BEHOLD YOUR KING
Matthew 21:1-17
Here we have a remarkable scene; the Lord Jesus is on His way to die on Calvary, just as He has recently made known to His disciples, (although it appears that they either did not understand what He said, or they did not want to believe it).
As they came towards Jerusalem, the crowds were expectant. They have gathered to see if ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ will come to keep the Feast of Passover. They are aware of the hostility of the Jewish Rulers, and wonder at the possible events lying ahead of them. Underneath the surface there was a seething mix of feelings. Some people wanted to make Jesus a King, to lead them against the Roman occupation army; others wanted to get rid of Him, because He reached beneath their protective layer of respectability; a few believed He was the Son of God. The crowds waited and wondered.
Suddenly, down the road comes an event that could only be a fulfilment of the prophetic writings. Could this be the long awaited Messiah? Here comes ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ and His disciples – He is riding on a young donkey. They identify Him, not because He was the Teacher that had been telling them about the love of God for them, and how to live lives that would please God; or because of the many miracles that He had done, releasing people from years of sickness and sorrow, and very recently raising Lazarus from the dead; but because it was as if Scripture had been lifted out of the pages of the writings of Zechariah the Prophet, and there before their eyes was ‘The Messiah’ riding on a colt, as had been foretold around 500 years earlier.
These people knew their Scripture – many of them would be able to quote by heart the long awaited promises. They knew their Scripture, and they knew what was meant – or so they thought.
1. THE PEOPLE KNEW THE SCRIPTURES – THEY KNEW THE WORDS!
Matthew tells us that
This took place to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’" [Matthew 21:4-5]
He was quoting the words of Zechariah, which all the devout people would know.
Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey - riding on a donkey’s colt. [Zechariah 9:9]
We read at the account of the birth of the Lord Jesus, that there were those who had been expectantly looking for the coming of the Messiah. There were times during the ministry of the Lord when people questioned Him about this. Even John the Baptist appears to have questions in his mind when he asks if they were to look for someone else.
The problem was that Jesus did not conform to their ideas. They were expecting a revolutionary Messiah who would drive out the oppressive Roman army, and set the nation free. If only they had used their eyes to see this One who was riding in – He was not riding a prancing war-horse, clad in armour and brandishing a sword - but riding a lowly donkey’s colt with clothing for a saddle.
It is unfortunate, but
2. THEY INTERPRETED THE SCRIPTURES TO SUIT THEMSELVES.
How easy it is to twist the ‘Word of God’ into becoming the ‘word of self’! We read a verse and find it appealing, then without trying to understand the setting, or why it was written originally, we grasp it and call it ‘a Word from the Lord’! This can be so foolish, causing much disappointment. Yes, God can, and does speak to us today through His Word, and there are times when what He says is not easy to accept, but if God is speaking, then we had better listen.
I think that you will have heard the apocryphal story of the man who read a verse at random each day. On opening his bible and reading the first verse that caught his attention, he read, ‘Judas went out and hanged himself’. That is not suitable he said to himself, so he tried again, and read ‘go thou and do likewise’. That is also not suitable, he said, so he tried yet again, and read, ‘what thou doest, do quickly’.
I am sure you will see the folly. I would not recommend that way of dipping into the Word of God! The context is always important to the understanding.
In our reading of God’s Word, let us seek to understand what the Lord would say to us today. It is in the understanding, and personal application that true growth will develop. See Paul’s words
II Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. [NLT]
The people shouted
"Hosanna to the Son of David!" Blessed is the king the King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord!"
But they didn’t really want a true king. If they had thought about what they were saying they would realise that the kind of king they were speaking about would come in the Lord’s name, and so would require the Lord’s ways to be followed by them! They had to learn that
3. A KING IS NOT A PUPPET, NEITHER IS HE A DICTATOR!
What a sight must have greeted the eyes of the onlookers! A number of commentators explain that a ‘Hosanna’ was literally a bundle of tree branches, such as from the Palm tree, bound together, and shaken vigorously. This was to be a physical expression of their heart felt praise before the Lord.
In the expression ‘Hosanna’ we see the real desire of the people, for the Hebrew word means ‘save now, we beseech thee’. Here was an appeal for salvation, but salvation from the Roman rule, which found an audible and visible expression! The truth is that they had their mind fixed on an earthly kingdom.
A few days later, when Jesus is standing before Pilate to be tried, He makes a clear statement about His kingdom, He says,
John 18:36 “My kingdom is not of this world . . . If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. As it is, My kingdom does not have its origin here.” [Holman]
I think the lesson for us at this point is to lift our eyes above temporal things, and keep eternal values as our guide, as we determine our aim in life. The temporal will pass away, but the eternal will last for ever!
Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed - that exhilarating finish in and with God - he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honour, right alongside God. [Hebrews 12:2 Message]
That is a verse that we can apply to ourselves, remembering that when Jesus was on that momentous journey into Jerusalem, He saw the end results, and went through to the end.
Here were a fickle people, with changeable feeling; constantly moved by the events of the day, and the opinions of others.
4. THE CROWD WERE SWAYED BY OTHERS
We have a picture of how they were moved, and motivated, as we see that some of them had witnessed the raising of Lazarus from the dead, and broadcast the news.
The crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.
Just a few days later the same crowd were calling a different tune! The trial of the Lord was taking place – the One they had hailed as “The king the King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord!”
All that is now conveniently forgotten, as they turn away from the One they had proclaimed ‘the Messiah’.
They cried out, ‘Away with him, away with him, crucify him’. Pilate saith unto them, ‘Shall I crucify your King’? The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar’. John 19:15
How sad to see such a changeable attitude! But is our way of thinking any better? Do we still recognise Him as King of our lives, even when others around us are rejecting Him?
Let us take encouragement from the scriptures, for through them we can have a view that is seen in the light of eternity. In the final scene portrayed in Revelation by the Apostle John we see the Lord Jesus Christ, and John speaks of Him in these words
the Lamb is Lord of lords and King of kings. Revelation 17:14
One final thought for us. We have seen how the people called Jesus ‘King’ – ‘Messiah’ – ‘Lord’. These words were not really true – they were meaningless, simply an emotional response to the events of the day. Paul makes it quite clear that the kind of response the Lord requires from us is first of all from the heart, and then, because it is a heart-felt belief, it should be expressed before others. This is what brings true salvation.
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. Romans 10:9-10
As we contemplate the events of ‘Palm Sunday’ and the subsequent days, let us again honour the Lord Jesus Christ by bowing our hearts before Him and owning Him as King of our lives, acknowledging His Lordship over our lives, and so know the joy of true communion with the Lord.
