'Holy Week'
Mat 23:1-3 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. "Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do."
Our Lord knew that the Jews were faithless because their Jewish leaders were hypocrites (please read Mat 23). John the Baptist the last OT prophet was sent to bring these Jews back to God by getting them to repent of their faithlessness and hypocrisy for the kingdom of God was at hand so that they might believe their Messiah.
He kept the Mosaic law by sending those healed to see the priest and offer sacrifices according to the law.
Mat 3:7-8 But when he (John the Baptist) saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,"
Our Lord humbled Himself to believe and accept the message of John the Baptist. So He and His disciples preached John's message, and He even followed John in scolding the Jewish leadership as 'brood of vipers', those who destroyed the faith of the Jewish people.
Luke 1:16-17 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
John the Baptist was effective in getting the Jews to repent and come back to God because they accept him as a prophet of God
Mat 14:5 And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
Jesus' Mighty Works
Mat 13:54 And when He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?"
Similarly for the Jews to listen to our Lord, He had to show them that He was sent by God. He was able to perform signs and wonders, which were normally blessings to them so that they would appreciate His mighty works. Most of them accepted Him as the Messiah the King of Israel and many repented and were baptized.
John 4:1-2 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples)
Jesus Observed the Passover
Luke 22:7, 15 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed... And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat." Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
All Jews must keep the Passover. So our Lord observed this last Passover with all His apostles.
During this last supper, the Lord instituted the holy Communion of the New Covenant, which would only be effective after His death.
Mat 26:27-28 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
At His death on the cross, the Mosaic law or Old Covenant was made obsolete, being replaced by the New Covenant of His blood shed for the remission of the sins of all believers.
After supper He continued to prepare them to be transformed into His own image of love. He washed their feet, told them to love one another as He loved them (dying on the cross). His last sermon in John 14-16 will help every Christian to be overcomers.
