Today, we’re beginning a series that will lead us up to Easter Sunday. We’re going to look at the Last Week of Our Lord’s Life, beginning with the Sunday before His crucifixion and ending with the Sunday of His resurrection. Here we read about the event that marked the start of the last week of our Lord’s life - His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. (READ TEXT)
The week had finally arrived for which Jesus had been born - the week in which He would pay for sin for the entire human race. He would begin the week with an assertion of His messiahship and the triumphal entry into Jerusalem; and end it as the resurrected Lord of glory.
On this Sunday, Jesus and His disciples left Bethany for Jerusalem. On their way, they came near the village of Bethphage. Bethany and Bethphage were approximately 2 miles from Jerusalem. Early in the week, it is apparent that Jesus and His disciples traveled back and forth from Bethany to Jerusalem, spending each night in Bethany.
As they approached Bethphage, Jesus sent two of His disciples into the town with specific instructions. They were to look for a colt tied at the entrance of town - a donkey that had never been ridden before. They were to untie it and bring it to Jesus. If anyone asked what they were doing, they were to say the Lord had need of it and would send it back shortly, and they would be allowed to go.
They found things as Jesus said and brought the donkey to Him. Using coats for a makeshift saddle, they accompanied Him to Jerusalem as He rode on the donkey. As they approached the city, a large crowd greeted them, many throwing palm branches and others throwing their coats in His path. They shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” After the crowd scattered, Jesus and His disciples went to the temple, looked around, then returned to Bethany.
As we think about this event that marked the beginning of the last week of our Lord’s life, let’s notice what things it tells us about Jesus. Let notice first what this event tells us about . . .
1. His Claim.
Two things about our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem speak about His claim to be the Messiah, the Savior.
A. What He rode upon.
Jesus rode into the city on a beast that had never been ridden before. It was a common practice in Jesus’ day not to use anything for a sacred purpose that had been used before. The donkey that Jesus rode into the city could not have been ridden, because it was going to be used for a holy purpose, to carry the Messiah.
B. Why He rode upon it.
Matthew says what Jesus did here fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah.
“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.” - Zechariah 9:9 (NIV)
The people of Jerusalem recognized this and responded as the prophecy said they would, with rejoicing and shouting. The people welcomed Jesus as their king, but they did not understand how he wanted to rule.
In the days of Jesus, if a king ever mounted a horse, it was to go to war. The horse was an animal of battle. However, if a king was going on a mission of peace, he would mount a donkey. The donkey was an
animal of peace. It was on a donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem, not a horse. But this fact seemed to escape the notice of the crowd. The word, “hosanna,” in its later usage came to mean merely, “hail,” and was commonly used to greet dignitaries and other important people.
But the word as originally used, meant “save now” and was a prayer of the people of Israel for the Messiah to lead them in conquest of their enemies. The people wanted Jesus to establish an earthly kingdom. Instead, He had come to establish a spiritual kingdom. What Jesus wanted was not to be welcomed into their palace but into their hearts.
That is still our Lord’s desire. He wants to be welcomed into our hearts. when one welcomes Jesus into their heart and lets Him to rule their life, they can experience “heaven on earth.” For Jesus is a Savior of peace!
Jesus brought His claim to be a Savior of peace to a crowd who wanted Him to be something else, which says something else about Jesus.
2. His Courage.
While He was surrounded by a crowd who had their own ideas about the kind of Messiah He should be, Jesus had the courage to declare through His actions that He was going to be the kind of Messiah the Father had called Him to be!
Oh, how we need to imitate the courage that Jesus had. The kind of courage that says, “It doesn't matter what the crowd says I ought to do, I'm going to do what God wants me to do!” We should have the courage to obey God, no matter what the crowd says, because . . .
“Right is still right, no matter how many people say it is wrong & wrong is still wrong, no matter how many people say it is right.”
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.” - Isaiah 5:20-21 (NIV)
What a difference could be made if God’s people had the courage Jesus demonstrated: the courage to do God says, no matter what others say!
But there is one more thing we should note about Jesus as revealed by this event that began the last week of his life on earth.
3. His Commitment.
A. His entry into Jerusalem that Sunday was no sudden decision.
It was something He had prepared in advance. While one might conclude that the provision of the donkey was a result of divine omniscience, it is more probable that Jesus had made arrangements with the owner beforehand. The phrase, “The Lord needs it and will bring it back here shortly,” was a message to the owner that the hour for which Jesus had arranged had come. Entering the city on a donkey in fulfillment of divine prophecy was something He was supposed to do and had committed himself to doing it.
B. Jesus looked over the Temple before leaving the city - v. 11
Jesus looked over the temple before returning to Bethany. Why was He looking over the temple? Because the very next day, He would return to clear the money changers out of it. He knew what He was supposed to do and had committed himself to doing it.
As Jesus entered into this last week of His life on earth, He entered it with His eyes wide open. He knew exactly what He was to do and how the people were going to react. He knew that on Sunday He would be welcomed by a crowd of people who didn't really understand who He was. He knew that on Monday, He would anger religious leaders by running the money changers out of the temple.
He knew that on Tuesday, He’d be questioned about His authority to teach the things He taught and do the things He did. He knew that on Thursday one follower would betray Him, another would deny Him, and the rest would forsake Him. He knew that on Friday He’d suffer death on the cross for the sins of mankind. Yes, Jesus knew all these things, yet He nevertheless committed himself to doing what had to be done that week because He believed you and I were worth it!
“I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.” - John 10:14-15; 17-18 (NASB)
Out of love for us and in obedience to the Father, Jesus committed Himself to doing what had to be done! Yes, He knew full well what awaited Him that week. He knew that He would suffer and die; and He knew that three days later He would be raised from the dead! This was something that He had committed Himself to do even in eternity past!
His holy fingers made the bough,
That grew the thorns that crowned His brow!
The nails that pierced His hands were mined,
In secret places He designed.
He made the forest whence there sprung,
The tree on which His body hung;
He died upon a cross of wood
Yet made the hill on which it stood.
The spear which spilled His precious blood,
Was tempered in the fires of God;
The grave in which His form was laid,
Was hewn in rocks His hands had made.
The throne on which He now appears,
Was His from everlasting years;
But now a new glory crowns His brow,
And one day, every knee to Him shall bow!
