What Is Holy Week? (And Why the Gospels Make It So Beautiful)

If you’ve ever heard the term “Holy Week” and thought,

“I know it’s important, but I’m not sure exactly what it all means…”

You are so not alone, friend.

Honestly? I didn’t grow up knowing the full depth of it either.

But the more I dig into it, the more I see how everything about our faith rests on this one week.

And the best part?

Four incredible books—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—tell the story.

Let’s unpack it all together in plain language, because this week isn’t just about what happened back then—

It’s about what’s still happening in us.

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🌿 What Is Holy Week?

Holy Week is the final week of Jesus’ life before the resurrection. It starts with Palm Sunday and ends with Easter Sunday.

It’s a week packed with emotion, meaning, betrayal, sacrifice, and ultimately… hope.

Think of it like this:

This is the week that changed the world.

And the reason we know what happened?

Is because four faithful writers—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—recorded it.

That’s why we call their books the Gospels—because they tell the Good News of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

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📖 Why Are Matthew, Mark, Luke & John Called “The Gospels”?

The word Gospel means Good News. And what could be better news than this?

That Jesus came for us.

That He walked this earth, loved us deeply, died for our sins, and then conquered death.

Each Gospel tells that story from a slightly different view—like four people watching the same powerful moment from different corners of the room.

• Matthew shows Jesus as the long-awaited King
• Mark shows Him as a humble servant
• Luke focuses on His compassion for everyone, especially the forgotten
• John reveals that Jesus is God—and deeply personal

So when we read about Holy Week, we’re getting a full, rich view of what Jesus did—

and who He really is.

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🕊️ Let’s Walk Through Holy Week Together

Here’s the day-by-day breakdown of what happened. You can find these events scattered across all four Gospels (some with different details), but the message is always the same:

Jesus came for love. He stayed for love. He died for love.

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🌿 

Palm Sunday

 — 

The Triumphal Entry

Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey.

The crowds wave palm branches and shout “Hosanna!” (which means “Save us!”)

They think He’s coming to be a political king. They don’t realize He’s coming to rescue hearts.

📖 Found in: Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, John 12

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🕊️ 

Monday

 — 

Righteous Anger and Cleansing the Temple

Jesus goes to the temple and sees people turning worship into business.

He flips the tables—not out of rage, but out of a holy passion for God’s house to be sacred again.

📖 Found in: Matthew 21:12–17, Mark 11:15–18, Luke 19:45–48

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🧠 

Tuesday

 — 

Teaching & Questions

Jesus teaches in the temple all day. The religious leaders try to trap Him with tricky questions.

But He flips the script and teaches truth after truth—about love, justice, and the Kingdom of God.

📖 Found in: Matthew 21–23, Mark 11–12, Luke 20

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🕯️ 

Wednesday

 — 

The Quiet Before the Storm

The Bible doesn’t say much about Wednesday.

But behind the scenes, Judas agrees to betray Jesus for 30 silver coins.

It’s the calm before the heartbreak.

📖 Found in: Matthew 26:14–16, Mark 14:10–11, Luke 22:1–6

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🍷 

Thursday

 — 

The Last Supper

Jesus shares His final meal with the disciples. He washes their feet.

He breaks the bread and pours the wine—symbolizing His body and blood.

Later that night, He prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, sweating drops of blood.

Then… He’s arrested.

📖 Found in: Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 13–18

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✝️ 

Friday

 — 

The Crucifixion

Jesus is beaten, mocked, and nailed to a cross.

He speaks forgiveness even as He’s dying.

At 3 p.m., He takes His last breath.

The sky grows dark. The curtain in the temple tears in two.

📖 Found in: Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19

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🤍 

Saturday

 — 

The Silence

Jesus is in the tomb.

The world feels still and hopeless.

But something is stirring in the dark.

📖 Found in: Matthew 27:62–66, Mark 15:42–47, Luke 23:50–56

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🌅 

Sunday

 — 

The Resurrection

The stone is rolled away.

The tomb is empty.

Jesus is alive.

He appears to Mary Magdalene first, then to the disciples. Everything has changed.

📖 Found in: Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20

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🧡 Why It Matters

Holy Week isn’t just something we remember—

It’s something we live through in our own hearts.

Because we all have Palm Sundays—where we feel hopeful.

We all have Thursdays of betrayal, and Fridays of deep pain.

We all have Saturdays where God feels silent.

But then comes Sunday.

Resurrection. Restoration. Rebirth.

And that’s why the Gospels matter.

They’re not just history books.

They’re invitations—to know Jesus personally and to let His story transform yours.

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🌼 A Simple Way to Reflect

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to start, let me encourage you:

• Read one Gospel this week. (Start with John if you’re new.)
• Pause at each day of Holy Week and ask: “What does this teach me about Jesus? What does this stir in me?”
• Remember that this story was written… for you.

No matter where you are in your faith journey, Holy Week is a gentle whisper from Heaven:

You are loved. You are worth rescuing. You are part of the story.