Holy Week: The Week That Changed the World

by R.C. Sproul

We’ve all experienced life-changing moments. Our calendars are marked with anniversaries of enduring significance. But Holy Week is a celebration of the most important week in history, the week that changed the world. It recalls Jesus’ final days in Jerusalem when the Son of God accomplished His mission to bring forgiveness of sin and eternal life to all who trust in Him. This book collects several of Dr. R.C. Sproul’s reflections on the climactic week in Jesus’ redemptive ministry. In these pages, you Examine the meaning of the Last Supper, Witness the drama of Judas’ betrayal, Consider the gravity of Christ’s atoning death, and Dwell on the significance of Jesus’ resurrection. Holy Week is a book for anyone seeking to understand the events at the heart of Christianity. Here is life-changing good news to help cultivate faith in and devotion to the Savior.

Genres: Christian, Theology

88 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 6, 2025

About the author

Dr. R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian discipleship organization located near Orlando, Fla. He was founding pastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla., first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.

Ligonier Ministries began in 1971 as the Ligonier Valley Study Center in Ligonier, Pa. In an effort to respond more effectively to the growing demand for Dr. Sproul’s teachings and the ministry’s other educational resources, the general offices were moved to Orlando in 1984, and the ministry was renamed.

Dr. Sproul’s radio program, Renewing Your Mind, is still broadcast daily on hundreds of radio stations around the world and can also be heard online. Dr. Sproul produced hundreds of lecture series and recorded numerous video series on subjects such as the history of philosophy, theology, Bible study, apologetics, and Christian living.

He contributed dozens of articles to national evangelical publications, spoke at conferences, churches, and academic institutions around the world, and wrote more than one hundred books, including The Holiness of God, Chosen by God, and Everyone’s a Theologian. He signed the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and wrote a commentary on that document. He also served as general editor of the Reformation Study Bible, previously known as the New Geneva Study Bible.

Dr. Sproul had a distinguished academic teaching career at various colleges and seminaries, including Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando and Jackson, Miss. He was ordained as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America.

Reviews

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing bible teacher!

[Katie Bajorek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading this during Holy Week. It was short, sweet, and to the point! I learned a few things along the way and enjoyed reflecting on these truths during such a special week. Definitely a recommended devotional!

[Natalie Han · Rating 4 out of 5]

It helped keep my heart focused on what we as Christians celebrate during Holy Week. The short length allowed me to read it in just one week without too much effort. I’ll likely read this again for a future Holy Week.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book is full of excellent meditations upon Holy Week. Brief but full of excellent content that you would expect from Sproul.

[Carol Blakeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect book to read/listen to the day before Easter.

[Haley Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read during Holy Week!

[Bill Pence · Rating 4 out of 5]

R.C. Sproul went to be with the Lord in December, 2017. Fortunately, he left a tremendous amount of teaching material for Ligonier Ministries to release in book form. Ligonier edited and adapted Dr. Sproul’s original material to create this volume, with the assistance of Sproul’s wife Vesta.
This short book looks at one week, from the time in the upper room when Jesus established the new covenant with his disciples through the time Jesus appeared to Thomas after His resurrection.
Sproul begins by going over the well-known events that took place in the upper room. After that was finished, they left the upper room to go to the garden of Gethsemane. Judas kissed Jesus with the kiss of death, identifying Him for the soldiers, that they might arrest Him.
Sproul tells us that Jesus knew what Judas was going to do. It had been ordained from the beginning of time. Judas was carrying out his own will and, at the same time, the sovereign will of the Father. Sproul writes us that the one thing we know for sure is that the One who was betrayed that night has never betrayed, and will never betray, His own.
Sproul states that it was inappropriate, improper, and illegal for a capital trial to be carried out at night. The Jewish leaders had to get their decision finalized because they could not execute a criminal on the Sabbath, which would begin at dusk the next day. But he tells us that all of the workings by the Pharisees, scribes, priests, and Roman government would have amounted to nothing were it not for the divine purpose that the One who sent Jesus to the cross was God Himself.
Sproul tells us that not only are our sins imputed to Jesus on the cross, but His righteousness is imputed to us. There is a double transfer, without which there can be no salvation before a just and holy God.
Sproul then looks briefly each of the seven words of Jesus while He was on the cross, compiled from various accounts in the Gospels.
Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and was buried that same day. He was then raised from the dead on Easter Sunday. Sproul looks at what took place between Friday and Sunday.
Sproul then looks at the account of Jesus’ meeting His disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24. We are told that in verse 27:
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
Sproul finishes the book with the account of Thomas, who said that unless he saw the imprint of the nails in His hands and the hole in His side where the soldier had thrust his spear, he would not believe.
This book is another example of Sproul’s ability to communicate theological truths in an easy-to-understand manner.

[Roo Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy Week is a collection of RC Sproul's sermons on the week of Jesus' death and resurrection, compiled into an easily digestible book format by Ligonier Ministries. I always enjoy reading Sproul's works because his writing is simple, direct, and quite conversational. In this short book, Sproul walks through the events of the night of Jesus' betrayal, the crucifixion of Christ, the Saturday in between, resurrection Sunday, and the days following the resurrection. I enjoyed being led through the short yet dense narrative of those few days that are so crucial to the faith of those in Christ. Although it didn't touch on every little detail, some of my favorite moments include the intimate discourse in the upper room, Sproul's brief treatment on the doctrine of double imputation, and the captivating episode on the Emmaus road. But if I had to pick out a quote that stuck with me the most, it would be this: "the One who was betrayed that night has never betrayed, and will never betray, His own. He assured His disciples, "I have called you friends" (John 15:15)."

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Week is over and I greatly appreciated having insights from R.C. Sproul to enrich my celebration. If you have not experienced R.C.'s teaching, you are missing out. Even though he left this world in 2017, his legacy lives on in the many books, sermons, and radio programs he narrated. Books like this give us new ways to experience his extensive study of Scripture spanning decades.

This little book is divided into five sections: Maunday Thursday, Good Friday, Saturday, Resurrection Sunday, and After the Resurrection. While reading I shared some favorite quotes to help give others a feel for the content. I will close this review with a quote from the last section:

People around the world right now don't know Jesus and are still held captive by the fear of death. May we proclaim the truth of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, in accordance with the Scriptures, that they too may become those who believe in Him, the resurrection and the life.

[Laura Cline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sproul has done it again! Incredibly, Dr. Sproul has here put together a fantastic and short but powerful summary of what Holy Week is, why it matters, and what events occurred during. I highly recommend this book for folks of all ages, especially as a devotional during Holy Week itself.

Praise the Lord; He is Risen just as He said!

[Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid biblical truth start to finish. Really enjoyed the final chapter on Thomas.

[Sam Sanduk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the angles and how it dove into the things scripturally for a modern audience, but I would’ve loved like 300 more pages so each chapter was beefier. But really liked it

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent devotional book for Easter week!

[Brenton Busha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little book, I’ve really come to appreciate the style of R.C Sproul over the last couple years and look forward to reading more of his books

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short little book with chapters for Thursday - Sunday (Easter). Each chapter is excellent. It’s a very good book to read at this time.

[Brianna Roberson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wanted a short daily read for Holy Week and this did the job! The narrator read it like an action packed thriller though?

[Diego Cuevas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview of the holy week. He does a good job in teaching the key principles.

[Geonostalgist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though I was a bit disappointed that this didn't fully cover Holy Week (starting with Maundy Thursday rather than Palm Sunday) despite its title, the length of the book makes it very approachable and easy to slip in for pre-Easter reading. I was unfamiliar with any of R.C. Sproul's teachings prior to this book, and while not all of it landed with me as feeling particularly inspired or insightful (whether via content or presentation), there were some definite gems of exceptions (cynicism being a cheap form of intellectualism, whether from the ancient cynics or modern (post-)popperians, was a standout point for me). The devotional/motivational points of the book ranged in quality but were generally sound, and the book stands as a worthy read even if I'm not likely to revisit it again.