Don’t I wish someone had thought to charge their phone or recorder. Nobody thought to record any of it, and all we can do is depend on eye witnesses recallng events after ten, twenty or fify years. Yet the more I examine the text, especially that of St. John, I do believe we can develop a clearer idea of what went down. Start with the procession. Did Jesus order a rent-a-donkey? Who was the procession aimed at? Did Jesus cleanse the Temple as reported in Mark, Luke and Matthew or did John have it right? Who wanted Jesus dead and why? Was Caiaphas a Pharisee or a Sadducee? That business with the coin, were the Pharisees trying to catch him out or were they relieved?

Then there is the last supper. Who was invited, Mary, his mother and the rest of his entourage? Was the upper room at John Mark’s mother’s house? What part did the Essenes play in the background? I am only beginning, for we have the last supper the garden of Gethsemane, the trial and then Easter Saturday. There is so much to question, and here and there there are hints that help us build a better idea of what happened.

For Lent I am going to post in my blogg, The Red Sock Ministry, the story of the last week in Jerusalem, wth answers to some of the questions and guesses as a result of my research. I think the story hangs together. I found I changed my mind about what I thought had happened.  Will you join me for Lent? I’ll try to post a chapter or two each week.