Jesus' Triumphant Entrance Into Jerusalem.

JESUS’ TRIUMPHANT ENTRANCE INTO JERUSALEM.

John 12:12-19.

First, in this short passage, we see the sense of expectation of the people of God (John 12:12). We read that “much people” who were come to the feast, “heard” that Jesus was coming to the City. And hearing, they acted on it.

Second, John's is the only Gospel to tell us about the palm branches (John 12:13). Scholars tell us that palm trees did not grow in the mountainous region of Jerusalem: so, palm branches had quite possibly been imported from the lowlands around the River Jordan and were readily available for the Jewish feasts of Tabernacles and Passover. The occasion called for celebration: so, the people in our text acquired palm branches, and no doubt waved them as Jesus approached Jerusalem.

Their cry of “Hosanna” (John 12:13) is a transliteration from Hebrew into Greek (into English). It comes from Psalm 118:25, and seems to mean, “Save now, please.” Although the people might not understand it yet, this is what Jesus had come to do (cf. Luke 19:10).

Psalm 118, which was part of the liturgy for the festival, continues, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD’ (cf. Psalm 118:26). This was recognised as a Messianic verse, and no doubt the people who cried “Blessed is the King of Israel that comes in the name of the Lord” (John 12:13) at least hoped that Jesus was the One who would fulfil the dreams and expectations of Israel.

Perhaps the enthusiastic crowd saw this “King” as a Maccabean-type character, who would drive the Romans out of the Holy Land? What they could not at this point anticipate, was that this “King” whom they acknowledged had come to be ‘enthroned’ upon a Roman Cross, with a superscription that at one and the same time acknowledged and mocked His Kingship.

Next, John mentions the donkey (John 12:14). Pontius Pilate would have entered Jerusalem about this time, on a charger. By way of contrast, the donkey is symbolic of Jesus’ humility (cf. Philippians 2:6-8).

Up to this time, John has been emphasising that Jesus’ time had not yet come (cf. John 2:4; John 7:6; John 7:8; John 7:30; John 8:20). John now emphasises that the entry of Jesus thus into Jerusalem was “as it is written” (John 12:14).

The passage cited in John 12:15 appears to come from a combination of Zechariah 9:9 and Zephaniah 3:16.

Now, John is at pains to tell us that the disciples did not understand these things at the first: but when Jesus was glorified (John 12:16). We cannot understand everything straight away, but the Lord enlightens us in due time.

John lays some emphasis on the witness of those who had been with Jesus when He called Lazarus out of the grave (John 12:17). It is important that we thus “bare record” to Jesus, sharing who He is, and what He has done.

John calls Jesus’ miracles, ‘signs.’ John names the raising of Lazarus as one such “sign” (John 12:18). The witness of this “sign” is what encouraged the crowd who met Jesus.

The Pharisees, for their part, reckoned that “the whole world” had gone after Jesus (John 12:19). An exaggeration, no doubt, but perhaps it was another unwitting prophecy, like that of Caiaphas the high priest (cf. John 11:49-52).