Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
Study Scripture: Matthew 21: 1 – 11
Background Scripture: Mark 12: 1- 11
Lesson 5 April 2, 2022
Key Verse
Tell the daughters of Zion,
Behold your King is coming to you,
Lowly and sitting on a donkey
A colt, the foal of a donkey.
Matthew 21:5
INTRODUCTION
Our Study Lesson in fact deals with the identity of Jesus and it is being captured by the questions asked by onlookers, Who is this?
This of course raises the question as to whether or not the several parties involved in this Triumphal Entry really knew what they were doing and what their actions implied, and whether their reactions were in fact quite fickle. Some of course had a limited but flawed idea of who Jesus really was.
This of course raises the question about prophecy and our interpretation of prophetic verses. Historically Jews and Christians have missed the mark in terms of interpreting prophecy, and sometimes modern readers who already know what the interpretation is expressed surprise at its fulfillment. This missing the mark is actually made worse when sometimes interpretation of the prophecy is given and one tries to interpret the interpretation. When one examines the sundry interpretations of prophecy by modern interpreters one simply has to reject their often strident claims to understanding as they contradict each other.
This is very important because our Lesson Study about the Triumphal Entry is actually the unfolding of the prophecy of Zechariah in chapter 9 verses 9 through 13 of his prophecy. The prophet Zechariah expressed two burdens in the last six chapters of his book. The burden in chapters 9, 10, and 11 is really the one that we will be concerned about in this Study. It is the burden about “the King in rejection” for Zechariah will be predicting the rejection of the Messianic King.
The other burden is found in chapters 12, 13, and 14 and that second burden is about “the King’s enthroned”.
It will therefore be of great help to us to see what was really happening in this Triumphal Entry and what it means and so we will quote from Zechariah 9-11 as follows:
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold thy King cometh unto thee.
He is just, and having salvation;
Lowly, and riding upon a ass,
And upon a colt the foal of an ass.
And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim;
And the horse from Jerusalem;
The battle bow shall be cut off.
He shall speak peace unto the nation;
His dominion shall be from sea even to sea,
And from the river even to the ends of the earth.
As for you also,
Because of the blood of your covenant,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit”.
The fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy came at a time when Augustus Caesar was called the “divine Caesar” and the “son of God”, titles which actually belonged ultimately to the Lord Jesus Christ..
But it is at the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ, a path set by the Father, that He was able to take away the kingdom from the ancient Dragon Satan and overcome him, and make the messianic rule to take place on earth from now into eternity possible.
But before this event we remember that Jesus from time to time withdrew from the Pharisees when they plotted against Him and He sometimes ordered a crowd and people not to make Him known. See for example Matthew 12:14-16. But now after a progressive unveiling of His identity in which Peter had stated in chapter 16:16 that Jesus was the Christ the son of the living God, and after the Transfiguration and Jesus’ several predictions of His death, Jesus came out into the open after healing two blind men who identified Jesus as “Lord” and “the son of David”. See chapter 20: 30-31.
So now we will see a great crowd greeting Jesus as the “son of David” when He approaches to enter Jerusalem.
Jesus had finished His work in Galilee and had headed for Jerusalem after increasingly telling His disciples that He would soon die. But they did not fully understand this nor did they take His warnings seriously.
But now that increasingly people are openly regarding Jesus as Messiah the mother of James and John had even as a result tried to get on the inside track to power by having Jesus agree to reserve the seats of power -at His left and right hand, for her sons. This request of course Jesus brushed aside as He continued His mission of teaching and healing despite the increasingly hostile Jewish authorities.
He had bluntly told the disciples of His approaching death and He now headed for Jerusalem for the express purpose of being sacrificed. Jerusalem was His destination and a Cross was His goal.
The city was spread out over hilly country, the land reasonably high. The hill of Zion lay in the center. The dark ravines that run on its east, west, and south made it a fortress. The city really was part of the inheritance of Benjamin.
Tradition has it that Jerusalem was founded by Melchizedek. Its name was Bethphage, or House of Figs and by tradition this central zone of the city is placed on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives, a long and high hills. No ruin marks the spot. However we know it stood between Bethlehem, and Jerusalem. Bethany was half an hour from Jerusalem.
At Passover time many trains of pilgrims would be enroute to Jerusalem, and would lodge in tents all over the Mount of Olives. It is conjectured that Jerusalem normally had 200,000 to 300,000 inhabitants during the time of Christ. Josephus, the Jewish historian stated that at Passover however, there would be about 3 million sleeping in the streets and in public places, raising tents in the surrounding fields and in surrounding villages like Bethany and Bethphage.
The house of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus was in Bethany, and that was Jesus’ base of operations. At Bethphage, Jesus sent two disciples (we are not told which ones) to a location where they would find an ass with her colt. They were to loose the animals and bring them to Him.
As we consider this Study let us think about what kind of people participated in this Triumphal Entry and whether or not the same people that yelled “Hosanna” that then turned around and yelled “Crucify Him” in a couple of days with the cheers turning into jeers in a very short time. We will therefore look first at how the people would likely respond to the question, Who is this? for obviously everyone was looking for something different in Jesus and most of the people were disappointed by who He really was.
So who was Jesus for the crowd?
Who is Jesus for you? Are you looking for a Miracle Jesus? Or are you looking for a Jesus that will bring you health and well? Or are you looking for a Jesus that will give you power and make everybody respect you? What attracts you to Jesus? Are you attracted for the right motives ? So what “sign” do you want from Jesus?
Are you looking for an excitement which exists which was real, but could be misguided? Remember the parable of the Soils where for some people there was a wild rapture of enthusiasm and eager excitement, but unfortunately it did not last long.
The meaning of words used by the throngs in Jerusalem to describe Jesus will be very important for our Study.
The meaning of the word “Hosanna” to the people of Israel is foundational to understanding what happened in our Study Text. The word is a Greek transliteration of a Hebrew word which meant originally “save now” or “save we pray”.
The word is used in Psalm 118:25-26, a psalm used during the Feast of Tabernacles. The Hallel which consisted of Psalm 113 through 118 was chanted by one of the priests, and at certain intervals the people of Israel joined in the responses waving willow and palm branches shouting “Hallelujah” or “Hosanna”, or as one dictionary tells us: “O Lord, we beseech Thee, do send us now prosperity” (118:25). On each of the seven days during which the feast lasted, the people thronged the court of the Temple and went in procession about the altar, setting their boughs bending toward it, the trumpets sounding as they shouted, “Hosanna”.”
In addition, we are told that the seventh or last day of the Feast was called “the Great Hosanna” or “Hosanna Day”. The boughs too were called hosannas. It is clear that this word which was used as an expression of praise and not necessarily primarily one of supplication, held inherently the idea of salvation.
The people of Israel as time went on and they observed these feasts, which of course were really feasts of gladness, on this and on other occasions used these Psalms and the accepted practices to express their feelings of hope and rejoicing. The word Hosanna came to be associated with Jewish hopes for deliverance by a political hero according to one commentator, and so involved messianic expectations.
The solemn meetings which involved the three great feasts, namely Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles were feasts that were compulsory for Israel, for there they met before God in brotherly fellowship for worship. Israel during these periods met primarily with God and then with one another, and so these national Feasts joined all of Israel in one brotherhood. We remember that Pentecost was several weeks after Passover and Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles lasted seven days with each Feast commemorative of the great facts of the history of Israel. We are told: “The Passover commemorated deliverance out of Egypt when Jehovah passed over Israel, protecting them from the destroying angel and sparing them, and so achieving for them the first step of independent national life as God’s covenant people.
Pentecost marked the giving of the law on Sinai, the second grand era in the history of the elect nation. God solemnly covenanted, “If you will obey My voice indeed and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people, and ye shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”. Exodus 19:5.
All the nation now wanted was a home. The feast of Tabernacles commemorates the establishment of God’s people in the land of promise, their pleasant and peaceful home, after the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, living in shifting tents. They took boughs of palm and willows of the brook, and made temporary huts of branches and sat under the booths. So in their fixed home and land of rest their enjoyment was enhanced by the thankful and holy remembrance of past wanderings without a fixed dwelling”. Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Doing these great feasts then, every Israelite had to appear before God to attend the Tabernacle or Temple and make an offering with gladness according to Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 27:7. Salvation was obviously the topic of the day at these feast days and given that Israel was now under the heel of Rome, it can be readily understood that the Roman overlords felt that these feast days were an especially dangerous time, when the danger of rebellion was high, a red alert in our day.
When Jesus appeared and some Jews remembered the ‘trembling of heart’, ‘the failing of eyes’ and ‘the sorrow of mind’ threatened to a sinful Israel as recorded in Deuteronomy twenty-eight, any sign of praise for a ‘Son of David’ coming to the cries of Hosanna during these feast times would have shaken the heart of the compromising and traitorous rulers of Israel.
Of course the fact that the Hosannas was shouted to Jesus by pilgrims and children reflecting their messianic expectations for a conquering military hero, rather than a spiritual deliverer on a lowly donkey, would have made members of the unbelieving Sanhedrin quite nervous and desperate.
In this Lesson we must understand that the context of Jesus’ coming to Jerusalem and the history of the world are very important. We too dream of a better world and this Lesson should awaken these dreams in us. Everybody in those days in Israel dreamed of a better world. The people of today also dream of a better world for God has implanted this messianic dream in every culture.
We must recognize this strong spiritual impulse in the people of our day and be ready to understand that people are more ready for the Gospel and the hope implanted in them that we think. We should not be afraid of carrying out our missionary ‘Great Commission’.
We note that as Jesus approached Jerusalem He gave the pilgrims and the people there the opportunity to meet Him and to rejoice and shout triumphantly, understanding that their King was coming to them to overthrow evil and create a better world.
Jesus has provided us with enablement to resonate with the people of our world and to expose them to Him, telling us that the fields are white (or right) to harvest, and that some of them are certainly ready to respond to His presence.
Note that the disciples would take what little they had putting it at the disposal of Jesus, taking their coats and putting it on the donkey for Jesus to ride on it in comfort. So as one writer advises us who profess to know and love Him: “Don’t hold onto your coat, so to speak, the Lord has need of it”.
Also as you read this Lesson note the humility of Jesus who came to serve others and create a better world by giving His life. He came boldly, speaking the truth despite the risks.
We too, as we follow the steps of our Lord, must come to the world not to be served but to serve, and to give our lives for the sake of the world. We must be bold understanding that the Father is in control of all things and so despite the powerful forces that oppose us, we need not fear when we present Christ to the world.
Neither Jesus nor His disciples twisted the arms of the pilgrims and the people of Jerusalem and they did not talk anybody into following Jesus. They really did no talking at all but simply prepared a donkey for Jesus and at the sight of the humble Jesus on a donkey, there was spontaneous celebration from the community. The disciples presented Jesus, celebrated Him and the people reacted to Him. So should we.
In doing this of course the disciples risked their lives to present Jesus as the Messiah, having been warned that the leaders in Jerusalem would reject Jesus and think very little of them. They did not worry then about their reputation, and we should not worry about our reputation or the risks when we present Jesus to our world. So let us carefully consider the text for further lessons.
THE TEXT
Verse 1. Jesus’ ministry lasted over three years. He did as predicted, Messiah would heal the sick, raise the dead, giving sight to the blind, feeding the hungry, bring light into the darkness of Galilee in the land of the Gentiles, and did everything that the prophet Isaiah said that Messiah would do. He took three disciples up on a high mountain where His appearance changed, His garment became radiant, shining, and extremely white, reflecting in a visible way the glory of God.
Now after several years of ministry He headed for Jerusalem becoming more and more specific about what He knew would happen to Him once He and His disciples got to Jerusalem. He told His disciples with increasing detail that the leaders of Israel would condemn Him and that they and the Gentiles would kill Him, but after three days He would be resurrected from the dead.
So now we are looking at the final act in the earthly human life of Jesus which would occur in and around Jerusalem, for He fully intended to stay put in Jerusalem and the surrounding area and face His enemies. So Jesus journeyed from Galilee to the region of Judea, and made the final three thousand eight hundred foot climb from Jericho to the Mount of Olives and with a crowd of pilgrims heading for the very important feast of Passover approached Jerusalem.
We know however that the disciples were hoping that the people of Jerusalem would enthrone Jesus as the Messiah, the final King of Israel even though Jesus had been predicting that He would suffer and be killed in Jerusalem. The mother of James and John certainly expected Jesus to be enthroned and she wanted power for her sons. Later Jesus had compassion on two blind men who called on Him to have mercy, O Lord, Son of David and Jesus healed them and they followed Him on the road to Jerusalem.
It is important to note that here there were two or more conflicting visions of the kingdom of God and they were about to collide.
The disciples had one vision, while Jesus had another totally different vision and the conflicting visions would never be reconciled.
The disciples wanted a Victorious Jesus and all kinds of self-seeking dreams filled their heads just like the head of the mother of James and John. They were thinking of the prize ahead of them not the cross.
Then there was the Pharisees who wanted a Jesus that would follow their rituals for they regarded as the most important thing in religion how one dressed, and washed and ate and not in how they believed, lived or prayed so they emphasized the many little details that kept them distinctively Jewish.
Then there were some seeking the Miracle Jesus for the crowds were attracted to Him healing the lame, the blind and the sick and they wanted more. They probably did not like when Jesus performed a miracle and told them not to tell anyone about it for that was not how the crowd wanted a Miracle Jesus to behave.
Then there were radical people like the Zealots who wanted a Military Jesus using force to overthrow the oppressive Roman government. We know that Simon, one of the disciples, was a Zealot and so he probably along with other Jewish patriots wanted rebellion and wanted Jesus to take up the sword and call others to come using His name to cleanse the Temple by force. Matthew 19:11 warned us about this attitude. So when Jesus told them to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s they did not like it. When he warned in Matthew 26 that those who took the sword will die by the sword that disappointed them.
So Jesus now came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives.
At the outskirts of the city, two villages Bethphage and Bethany, at the familiar and pivotally important Mount of Olives, about a mile or so from Jerusalem to the east, Jesus pauses to send two of His disciples on a mission. The momentous events of the last days of His earthly ministry were about to begin, Matthew 20:18 tells us Jesus solemnly intoned ‘Behold we go up to Jerusalem…”.
The Mount of Olives is a hill outside of Jerusalem, which Luke tells us elsewhere is a “Sabbath day’s journey” from Jerusalem (Acts 1:12). It is a place of great significance. It was on the Mount of Olives that king David wept, along with his faithful followers, as he fled from Jerusalem and from his son, Absalom (2 Samuel 15:30). According to Zechariah 14:4, the Messiah was to appear on the Mount of Olives, which would be split in half, forming a great valley. It is here that the “triumphal entry” was staged. During His last week, Jesus spent His nights on the Mount of Olives (Luke 21;37). It seems also to be from the Mount of Olives that Jesus ascended (cf. Acts 1:12).
Verse 2. Here Jesus deliberately and conspicuously set up the fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy. While some have suggested Jesus knew and had made prior arrangements with the owner of the colt, many more take this as an exercise of His rightful and now about to be openly declared sovereignty, with His knowledge of future things and display of His power over the wills of men. Either way, by arrangement or providence the animals would be brought to Jesus.
The messianic passage of Genesis 49:10-11 proclaimed that the sceptre would not depart from Judah and that the ruler’s staff would not depart from between his feet. It is stated that he would tie His colt to the vine and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine. Note that the idea developed that the obtaining of a donkey was considered the prerogative of a King according to 1 Samuel 8:16.
Some consider it significant that the colt Jesus was to ride had never been ridden before, for in Numbers 19:2 and Deuteronomy 21:3, animals to be sacrificed to God were not to have borne a yoke. The use of the colt by Jesus is then seen as a sacrifice, something to be used for the service of God. In sending for the animal in the way He did, Jesus was simply exercising the prerogative of the king. As an aside, riding an ‘unbroken’ animal is an adventure and quite risky, but apparently not for the One who created the animal.
Jesus did not indicate that He would keep the colt, but that upon finishing that particular task, the owner would have the colt returned, again highlighting the importance of the fact that God is in control of every aspect of our lives and we should not give excessive thought to going out and sharing the Gospel, as if we have need of resources whether to borrow or any other need, God will provide. Thus Christians should not be afraid to borrow in the service of God, not from strangers, nor from God’s people.
One writer’s comment on prophecies concerning Jesus: Many of the prophecies concerning Christ were fulfilled by his enemies; some were fulfilled by his friends; and still others, like the one here, were fulfilled by the direct intervention of Christ himself to bring it to pass. But even in such cases where the Lord himself was the instrument of fulfilling the prophecies, he always accomplished the fulfillment in such a manner that no mere man could have done it. Jesus’ pre-knowledge of exactly what the disciples would find in the village is an example.
Verse 3. These words would help to calm any fears the disciples might have had about the consequences of carrying out Jesus’ instructions, and again underscores Jesus sovereignty in the eyes of the disciples and many readers. Also referring to himself as ‘the Lord’, shows Jesus’ clearly considered Himself ‘the LORD’.
….and straightway he will send…One writer commenting on this phrase notes: “A very clear proof is this of the omniscience of Christ. He knew, that there were an ass, and a colt, in such a village, fastened to such a door, just at the entrance into the town: he knew the owners of it would examine the disciples about loosing and taking them away, and prepares them to give an answer; and he knew that the minds of these owners would be immediately wrought upon, and inclined to let them go directly and quietly.
In relative terms, the animals would be like two of today’s very expensive automobiles and likely collectively owned, as the Text seems to indicate. The willingness of the owners to part with them without protest, is likely explained by their understanding of who needed them; the LORD. Given the Old Testament roots of the word ‘Lord’, the owners would have recognized the one making the request, not only as Messiah, but also Deity and thus able to authoritatively requisition the animals.
*Note, Jesus exercises His authority through His disciples. This extension of His will should be looked at as extended to all Christians doing the will of God. As the great commission instructs, we are to bring the Gospel to the world. In doing so as with the disciples we inherit certain promises made to the disciples that God will be with us. However, if we have to lay down our lives then that too is in line with the sacrifices that the disciples themselves made, as we must.
Verse 4-6. Everything unfolds as Jesus had said, the animals, the place, the exchange between the disciples and bystanders or owners of the animals and as a result, the disciples are allowed to take the animals.
Matthew 21:4-5 tells us, All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
So Jesus did not need the ride because He was still a long way off from Jerusalem, or because He was tired or that the journey would be fatiguing for Him, He was used to walking, but rather for the reason given in the preceding.
Jesus’ diligence to fulfill Zechariah’s prophecy is conspicuous in its detail, but such is His regard to ‘fulfill all righteousness’.
Another seemingly unimportant detail is that this entire transaction occurred in a place where two ways met, meaning that people would have seen this transaction in the highly trafficked place.
The disciples obeyed every word of Jesus and as the events unfolded as Jesus mentioned, then they were ready with answers that satisfied all present, and they were able to continue without any delay. That is the result of obedience.
Verse 7. The animals are brought to the place where Jesus was, the disciples use their clothes to make a saddle for Him and helped Him mount the colt. The King is attended to by His courtiers.
Historically, the ancient patriarchs, governors, princes and judges rode on asses, a distinct picture of humility but by the time of Jesus, it would be customary for a king entering his capital to do so on some magnificent stallion.
Jesus’ entry, as it was in complete harmony with prophecy, could not be easily dismissed by friend or foe, as it presented a compelling argument for Messiah. This is not to suggest, that this was ever lacking, if one is to consider His teaching, miracles, conduct and the testimony of John the Baptist. There was no lack of evidence to the identity of Jesus. The problem was with a generation that had hardened its heart against God, and this too, according to prophecy.
It seems apparent that Jesus wanted to show that king Messiah was a peaceful and lowly King, who would go away and return later to establish His reign. His actions therefore now must show His prominence and show that He was the bright star of Israel, but it had to be done in humility and peace.
The choice of the colt, the symbol of peace would be a fitting choice. It was clearly appropriate, and the entry did not cause any stir among the Romans. The coming was now by one that was meek, full of compassion and kindness, delivering Himself into the hands of those who wanted to kill Him, allowing Himself to be murdered, so that His death would pay the ransom for their sinful souls.
Note however that objectively this triumphant entry was not a very grand one, but could instead be considered a rather mean or lowly, though joyous entry. Some consider this entry is to be reflective of the marks of His humiliation. Clearly, Jesus did not mind ‘high things’, but ‘condescended to men of low estate’.
Jesus, the Creator of the world, had to borrow the donkey and rode a borrowed colt, then ate Passover in a borrowed room, and was buried in a borrowed sepulchre.
There is debate and some misunderstanding on why Jesus came to fulfill the prophecy in Zechariah. Some say Jesus came to establish the Kingdom. The leaders and the people rejected Him instead of accepting Him. He therefore went to the Cross. This is a false view.
There is another view that states that Jesus came to die on the Cross, and not to establish the kingdom. When He died, He made it possible for men to believe on Him. Those form the church, or the kingdom of God, which exists now. This too is a false view.
It is clear from Scripture however that Jesus came to present the Kingdom by means of a Cross. He knew all along, and as was taught by the Scriptures, that He had to die on the Cross. There could be no Kingdom apart from the Cross, and there can be no offer of a Kingdom without presupposing that Jesus would die on the Cross. Jesus came as a suffering King. He needed to be a suffering King because of the evil in human hearts, and in society. He was the Suffering Servant of Jehovah as predicted and so we must carefully define what Jesus came to do.
Jesus had to suffer or atone for the sins of men. We could not become a citizen of the new Kingdom without obtaining new life and be regenerated through His death on the Cross. Jesus knew all along, and as was taught by the Scriptures, that He had to die on the Cross. The Cross is of tremendous importance and speaks loudly to who men really are. No wonder therefore the Cross is regarded as foolishness, as an offense, and a stumbling block to those who are carnally minded. Jesus came then as King Messiah, but as a lowly and peaceful King.
Verses 8-9. The crowds spontaneously erupted into effusive praise and rejoicing as Jesus was accorded ‘the red- carpet treatment’, with clothes strewn along His path. This crowd would be Passover pilgrims who had joined up with Jesus on their way to Jerusalem, His disciples and followers plus a contingent from the city that had gone out to meet Him. The pilgrims reacted with shouts of praise based on Psalm 118:26, a song that they regularly sung on their way to the feast in Jerusalem.
Despite the large crowd, celebration and gaiety, if this was indeed the ‘Conquering Messiah’, His humble bearing was something of an oddity and might have prompted the question; what is the Messiah’s mission?
As it turned out, symbolism, significance, prophecy, all was ignored. The Jewish authorities already had an ‘all points bulletin” out on Him, He was to be apprehended and killed. The crowds were only interested in a temporal kingdom and were in for a letdown as had happened even to the disciples, as revealed by the reaction of disciples on the road to Emmaus when they unwittingly opened their hearts to Jesus. However, Jesus expected the Cross.
Jesus clearly and publicly presented Himself to the nation and will be rejected.
The people placed their outer robes, most likely brightly coloured robes, on the animals, and so the scene would be a colourful one, almost as royal looking as a king’s procession. Their spreading their robes on the way to make a royal carpet, as well as the scattering of palm leaves on the path, certainly made this an unusual scene of celebration. The disciples and ordinary people had no royal trappings to put on the colt Jesus rode. The mother of the colt accompanied her child, since it was very likely that the colt would not allow anyone to ride without the mother being present. We were told in prophecy that there were two animals involved, and so the disciples put their own clothing on the ass and Jesus sat on the colt.
The people welcomed Him personally, some surrounding Him, some following, and some going before Him, shouting “Hosanna”, which comes from Psalm 118:25, and which means “ Save, I pray”. This word had become a term of praise and acclamation, but it also a word which contains a plea for help.
The words used to welcome Jesus “Bless be he that cometh in the name of the Lord” is an exact quotation from the Septuagint translation of Psalm 118:26. This was one of the Hallel Psalms that was sung at the Passover festival.
The next verse shows that the crowd used the words in a messianic sense, for they referred to the Kingdom of David, which they wished to be established at this time.
Clearly, God put into the heart of these people to honour Jesus and to praise Him. They welcomed Jesus as the one that God had promised, for now they applauded Him as their blessed Saviour who would bring the blessing of the messianic Kingdom to them.
One commentary comments that the people here were literally addressing God Himself and saying “Save, now, thou who art in the highest heavens”.
The people were wishing well to the intentions of Christ, for they felt that even though He came in lowly fashion, He had a Kingdom that He was going to establish, and this kingdom was in fact the kingdom of their father David which God had promised many centuries ago.
So Christ came to Jerusalem amidst great applause from some of the ordinary people. Note that there were no official welcoming party from the religious or political establishment.
In a real sense despite the wild rapture, enthusiasm and delirium of the eager welcome, there was probably little genuine spirituality. Those that cried Hosanna, or save now, probably little realized what they were saying, or understood the meaning of the hour.
So one scholar says that the entry into Jerusalem was not a triumphal entry at all, but was very un-triumphal. And if we are looking at it from the one standpoint of worldly success we would have to say it was not a very triumphal entry.
Jesus then went directly through the entire Temple complex, its courts and porches, (the words used is “hieron’) to look at the present state of affairs and then prepare Himself for His next action in front of the people. This action was predicted in Malachi 3:1-3 which spoke of the sudden and surprise coming of God’s messenger to the Temple to be like a refiners’ fire, and a fuller’s soap.
Verse 10. The people’s praise to Jesus, no doubt insight given to them by the Holy Spirit, wished well for Jesus’ intention. In fulfillment of the prophecies given by Zechariah, the people took joy in thinking that their Messiah, their King would establish His kingdom in the here and now, to free them from the yoke of the Romans and any other nations.
The freedom that Jesus offered was not however one that was temporal, but one that was spiritual. The promise of setting up the kingdom of their father David was not entirely done the way the people wanted, and hence perhaps when the Holy Spirit’s presence was not with them, we could see how they reverted to their sinful states asking to free Barabbas, and to crucify Jesus.
In this verse, the people asked for the kingdom that Jesus would establish to be blessed, asking for it to be established, come into its full power, opposing the rule of the ungodly nations, principalities and power. Hosanna to this kingdom, signified prosperity to the kingdom of God, and all the happiness that it would entail.
It would appear from the verses that the acclamation Jesus received in the previous verses took place outside as Jesus approached the city, and some felt that this was the case.
When Jesus entered the city according to this verse the city was in a state of uproar. But remember that Jesus would be honored one day by all.
Likewise, we see a similar reference in Revelations 7:10. Salvation to our God, that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb. These echoes of hosannas are confirmation of God’s rule and exhortation to God’s providence. One writer explains the meaning of the word that the city was moved:
“Eseithe is the word from which we get our word “seismology”– the study of earthquakes. Matthew is saying that Jerusalem is ‘all shook up’. Matthew uses this word eseisthe on two other occasions in this Gospel– when the earth shook at Jesus’s death (27:1) and when a great earthquake preceded Jesus’s resurrection (28:2).
Matthew tells us “all the city was stirred up”. There is in these words ‘stirred up’ a hint of Jesus’ enemies lurking in the background—angry (verse 14)– preparing to challenge Jesus’ authority (Vs. 23)– trying to entrap him with trick questions (22: 15-40), plotting to kill him (26 :1-5).
Who is this? This is the great question with which Matthew has been dealing from the very first verse of this gospel– beginning with the genealogy that identifies “Jesus Christ” as the son of David, the son of Abraham (1:1). He is “Jesus Christ” (1:18)—“ “Immanuel, which means ‘God with us’ (1:23)– King of the Jews (2:2)– a prince and a shepherd (2:6)—”the Lord” (3:3)—one “who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire” (3:11)—” my beloved Son” (3:17)– etc., etc., etc..
Peter has recently declared Jesus to be “the Christ”, the Son of the living God (16:16), but does not realize the full implications of his confession 16: 21-28).
Verse 11. Note that the multitude identified Him only as the prophet Jesus from Nazareth.
If we are to think that this is the description of Jesus by the people in the city of Jerusalem who identified with the Temple it could be interpreted as a disparaging remark in line with Nathaniel’s earlier question “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” John 1: 46.
Upon entering the city, we see that Jesus did not waste any time and headed straight for the Temple. He was not there for the celebration of success in conquering a land, but to show respect to God the Father. Again, this action was in fulfillment to the Scriptures so that it might be said that “The Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple”, where ownership of the Temple is ascribed to Jesus, His title of Lord is still used, and His dwelling place claimed.
We should also take note that Jesus moved swiftly to the Temple, where all should be waiting for the bridegroom.
This tells Christians that we should always be in a state of preparedness, as we do not know when our Lord and Master will return. Just as the parable of the Ten Virgins details, if the Lord tarries, we should be prepared, as His day of visitation shall be upon His people like a thief in the night, despite the warning of signs that indicate the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Jesus viewed the state of the Temple with no recorded statement. Upon seeing the disorder in the Temple, it is as if, He gave them one last chance at repentance, similar to revelations that say when Jesus returns, would He find faith on the Earth?!
In this instance, Jesus did not act immediately, but withdrew as to announce His arrival, and say the time of judgment is upon all the people, and in the Temple, signifying that judgment starts at the house of God, and then to all man. He then left with His disciples.
CONCLUSION
The people, the disciples, as well as the pilgrims had high expectations that the great King was about to come to Jerusalem carrying the hopes of the world on Him. But no one else except this tiny minority welcomed Jesus and the city in effect snubbed their King.
One would have thought that this coming to Jerusalem at the end of Jesus’ spectacularly powerful ministry would be a climax but in fact it was an anticlimax. It was late both in terms of the hour and as well symbolically for Jerusalem. It was eventide.
How is it possible that the disciples and a small minority of people would see who Jesus was? Well we know that they could only have been able to do it because they were taught by the Holy Spirit.
We can understand the great deal of puzzlement as the multitudes enter the city with loud affirmations and Hosannas. The people would begin to question the small group of people and the city was therefore moved as if shaking by a earthquake. We can understand that the people were agitated because it is quite possible that the Holy Spirit had been working on them to convict them. But sadly we know that much of the same crowd shouted that Jesus should be crucified.
So we have in this Study the truth of divine sovereignty and the lowliness of Christ. Both truths are put together and harmonized in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. But the lowly Jesus did in a sense offer Himself to the nation. He called on them to turn to Him in fulfillment of Zechariah 9: 9 so that the prophecy which told Israel that the test of their faithfulness to the covenant was coming did indeed come.
The nation stumbled at the stone of stumbling. What they expected was not what they saw and so Jesus could later say to His disciples on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection:
“O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have written: ought not Messiah to have suffered these things, and then to enter into his glory?”
But remember that for Israel all is not lost for when Jesus does return they will look on Him whom they pierced and they would mourn for Him. Then at that time there would be a real triumphal entry that is truly triumphant. So until then we have to pray, O come, O come Immanuel and ransom captive Israel
Jesus leaving the Temple reminds us of the vision of the prophet Ezekiel when he saw the departure of the glory of God from the Temple, stand for a lingering moment over the mountain east of the city which is the Mount of Olives and then leave and disappear from view, (Ezekiel 11:22-24).
So in the past God forsook His temple since His people forsook Him and He departed to the east and allowed the Babylonians to destroy the Temple and the city of Zion in 586 B.C. So likewise Jesus now departs to the east and stays at Bethany on the Mount of Olives. The Romans would now come shortly and destroy the city and the Temple.
The nation was now reaching the point of no return. The leaders would now speed up plans to destroy Him.
Note that the world is not really familiar with Jesus and has no time for Him. Jesus is now inviting both men and women to submit to His rule and to make the world familiar to Him.
We must come to the world as Jesus did to serve and to give our lives for the sake of the world. But note however that when we are preparing the colt for Jesus there is the temptation that you might want to mount the animal ourselves, so that the crowd would praise us and validate us. Be warned that meaningful validation comes from God not from the crowd.
We have to work with others to present Jesus to the crowd, and we should definitely not always do it by ourselves except the Spirit specifically sends you by yourself to present Jesus to the crowd. There are many powerful forces opposing the Gospel in the world and we need each other to work together to present Christ.
Jesus is worth it. Even if the world rejects us as they reject Jesus, that is not too bad, because God will take care of our reputation. He will reward us. So do what you have to do and present Jesus to the world.