Holy Week Timeline: According to Matthew’s Gospel

Holy Week at a Glance
Sunday (21:1-17)	Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem Cleansing of the Temple Jesus and His disciples spent the night in  Bethany.	Start in 28:1 (Sunday) and trace the days of the week back. 28:17
Monday (21:18-23:39)	Jesus curses a fig tree. Jesus’s authority is questioned. Jesus tells parables and answers accusations. Jesus exposes the religious leaders in Jerusalem and laments Jerusalem. Jesus and His disciples leave Jerusalem and spend the night on the Mount of Olives.	21:18, indicates a new day. 21:23 indicates the continuation of that day.
Tuesday (24:1-26:5)	Jesus spends the morning teaching His disciples about the end of the age and the coming of His kingdom. The chief priests and elders plot to kill Jesus. In the evening, Jesus is anointed and Judas bargains with the chief priests under cover of night.	26:2 indicates that these things happened two days prior to Jesus being betrayed by Judas (Thursday). 26:6—Jesus returns to Bethany for the night.
Wednesday (26:6-35)	Jesus observes the last supper with His disciples. After supper, they go to the Mount of Olives, where Jesus will teach, and then to Gethsemane, where Jesus will pray until dawn.	26:20 indicates that another evening and Judas was with the disciples. This meal was also close to when Jesus would be betrayed (Thursday; cf. 26:2; 27:1; 28:1).
Thursday (26:36-75)	Jesus prays. Judas hands Jesus over to the chief priests. Jesus stands before Caiaphas. Peter denies Jesus thrice.	On the next day, Jesus will be crucified, so these events must take place on Thursday (cf. 27:1).
Friday (27:1-66)	Judas commits suicide—dying for his own sins rather than trusting Christ’s atoning sacrifice. Jesus stands before Pilate and is mocked by the Romans. Jesus is crucified and buried.	27:1 indicates a new day.
Saturday	Jesus rests on the Sabbath.	28:1
Sunday (28:1-20; Sunday and following)	Jesus is risen!	28:1

*My Holy Week timeline might look different than some because there is guesswork involved.

This chart was developed for the purpose of our Wednesday evening Bible study at The Church at Sunsites.