. (Luke 23:1-12)   

  Pilate tried to release Jesus, but the Jewish leaders weren’t about to let this opportunity to get rid of Jesus pass.  (Luke 23:13-25) 
  (What these men did not seem to remember: these events were fulfilling prophecy.) 

  That is what you and I need to remember about those hours of darkness and approaching death; they were fulfilling all prophecies of God for Messiah and His first advent (the first time He was on this earth).

  The hours before the crucifixion of Jesus were by God’s plan and for His purposes. 

(NASB) Philippians 2:5-8 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men.
8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Have you thanked Him?