1. Matthew 21.1-11
2. Today is “Palm Sunday” on Christian Calendars
3. It is a remembrance of Jesus’ “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem to become King
4. He achieved this through the DBR that would occur in just a few days
I. A Day of Great Patriotic Acclamation
A. Remembering the Restoration of Israel by the Maccabees
1. Defeat of Seleucids in Second Century BC)
2. Origin of Hanukkah
3. Palm Branches as Patriotic Symbols
B. Great Expectation of Jesus – Salvation from Rome
1. Hosanna = Save Us – Psalm 118.25
Save us, we pray, O LORD!
O LORD, we pray, give us success!
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2. Expected Messiah to overthrow Romans and restore Israel
II. A Day of Great Prophetic Fulfillment – Matthew 21.10-11; Zechariah 9.9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
A. The Coming King
1. He is Righteous – Blameless; Innocent; Just
Jeremiah 23.6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’
2. He is Humble – from “Afflicted”
Isaiah 53.7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
a. We can be Humble (Philippians 2.8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.)
b. We can be Humbled – Deuteronomy 8.3 – He humbled you. . .
3. He is Savior – He has Salvation – “Yasha” – to Deliver; Avenge; Save – “Hosanna”
4. So, REJOICE – Zephaniah 3.14ff
B. Coming on the Donkey
1. [Talmud – Messiah comes in the clouds if the people are worthy; on a donkey if they are unworthy
2. Why does Matthew mention 2 Donkeys in Matthew 21.7? Stay tuned. . .
III. A Day of Great Passover Preparation
A. Jesus and the Sacrifice of the Passover Lamb
1. Jesus is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”
2. Proximity of Lamb selection day – Exodus 12.3
B. Abraham and the Sacrifice of Isaac – Genesis 22
1. Hineni – Here I am
2. Only loved son as burnt offering
3. Rode the donkey
4. Laid wood on Isaac; Abraham had knife and fire
5. “Where is the Lamb?” “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22.8)
6. Isaac’s willing cooperation (37 years old?); Jesus’ cooperation
7. Abraham believed in Resurrection (Hebrews 11.19); Jesus’ Resurrection foreseen
8. Ram in thicket, caught by horns; Crown of Thorns
9. YHVH-Yireh – The LORD Provides
1. Jesus came into Jerusalem for his Death, burial, and resurrection – on our behalf
2. He rode a donkey into the city – Matthew mentions two – same as:
a. The Two Demoniacs in Matthew 8.28 (other accounts have one)
b. The Two Blind men (story of Bartimaues – in the other accounts) – Matthew 9.27
c. A literary device to include the reader in the story
3. Jesus came to free us from demons and heal our spiritual blindness
4. To do that, we must die with him – John 11.16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”; Galatians 2.20
5. Will you ride with Jesus?
