Immediately after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, on the first day of the week of his crucifixion, he was told that certain Greeks desired to see him. It was to him a sign of his glorification among the Gentiles, and, therefore, of his death. He answered, “The hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Verily, verily I say unto you, except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit.... Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour.... And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself.” But this he said signifying by what manner of death he should die.” (John xii. 20 to 22.)
The parable of the wicked husbandman (to be found in all the Synoptics) represents them as killing the son and heir, by whom, as the context shows, our Lord was intended. And Jesus said, “Did ye never read in the Scriptures:
‘The stone which the builders rejected,
The same was made the head of the corner;
This was from the Lord,
And it is marvellous in our eyes.’
Therefore, say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And he that falleth on this stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust.” (Matthew xxi. 42 to 45; Mark xii. 1 to 12; Luke xx. 9 to 10.)
And every day he was teaching in the temple; every night he went out and lodged in the Mount of Olives till the third day of the week (Tuesday) with which his public ministry ended; and then he departed from the temple, never to return.
When he had finished his teaching in the temple, he said unto his disciples, “Ye know that after two days the Passover cometh, and the Son of Man is delivered up to be crucified.” (Matthew xxvi. 2.)
Peter and John, as he had directed, made ready the Passover, and when the hour was come, he sat down, and the Apostles with him. And he said unto them, “With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” (Luke xxii. 7 to 15.)