Love on the March
Mathew 21: 1-11 & Isaiah 50:4-9
In a military setting, marching is done for a variety of reasons. It can be to get all of a platoon or squad from one place to another, Or, marching can be a way to show mastery of skill. It was in boot camp where we practiced the entire time to have one opportunity to compete against other platoons to see who had mastered all of the different moves learned up to that point. You can also march with a bit of pomp and pageantry like in a parade; everyone loves a parade. Similarly, you march to show authority, like when a Roman General would return from battle with a victory. A triumph, or victory parade, followed every major military victory in ancient Rome: the successful general drove through the streets to the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill; behind him streamed his raucous soldiers; in front were his most glamorous prisoners, as well as the entirety of loot he had captured, from enemy ships and precious statues to plants and animals from the conquered territory. Occasionally there was so much on display that the show lasted two to three days. The triumph was a religious ritual, a visual spectacle, and a sheer good time.
When Jesus marched into Jerusalem, he did it different than any of these since he marched [rode] into town with total humility to show us that pride in life is in full view of God and he does not desire his people to live in such a way. If pride were the way, then Jesus needed a great steed, a white horse with gold bridals and a custom saddle. He would have deemed it necessary to enter in to the city by trumpet sound and choir songs. But no, divinity is not established in such a way. His manner of entering into Zion [Zee-own] fulfills prophesy in Zech 9:9 where it says,
“Rejoice greatly O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Yes, today’s entry into the city is a humble one, but it is just as much a triumphant one, yes more so, even more than the victory parade offered unto the Roman general after a great battle won.
>>>Did not Jesus win? Did he not triumph over pride and worldly grandeur? Did he not conquer affluence with poverty? And did he not conquer rage and malice using meekness and gentleness? The answer is “yes”, unequivocally.
So, he enters into the city full, full of kindness, full of meekness and full of compassion and passion. He comes to deliver himself into their hands. The King enters the city to be murdered by his subjects and to make that death a ransom.
But before he entered into the city, the crowd began to shout and yell “Hosanna’s” and “Hallelujah’s” to honor Jesus. And they through down their cloaks on the ground, acknowledging him as their king…I find it so hard to grasp this acknowledgment coming on Palm Sunday and then in a few days crying “Crucify him”, but that’s Passion week sermons coming up.
The placing of clothes on the ground was a time honored tradition, a custom observed by the people when they found that God had appointed a man to the kingdom. When Jehu sat with the captains of the army, and Elisha the prophet came by the order of God to anoint him king over Israel, as soon as he came out of the inner chamber where the prophet had taken him, the people knew what had been done and they took their garments and spread it under him. And with trumpets sound and loud voices the people cried out, “Jehu is King!”
As it stands, he rides in on a colt, one that one man had ever ridden. It is a bit difficult to see the complete picture of how Christ rode into town; did he ride on a donkey or a colt? Why the distinction here? Did he ride both? It is not for certain what he did exactly, there’s different thoughts on it, but I do know, in my opinion, is that symbolically the donkey tied up was an emblem or picture of the Jews bound under the yoke of the law and the colt that was one not ridden, it represented Gentiles who were not under the law. Having both is a representation of how Jews and Gentiles are both under the scepter of Christ’s authority.
Theologians fully acknowledge the prophesy of the donkey coming from Zechariah 9 and that it refers to the Messiah. Rabbis have a beautiful story about the donkey. The theme is seen from the beginning of the Bible. The donkey is the colt of that donkey symbolically in the 6th day of creation. This is the donkey Abraham used to carry his son Isaac. This donkey is the same donkey Moses rode when he went to Egypt to free God’s people. And this is the donkey Jesus shall ride into Jerusalem to conquer death. Of course we know it is not the exact same donkey, but a representation for us to see.
There is great language in the words the people spoke as he rode by. They cried, “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” The word “Hosanna” in Hebrew [pronounced “Hoshiah na”] means “Save now” or “Save, we beseech thee” [Clark]. So, by words and by actions they acknowledged Christ as the Savior. They cry for deliverance from oppression, yes, they looked to him for it.
>>>Do you see that he [Jesus]could have grabbed the sovereignty right then, without going to the cross? The people were ready for the Messiah; but it was only on their terms, not Gods. They wanted revolt, Christ wanted peace and relationship… forever.
So they cried, “Hoshia-na” Hosanna in the highest, meaning “He who comes in the name of the Lord”, the meaning is sure for us. They said, “Let the heavenly hosts join with us in magnifying the august being. “August” means, “Inspiring, reverence, or admiration; something of supreme dignity or grandeur; something majestic.”
Therefore they have the palm fronds waving. This is a direct revelation and comparison to the “Feast of Tabernacles” The palm branches were used to have a roof over the booths they stayed in during the Feast. They would also wave the branches around the altar singing, of all things “Hosanna”, crying out to God for help from God; they begged for this speedy and powerful one to come against all of their enemies. The Feast of Tabernacles is called Sukkot” or get this, “Season of our rejoicing.” It seems the pieces fell in place on that faithful day when rode into town.
And so he comes, through the gates of Jerusalem, the great anticipated King comes.
>>>How long they had waited for this moment? For Him? They had celebrated it for 1500 years in preparation for him, for this day. And now it is upon them…Freedom!!! I love the scene from Braveheart where he cries out for what he longed for his whole life, it wasn't crying for mercy or life, but freedom. And behold the Jews have it before them, “Hallelujah!!!”
I would like to spend just a few moments on how Jesus was openly aware and unafraid to go through this week. In conjunction with the scripture from Matthew 21:1-11 there is Isaiah 50:4-9, which is one of the Servant Songs of Isaiah. Here he tells us of the things the “Suffering Servant” will have to endure. At this point I scripture Isaiah did not know who this servant would be, but that he would have to endure much hardship. Verses 5-6 tell us of his pain and anguish,
“The Lord has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.” (NRSV)
>>>When we come before this truth, that Jesus is this suffering servant and that he would suffer much, I have to continually ask myself, “Why it had to be this way?”
>>>Did my Lord and Savior have to go through it all, couldn't there have been another way? I’m afraid I can never get it out of my mouth before the Holy Spirit within me says, “No, there was no other way, if there was I would have done it.”
Picturing the suffering servant begins today, it has to, for Jesus knew he would never enter into the city again. Jesus knew the next time he left, he would be carrying the world on his shoulders in the form of a cross.
It is not because God is some kind of Cosmic bully that this scene unfolds, it is because of extreme faithfulness; no, it is more than that, it is radical, self denying faithfulness, the likes of which humanity cannot fathom.
So in the scene of the Palm Sunday and the Passion week that is to come, the theme will be and is…that God is in Everything. Every part of this world God loves! God loves you and you and me. He loves thieves, he loves adulterers, gamblers, cheaters, those who scourge and those who hate. He loves those who love themselves, he loves the idolater the slanderer the homosexual the philandering heterosexual. Jesus loves those who praise with the lips but kill with their hands. If you do not see yourself in the crowd on Palm Sunday, then you won’t see yourself at the last supper or when Judas betrays Jesus. Neither will you see yourself during the night when soldiers came to take him away or when Peter cut off Malchus’ ear or when the lies came roaring from false witnesses. Will you see yourself on Friday calling to release Barrabas rather than let an innocent man free. Probably not, but in all that Jesus sees you and loves you, that is why this is a walk that is outwardly showing love of man. Enjoy today, celebrate today, it is a good day that Christ is lifted up and edified. Praise him for his love on this Palm Sunday.
