“Behold! Your King Rides” John 12:1-19
We have been looking at the events of the Upper Room over the past three weeks during the day before Jesus’ crucifixion. Today, we back up in time several days to what we call “Palm Sunday” and remember Christ’s ride into Jerusalem among shouts of “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
John 12:1: 1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages. " 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 "Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "[It was intended] that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me." 9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.
The crowd following Jesus had grown significantly on account of Jesus’ raising of Lazarus the previous week. Who raises people from the dead, especially after they’d been dead for three days? The chief priests had plans in motion to put Lazarus to death as well as Jesus: They thought, “If we destroy the testimony, we’ll destroy all the evidence along with Jesus!” Among the many political and religious factions within Israel while under the Roman political rule, the addition of Jesus on the scene had caused much concern among the Jewish religious elite. It looked as if the crowds were throwing their support to Jesus as their leader!
Look at John 12:12: “The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!" 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, 15 "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, (he is making His appearance) seated on a donkey's colt."
16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. 17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!"
The King Rides Publicly
I don’t know about you, but I think for the most part, I have underestimated what actually happened on Palm Sunday: The crowd that was gathering for the Passover celebration in Jerusalem could have ranged anywhere between 250,000 to 2.5 million. Most of the pictures I have in my head about Jesus’ Kingly ride into Jerusalem displays a handful of people, but not thousands, or maybe 10’s of thousands. The crowd had been gathering and growing for about a week in order to celebrate the Passover, but also because of the miracle-worker, Jesus. People were shocked: “He raises people from the dead, too!”
All four Gospel writers record the Good News-CHEERS from the crowds: Listen to the cheers! “Hosanna! Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest !"
Very few people had recognized Jesus for who He really was, in fact, as predicted, Jesus “came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.” (John 1:11) When Jesus called Nathanael to follow Him in John 1:49, he responded, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel," yet he did not realize the entire truth of what he had confessed. So on Palm Sunday, Jesus rides into Jerusalem as the final presentation of Himself to the nation of Israel.
It seems from a human point of view that this parade is a spur of the moment event, but from God’s sovereign perspective it is not spontaneous at all; RATHER, it represents fulfillment of specific Old Testament prophecies up to 1,000 years before the event. Scriptures are being fulfilled from Psalm 118:25-26 (“25 O LORD, save us (basically, ‘Hosanna”); O LORD, grant us success. 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you,”) from Isaiah 40:9 (“Jerusalem…Behold your God! your SAVING God!), and from Zechariah 9:9 (“9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”)
It was not by accident or coincidence that the anointed Christ (the Messiah), the Son of God, rides Into Jerusalem in humble esteem as the Prince of Peace, and He drags a criminal’s cross out of the gates of Jerusalem a few days later to be executed! It was God’s Providential Sovereign plan to provide Himself as the sacrificial lamb, slain for sin, during Passover…and NOW was the time! “Behold your king is coming, riding on a donkey's colt."
King Jesus’ ride reveals much about HUMAN NATURE.
I want you to notice that this ride of King Jesus reveals much about HUMAN NATURE: The focus of the crowd SEEMS to be upon Jesus as King, yet, in verse 16, we read: “At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified (after He died, was risen, and ascended) did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.” The celebration was inhibited by the Perplexity of the FAITHFUL FEW, the followers of Jesus-the very ones He had called to FOLLOW HIM. It was not until the promised Holy Spirit came, that the spiritual lights came on in their hearts and lives; then they finally “got it” and they understood the whole thing. As believers in the Lord Jesus, we HAVE the power of the convicting Holy Spirit and the light of the fulfilled Gospel. We wait only for Jesus’ return RIDE!
Secondly, notice the Fickleness of the Unfaithful CROWDS. Many were coming for the celebration of the Passover, yet got caught up in the frenzy of the moment. Throughout the history of the Church, people have tended to do the same thing: some jump from one congregation to another, experimenting and examining one WORSHIP WHIM after another, going from one emotional moment to another, but never really coming to FAITH in the King of Kings, and never really following Him as Lord of Lords, never truly becoming a witness of the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, never leading others to the Savior. They are not interested in the Message of the Gospel, only the emotion of the moment.
Judaism had become totally apostate as was the nation of Israel. Many times, as the nation goes, so does faith (or vice versa- as faith goes, so goes the nation.) This fickle attitude was alive as this huge emotional movement was launched that day and Jesus KNEW that the crowds would turn on Him within a matter of days…because He knew ALL THINGS. It gives me the greatest of comfort that MY FUTURE and the future of His Church are held secure, in spite of the fickleness of the unfaithful!
Thirdly, we look at verse19: “So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. (You are doing us no good. You are not profitable to us!) Look how the whole world has gone after him!" The mentality of the Pharisees has been pretty steady throughout Jesus’ ministry; and here the Frustration of the Pharisees with Jesus’ notoriety only increases with the greater populace throwing their temporary support to the man who had given such clear evidence of divine Kingship and Messiah-ship.
Human nature says: What’s in it for me? How will I benefit? The Pharisees had been plotting to KILL JESUS because they were jealous for Him, His Power…everything about this Righteous One caused them to look at themselves, not as law-keepers, but as Law-Breakers. They were offended to the point of hating the very Savior who had come to Redeem them from the sins of themselves, and the sin of unbelief. Back in John 11:49, it says this about Caiaphas: “Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish." 51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.” Caiaphas was so frustrated that he ran for office on the “Kill Jesus” ticket. People are still running on that ticket!
Mere “religion” has that effect on dead hearts because following King Jesus demands submission, sacrifice, obedience, allegiance, and love which comes from HIM, not from within us and our world, and so King Jesus’ Ride reminds us of His Powerful Purpose to save and REDEEM eternally.
King Jesus’ Ride reminds us of His Powerful Purpose
Jesus did not come to establish an earthly throne. He did not come to rule politically from a network of earthly power. King Jesus overrides that type of Plan that originates with Man. Jesus rides into our world to be the Messiah-King. In very few days He would make that clear to Pilate during his inquisition in John 18:33: Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" 34 "Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?" 35 "Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?" 36 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." 37 "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
Several days after the Palm Sunday parade, the cross would become Jesus’ display of the glory of God’s Grace and the EMPTY grave several days later would become His Emblem of Victory over death and Satan. In John 12: 24, Jesus says, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit." In the middle of this explosion of emotional affirmation, He talks about His death. He's weeping. It would not be a succession to an earthly throne, but to a cross. It would not be victory by sword or popular persuasion, but through suffering and death. Jesus did not come to impose His power upon us, but to release us from the Power of Sin and death that gripped us since our father, Adam, decided to serve himself and his desire to fill his stomach with physical food rather than his life with the holy presence of the God who created him. King Jesus would DIE FOR HIS KINGDOM.
It might have been a triumphal entry in one sense. But in another sense, it was a tearful entry. When a king came in to proclaim war, he rode a horse, a white horse but historians say that when a king rode a donkey he was coming in peace. There wasn't a single soldier in Jesus’ entourage. No one who witnessed Jesus riding on a colt that day would have thought that He looked like a threat to the Roman Empire or to the nation of Israel. He had no soldiers and no weapons. But the next time He comes, Revelation 19 says that He will come in war to judge and condemn.
Revelation 19:11: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.” 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems ; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron ; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
Christ’s Kingship will be Over all Nations and His subjects find it a privilege to serve Him and to Love Him. They have been adopted as Sons and daughters into His Kingdom and so our song should also be: "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is OUR King, the Lord Jesus Christ! For He rules my life forever and ever and I will serve Him alone."
OUTLINE
1. King Jesus Rides Publicly a. as the final presentation of Himself to the nation. b. fulfillment of prophecies
2. King Jesus’ ride reveals much about HUMAN NATURE: a. The Perplexity of the Faithful b. the Fickleness of the Unfaithful. c. The Frustration of the Pharisees
3. King Jesus’ Ride reminds us of His Powerful Purpose: King Jesus overrides the Plan of Man as the Messiah-King. b. The King came to die for His Kingdom. c. Christ’s Kingship is Over all Nations
