Chapter 2.

Palm Sunday

 

 

Jesus Entered Jerusalem

Triumphantly.

 

 

On Sunday, March 31, A.D. 30, Nisan 11^th in the year 3790 by the Hebrew calendar, Jesus made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  He proceeded from the vicinity of Bethphage and Bethany, villages on the Mount of Olives, to the Temple in Jerusalem.

 

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey’s foal.  In the Holy Land in that era, a conqueror would ride into a city on a warhorse, but a king determined to bring peace to his people would ride in on a donkey or a mule.  King Solomon, for instance, rode to his inauguration on a mule.  (1 Kings 1:33)

 

 

 

Jesus Borrowed a Colt.

 

So, Jesus secured a young donkey for His triumphal procession.  He began by walking with His disciples toward Jerusalem. 

... when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples.  (Mark 11:1)

Matthew states ...

... when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples.  (Matthew 21:1)

And, Luke relates ...

... it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples. (Luke 19:29)

 

Jesus gave instructions to the two who were sent to obtain the colt.

[Jesus] saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.  (Mark 11:2)

 

Matthew notes that Jesus wanted the disciples to fetch the colt and his mother.  The foal was emotionally attached to her.  He would follow her gladly, but would not have been willing to serve as Jesus’ transport apart from her.  So, Jesus planned to have some of His Apostles lead the mother from the Mount of Olives to the Temple while He rode on the colt following her.  Also, Jesus would have some of His Apostles flank the procession on His right and His left, and He would have  a few of them follow Him.  This arrangement would provide Jesus with some personal space during the march.  Excited members of the festive crowd that would form would not be able to jump in front of the colt on which He would be riding.  The Apostles leading the mother would clear a path through the happy throng.  Matthew heard Jesus ...

Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.  (Matthew 21:2)

And, Luke, like Mark, has Jesus ...

Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.  (Luke 19:30)

 

And, Jesus gave the pair who went to obtain the foal the words they should say to the owners of the colt ...

... if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.  (Mark 11:3)

Matthew quotes Jesus saying ...

... if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.  (Matthew 21:3)

And, Luke echoes Mark, saying ...

... if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.  (Luke 19:31)

 

Matthew connects this celebratory parade to an ancient prophecy recorded in Zechariah 9:9.  He says  ...

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.  (Matthew 21:4-5)

 

Mark, referring to the pair sent for the colt, tells us ...

... they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.  (Mark 11:4)

Matthew relates ...

... the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,  (Matthew 21:6)

And, Luke agrees ...

... they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.  (Luke 19:32)

 

The owners of the animals objected.

... certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.  (Mark 11:5-6)

And, Luke remarks ...

... as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? and they said, The Lord hath need of him.

(Luke 19:33-34)

 

 

 

The Parade Began.

 

Having the necessary animals, Jesus and His Apostles prepared to march.

... they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.  (Mark 11:7)

Matthew discloses ...

[They] brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.  (Matthew 21:7) 

And, Luke relates ...

... they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.  (Luke 19:35)

 

Jesus and His entourage slowly moved toward the Temple amid a sea of well-wishers.  The Mount of Olives and Jerusalem are separated by a valley.  So, initially, the procession moved down the West slope of the mount.  John states ...

... much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.  (John 12:12b-13)

Mark says ...

... many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.  (Mark 11:8)

Matthew states ...

... a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.  (Matthew 21:8)

And, Luke declares ...

... as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen.  (Luke 19:36-37)

 

The swelling crowd cheered.  Many celebrants believed Jesus was entering Jerusalem to declare Himself the King of Israel.  They thought He would free them from Roman rule.  Mark describes them.

... they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.  (Mark 11:9-10)

Matthew remarks ...

... the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

(Matthew 21:9)

And, Luke has the crowd ...

Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.  (Luke 19:38)

 

 

 

Had the Crowd Hushed,

the Stones Would Have Cried Out Praises!

 

Some Pharisees in the crowd protested loudly, demanding that Jesus tell His followers to stop praising Him.

... some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.  (Luke 19:39-40)

 

 

 

Jesus Wept, Contemplating the

Impending Judgment of Jerusalem.

 

It was time for Jesus to be praised, but in the midst of His admirers, Jesus thought of the many Jews who reviled Him.  Jesus wept.  Most of Israel did not believe Him to be the Son of God, visiting mankind.  With remorse, He predicted the destruction of the Temple, Jerusalem, and the Jewish nation.  That occurred in A.D. 70, when the Romans, led by a general named Titus, utterly wiped Jerusalem off the mountain on which it sat.  He flattened and buried every structure and planted a crop where the city had been.  Luke says of Jesus ...

... when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

(Luke 19:41-44)

 

In his Gospel, John gives an overview of Christ’s  momentous march to the Temple ...

... Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold,

Mark summarizes the event, tersely.

... Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple:  (Mark 11:11a) thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt. These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him. The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.  (John 12:14-18)

 

 

 

Jesus’ Enemies Moaned,

“The World Has Gone After Him!”

 

The Pharisees were awestruck by the boisterous parade.  Distraught and depressed, they groaned, “The world has gone after Him!”

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.  (John 12:19)

 

 

 

Jesus’ Supporters

Evangelized the Multitude.

 

Matthew says ...

... when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.  (Matthew 21:10-11)

 

 

 

Jesus Entered the Temple.

 

 

 

Jesus strode into the Temple with His entourage and thousands of admirers.  As He surveyed the courts and porches of the House of God, He was dismayed by the unholy merchandizing He saw there.

 

To understand Jesus’ outrage, we must re-consider the role of the Temple.  Observant Jews were required to offer sacrifices to God on its altar.  A man could bring a sacrifice animal from his own herd, but it had to be inspected and approved by the priests before it could be placed on the altar.  So, a man might bring a bull from his farm and, after having it rejected by the priests, be constrained to take it home, not having made his sacrifice.  Also, if a man came to the Temple from afar, it was difficult for him to bring an appropriate sacrifice victim with him.

 

So, using “kindness” and “convenience” as pretenses, the Jewish leaders maintained a market that sold sacrifice animals ... not just near the Temple ... but within the Temple.  The animals sold there were pre-approved by the priests.  Of course, prices were exorbitant.  And, to further increase the money flowing to the priests, customers had to buy these animals with “Temple money”.  So, if a man came into the Temple with coins of the Roman world, he had to convert then to Temple money.  That’s why moneychangers were on hand.  And, they charged a hefty fee to convert Roman coinage to Temple money.  The whole business was corrupt.  No wonder, Jesus thought of the marketplace as a den of thieves and robbers.

 

 

 

Jesus Cleansed the Temple.

 

As Jesus smoldered, He glared at the moneychangers.  He scanned the booths of the vendors.  He saw prize oxen and bulls groomed and decorated with ribbons indicating they were approved for sacrifices.  He saw beautiful sheep and goats awaiting their turn on the altar.  He saw impressive doves confined in gilded cages. 

 

Jesus bent over and picked up some cords lying on the carpet of straw and slowly fashioned them into a whip.  He was a sturdy man.  He moved in a princely manner.  And, He was and is God.  When Jesus spoke, everyone listened.

 

Jesus roared and began snapping His whip.  He drove the animals into the streets; chased the clerks out of the Temple; threw open the cages of the doves; and poured out the coinage in the bowls of the moneychangers and overthrew their tables.  It was a wild scene; animals thrashing through the streets of Jerusalem; doves escaping into the sky; coins rattling across the stone floor; Jesus thundering commands; and vendors shrieking in protest.

 

Matthew declares ...

... Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 

(Matthew 21:12)

And, Luke says ...

... he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought.  (Luke 19:45)

 

What did Jesus shout as He cleansed the Temple?

... [He] said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.  (Matthew 21:13)

And, Luke has Jesus ...

Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.  (Luke 19:46)

 

It wasn’t long before the chief priests heard about Jesus’ deeds.  This market was their money-making enterprise, and Jesus had halted it.  They were exasperated.  It was the eve of Passover Week, the most profitable season of the year, and Jesus had shut them down.  And, some of them remembered, it wasn’t the first time Jesus had cleansed the Temple.  During Passover, three years earlier, Jesus had done the same thing (John 2:13-15).  So, this was the second time He had dared to interfere with their wicked business.

 

 

 

Jesus Healed

Some Blind and Lame Followers.

 

While the Jewish leaders fumed, Jesus relaxed.  His many admirers where still there.  Jesus healed the  blind and lame among them.

... the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.  (Matthew 21:14)

 

 

 

Jesus Preached the Gospel

In the Temple.

 

Some Jews from Greece were in town for Passover Week.  As they watched Jesus, they were intrigued by His words, His miracles and His actions.  They wanted to meet Jesus.  John discloses ...

... there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. 

(John 12:20-22)

 

After introductions and greetings, with the Greeks in the front of the crowd, Jesus proclaimed a sobering, Gospel Message, preparing the Greeks for the coming events of Holy Week.  John summarizes His Sermon ...

... Jesus answered them, saying ...  (John 12:23a)

 

1.  I am about to die and be buried and be

 glorified and bring forth much fruit.

The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

(John 12:23b-24)

 

2.  Don’t love the pleasures of this world.  Aim for

 the joys of eternal life.  Serve Me and you will

 find them.

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. 

(John 12:25-26)

 

3.  I am about to go through a bitter hour, but

 for this hour I came into the world.

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. Father, glorify thy name.  (John 12:27-28a)

 

Suddenly, Jesus’ sermon was interrupted and authenticated by God, speaking from Heaven.  Surely, the Greeks and the rest of Jesus’ listeners were impressed.

... then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.  (John 12:28b-30)

 

      Jesus continued teaching.

 

4.  The world is about to be judged.  Its   

 corrupt ways will be challenged by a new

 movement (the Church) with the power to cast

 Satan out of those who become believers.  This

 new organization will be born when I am nailed to

 a Cross and lifted up from the earth.

Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.  (John 12:31-23)

 

Again, Jesus’ sermon was interrupted.  Some in His audience were troubled when He predicted His Crucifixion.  They thought He was the Messiah, and He would, immediately, establish His throne in Jerusalem and rule over the whole Earth forever.  They did not know that Jesus was about to die for the sins of true-believers, return to Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, and later, come back to Jerusalem to reign.

The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?  (John 12:34)

 

      In response, Jesus resumed His sermon ...

 

5.  Trust Me.  Believe in Me.  Be enlightened

 by My teachings.  (Jesus knew the Church

 would spring up in a few days and explain

 the meaning of His Crucifixion and 

 Resurrection.)

Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light ... (John 12:35-36a)

 

 

 

The Priests and Rulers Reacted

To the Cleansing of the Temple.

 

Having finished His message in response to the questions of the Greeks, Jesus paused.  A warm, holy moment was graced by ‘Amens’ and ‘Hosannas’ from the lips of His admirers.  But, the tranquility was soon shattered by strident words from a gang of chief priests and scribes.  They were furious.  They seethed as they scanned the remnants of their marketplace.  They wanted to kill Jesus, but they feared the crowd that loved Him.

... when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?  (Matthew 21:15-16)

 

 

 

Jesus Disappeared.

 

Then, to avoid further hostile conversation with the chief priests and their henchmen, Jesus vanished.

These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.  (John 12:36b)

 

 

 

His Listeners Debated,

“Is Jesus the Messiah?”

 

The crowd left standing in the Temple was a mixture of believers and scoffers.  They pondered His Message and discussed it.  The question of the moment was, “What do you think of Jesus?”

... though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias [Isaiah 53:1] the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again [Isaiah 6:10], He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.  (John 12:37-43)

Most in Jesus’ Temple audience believed Him to be the  Son of God.  But, John reminds us that it is possible for a man to oppose Christ with such vehemence that God blinds him, spiritually, and hardens his heart.  Such a one cannot be converted.  Some in Christ’s audience were in that spiritual state.  That troubles us, because some we know and love are, probably, in that same spiritual state.

 

 

 

Jesus Went Back To Bethany.

 

Jesus returned to Bethany.

... he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.  (Matthew 21:17)

And, Mark adds ...

... when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.  (Mark 11:11b)