Things are not always as they seem on the surface. When Elizabeth II had her coronation on June 02, 1953, to the casual observer, she made it look easy. As with so much in the line of royalty, the reality is a little different. Elizabeth II, who discussed her memories of her coronation in a BBC documentary, described the Imperial State Crown as “very unwieldy”. In this, the 65th anniversary of her coronation this year, she noted herr “mischievous” children, a lost scepter and a dress so heavy she stuck to the carpet. This is all thrown into the mix of a “horrible” carriage ride from Westminster Abbey to the palace in a “not very comfortable” Gold State Coach designed only for short journeys (https://nationalpost.com/news/world/your-neck-would-break-queen-elizabeth-on-the-unwieldy-crown-and-horrible-ride-on-coronation-day)
In another picture of a coronation that is not like it seems, Matthew 21:1–11 portrays the most significant coronation the world has yet seen. It was a true coronation of a true King. He was affirmed as King and was, in a sense, inaugurated into His kingship. But there was no pomp, no splendor, and a nondescript sort of pageantry. The “Triumphal” Entry epitomizes the upside-down values of the Kingdom. Jesus radically shifted the world’s paradigm of greatness, showing greatness to be found in humble service, not arrogant rule (Comfort, Philip Wesley: Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 11. Carol Stream, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2005-c2006, S. 267). This triumphal entry was His last major public appearance before His crucifixion and was an extremely important event in His divine ministry on earth, an event that is frequently dramatized but seldom studied carefully or understood for its true significance. This final week is so important that the Gospels give a disproportionate amount of space to it. Jesus lived thirty-three years. His active ministry occupied three years. But large portions of the Gospels are given over to the events of just the last eight days. Matthew devotes one-fourth of his Gospel to it (chaps. 21–28). Mark uses one-third of his Gospel (chaps. 11–16). Luke gives a fifth of his chapters to the events of this last week (chaps. 19:28–24). Most remarkable of all, John gives half of his Gospel (chaps. 12–21). Taken together, there are eighty-nine chapters in the Gospels, but twenty-nine and a half of these (exactly one-third) recount what happened between the triumphal entry and Jesus’ resurrection. Such is the case because these are the climactic events not only of Jesus’ life but of all history. They were planned from before the foundation of the world, and our salvation from sin and wrath depends on them (Boice, James Montgomery: The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Books, 2001, S. 434).
In this passage of Matthew 21:1-11, we see who Jesus is, what we can expect of him, to what degree we can rely on God’s word, how we tend to interpret scripture to our liking, and what He expects of us in worship of Him. In this final week, starting with the Triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem, which we recall this Palm Sunday, we see: 1) The End of the Pilgrimage (Matthew 21:1a), the 2) The Exactness of Prophecy (Matthew 21:1b-7), 3) The Epitome of Praise (Matthew 21:8-9) and 4) The Element of Perplexity (Matthew 21:10-11)
The Triumphal entry into Jerusalem by Jesus shows:
1) The End of The Pilgrimage: (Matthew 21:1a)
Matthew 21:1a [21:1] Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, (then Jesus sent two disciples), (ESV)
After healing the two blind men in Jericho and leading Zaccheus to Himself, the Lord made His final journey to Jerusalem. When Jesus was 12 years old, he went up to Jerusalem with Mary and Joseph to celebrate the Feast of the Passover. This was something pious Jews did every year (see Luke 2:41, 42). So, we can assume that Jesus made many trips to Jerusalem to observe the Passover. But this time was different. Jesus was very much aware that he was going up to Jerusalem to die. Along the way he told his disciples at least three times that he was going to be handed over to the chief priests and condemned to death but that on the third day he would rise again (see Matthew 16:21; 17:22, 23; 20:17–19).(Albrecht, G. Jerome ; Albrecht, Michael J.: Matthew. Milwaukee, Wis. : Northwestern Pub. House, 1996 (The People's Bible), S. 292)
As He drew near/approached Jerusalem, He also approached the end of His three years of ministry, which had been preceded by thirty years of obscurity He was about to reach the final goal set before Him by His heavenly Father. As the multitudes followed along with Him to celebrate the Passover, little did they know they were accompanying the Passover Lamb Himself. During a census taken about ten years after this time, the number of sacrificial lambs slaughtered at the Passover was determined to be some 260,000. Because one lamb was allowed to be offered for up to ten people, the worshipers in Jerusalem that week could have numbered over 2,000,000. This was the only time in His ministry that Jesus actually planned and promoted a public demonstration. Up to this time, He had cautioned people not to tell who He was, and He had deliberately avoided public scenes (Wiersbe, Warren W.: The Bible Exposition Commentary. Wheaton, Ill. : Victor Books, 1996, c1989, S. Mt 21:1).
But before He and the Twelve entered Jerusalem they stopped at the little hamlet of Bethphage. Bethphage, “house of figs,” is about two miles outside of Jerusalem. Except for its being closely associated with the Mount of Olives and Bethany (see Mark 11:1; Luke 19:29), nothing else is known of the town, there being no other biblical, historical, or archaeological evidence of its existence. Although some say this occurred on a Saturday, or Sunday, others say that is was probably on Monday, the next day after the crowd visited Him in Bethany (John 12:12), that Jesus came to Bethphage and prepared to enter Jerusalem through the East Gate of the city. According to this chronology, the triumphal entry was on Monday rather than “Palm Sunday,” as Christian tradition has long maintained.
Please turn to Exodus 12
Additional support for a Monday triumphal entry is found in the Mosaic requirement that sacrificial lambs for Passover were to be selected on the tenth day of the first month (originally called Abib but after the Exile called Nisan) and kept in the household until sacrificed on the fourteenth).
Exodus 12:1-6 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt [2]"This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. [3] Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household. [4]And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. [5]Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, [6]and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. (ESV)
• In the year Jesus was crucified (whether taken as A.D. 30 or 33), the tenth of Nisan was the Monday of Passover week. Although, some still believe that it was Sunday, the tenth of Nisan, was four days before the preparations for the Passover meal. The Law required that Passover be celebrated in Jerusalem, that every Jewish male participate annually in the festival, and that each worshiper offer animal sacrifice (Deut. 16:1–8, 16–17). These stipulations Jesus obeys; yet he offers not an animal but himself—the final Passover sacrifice (20:28; 26:17–30) (Elwell, Walter A.: Evangelical Commentary on the Bible . electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Baker Book House, 1996, c1989, S. Mt 21:1).
If Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphally on Monday, He was received into the hearts of the Jewish people as a nation much as a family received the sacrificial lamb into the home. In so doing our Lord would have fulfilled the Passover symbolism even in that small detail, being received by His people on the tenth of Nisan. Continuing that perfect fulfillment, He was then crucified on Friday the fourteenth of Nisan, as the true Passover Lamb sacrificed for the sins of the world.
Quote:
Reflecting on this Passover Lamb and his reception, Christina Rossetti wrote for our worship: “Open wide the windows of our spirits and fill us full of light; open wide the door of our hearts, that we may receive and entertain Thee with all our powers of adoration.” (Christina Rossetti as quoted in Water, M. (2000). The new encyclopedia of Christian quotations (p. 16). Alresford, Hampshire: John Hunt Publishers Ltd.)
The Triumphal entry into Jerusalem by Jesus shows:
2) The Exactness Of Prophecy: (Matthew 21:1b-7)
Matthew 21:1b-7 [21:1](Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives), then Jesus sent two disciples, [2]saying to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. [3] If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once." [4]This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, [5]"Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'"[6]The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. [7] They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. (ESV)
From this text and many others it is clear that Jesus was always in control of the events that affected His life. He initiated His own coronation when He sent two disciples to procure the mount on which He would ride into Jerusalem.
• What a wonderful picture of genuine service. These two (disciples) were never named in any of the Gospel accounts. If you would serve the Lord, you must be willing to serve without attention. You may not get your name on a gold plate on a church window. You may be obscure, but God knows who serves Him and who does not (Butler, John G.: Analytical Bible Expositor: Matthew. Clinton, IA : LBC Publications, 2008, S. 340).
The two disciples were told in verse 2 to go into the village in front of them, where they would immediately … find a donkey tied … and a colt with her. Although the village was nearby, the two animals obviously were out of sight, or Jesus would simply have pointed to them. The mother donkey was brought along no doubt in order to induce her offspring to cooperate. The young colt would not easily have left its mother and would have been even more difficult to handle than donkeys normally are.
Only in His omniscience could Jesus have known that the donkey and her colt would at that moment have been where they were, waiting to be found by the two disciples. Jesus also knew the disciples would be questioned about taking the animals. He therefore further instructed them in verse 3, “If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at one/immediately.” Mark reports that “some of the bystanders,” who Luke says were the owners, did indeed ask, “ ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ And they spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission” (Mark 11:5–6; Luke 29:33). Because the owners readily gave permission for use of the animals when told the Lord needs them, it seems likely they were believers in Jesus. We also learn from those other two gospels that the colt had never been ridden (Mark 11:2; Luke 19:30). It was a gesture of respect and honor to offer such an animal to someone, as if to say, “This animal has been reserved especially for you.”
• Jesus may ask us at any time to use what is already His for His service. It may involve our time, talents or treasure. Are we as ready as the owners of the colt and donkey to use what God has given for His service when called upon?
Why did Jesus arrange to enter Jerusalem in this way? He did not need to ride. It is doubtful, that Jesus’ instructions for obtaining a donkey were simply to secure transportation for the final two miles of his journey. He had already walked the entire distance from Galilee. In fact, this is the only occasion when we hear of Jesus doing anything but walking. Obviously, Jesus wanted to make a statement (as we say) or, to use a biblical way of speaking, a symbolic action. He was acting like Jeremiah when Jeremiah was told to buy and then break a clay jar to symbolize the breaking of the nation (Jer. 19:1–15) or buy a field to symbolize God’s commitment to bring the people back to the land of Israel after their captivity in Babylon (Jer. 32:6–44). (Boice, James Montgomery: The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Books, 2001, S. 435)
Verse 4 specifies that this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet. Matthew, more than the other Gospels, speaks of fulfillment of Scripture in Christ’s activities (Butler, John G.: Analytical Bible Expositor: Matthew. Clinton, IA : LBC Publications, 2008, S. 341). Jesus’ entire life and ministry were marked by two overriding purposes, to do His heavenly Father’s will (Matt. 26:39, 42; John 4:34; 5:30) and to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah’s first coming (Matt. 5:17; Luke 13:33; 24:25–27; Acts 3:21).Most references to fulfilled prophecy in Matthew are found in the account of Christ’s birth and in the account of His last week and crucifixion (Richards, Lawrence O.: The Bible Readers Companion. electronic ed. Wheaton : Victor Books, 1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996, S. 623). Matthew was written with the Jew in mind. They had the Scriptures and needed to know that Christ was the fulfillment of their Scriptures (Butler, John G.: Analytical Bible Expositor: Matthew. Clinton, IA : LBC Publications, 2008, S. 341)
Please turn to Zechariah 9
The details of what the prophet Zechariah wrote are specified in Matthew 21:5, that the daughter of Zion refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, which was sometimes referred to as Zion, because Mount Zion is the city’s highest and most prominent hill. The prophecy quoted in verse 5 is from the prophet Zechariah, who 500 years earlier (about 500 B.C.) had predicted that the people of Jerusalem would hail the Messiah as their King as He was coming into the city and that He would be gentle, or humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.
Zechariah prophesizes:
Zechariah 9:9-12 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. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. 11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. 12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double. 13 For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword. (ESV)(cf. Isa. 62:11),
• Zechariah’s prophecy opens with, “Rejoice greatly” but Matthew omitted this phrase. When Jesus approached the city, He wept! How could He (or the people) rejoice when judgment was coming? Mathew also omitted “righteous, and having salvation.” Our Lord’s coming to Jerusalem was an act of mercy and grace, not an act of justice or judgment. He did have salvation for them, but they refused to accept it (John 1:11). The next time Israel sees the King, He will ride in great power and glory (Rev. 19:11ff). (Wiersbe, Warren W.: The Bible Exposition Commentary. Wheaton, Ill. : Victor Books, 1996, c1989, S. Mt 21:1)
It seems strange and totally inappropriate that any king, much less the King of kings, should make His triumphal entry mounted on a donkey rather than a beautiful white stallion or in a regal chariot. Riding on . . . a colt, the foal (lit., son) of a donkey was not the normal manner in which kings arrived, for they usually came as conquerors riding on horses. A colt was a symbol of peace (Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 2:67). As Isaiah 9:6 specifies, Christ is the “Prince of Peace”. In the ancient world when a king rode a horse, it symbolized war. When he rode a donkey, it symbolized peace. The people missed the symbolism. They expected Him to lead a rebellion against Rome, and when He did not, the shouts of “Hosanna” quickly became the cry of “Crucify Him.” (Richards, Lawrence O.: The Bible Readers Companion. electronic ed. Wheaton : Victor Books, 1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996, S. 623)
Because He was a King like no other king, His coronation was like no other coronation. By the standards and purposes of the earth’s kings, Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was anything but triumphant; but by the standards and purposes of God, it was exactly as it was meant to be. Jesus’ entry on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden was not a put down by His rejecters. It was the sovereign choice of God the Father and of God the Son, who Himself willingly came to earth as the Servant Savior, to take upon Himself the sin of those He came to save. Nothing could have been more appropriate than that the Bearer of the burden of sin would enter God’s holy city of Zion riding on a lowly beast of burden. As far as the prophecy is concerned, it is an example of Hebrew parallelism in which two lines say the same thing, which Matthew certainly understood. We could translate, “on a donkey, that is, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Boice, James Montgomery: The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Books, 2001, S. 435)
The focus of the account is upon the Lord’s foreknowledge and sovereign awareness of his conformity to God’s will as expressed in Old Testament prophecies. Jesus not only knows that a donkey and a colt will be available for his service in the next village, he is also confident that any questions concerning the requisition of these animals will be fully satisfied merely by the explanation, the Lord needs them. Thus, with Jesus’ authoritative command everything is put at his disposal for the orchestration of his entry into Jerusalem (Chouinard, Larry: Matthew. Joplin, Mo. : College Press, 1997 (The College Press NIV Commentary), S. Mt 21:1).
Matthew 21:6 specifies, that none of the disciples, including the two sent for the donkey, understood the Lord’s purpose in this or in the other great events of the coming week. “These things His disciples did not understand at the first,” John said; “but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him” (John 12:16). But the two obediently went and did just as Jesus had directed them. [7] They brought the donkey and the colt. Because they had no blankets to pad the animals’ backs and were not sure which one He would ride, they put/laid on both of them their cloaks/garments, and he sat on them, that is the cloaks they laid (Chouinard, Larry: Matthew. Joplin, Mo. : College Press, 1997 (The College Press NIV Commentary), S. Mt 21:6).
• How often are we left out of accomplishing God’s purposes of Him working through us because we demand to know everything before acting. If there is a clear directive or issue of obedience act on it. Often the reason why we were to act this way comes later. God just expects us to act on faith and then see why we were to do so later.
Jesus chose the colt, the smallest and lowliest of the two, and mounted it with the help of the disciples (Luke 19:35). This is an amazing picture of how Christ operates. The colt would have been a small animal that Jesus Himself could have easily mounted but He used the work of His disciples in mounting the animal.
• God can accomplish His purposes alone but through His grace He uses those of us who are ready to serve, in order to achieve His plans.
QUOTE: Palm Sunday
Remarking on Palm Sunday, Martin Luther said: ”Look at Christ. He rides not upon a horse which is a steed of war. He comes not with appalling pomp and power but sits upon a (colt), which is a gentle beast to bear burdens and work for men. From this we see that Christ comes not to terrify, to drive, and oppress, but to help and take for himself our load.” (Martin Luther as quoted in Water, M. (2000). The new encyclopedia of Christian quotations (p. 708). Alresford, Hampshire: John Hunt Publishers Ltd.)
The Triumphal entry into Jerusalem by Jesus shows:
3) The Epitome of Praise: Matthew 21:8-9
Matthew 21:8-9 [8] Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. [9] And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" (ESV)
As Jesus began to ride into the city on Monday, most of the crowd/multitude spread their cloaks/garments on the road. It was an ancient custom (cf. 2 Kings 9:13) for citizens to throw their cloaks/garments on the road for their monarch to ride over, symbolizing their respect for him and their submission to his authority. It was as if to say, “We place ourselves at your feet, even to walk over if necessary.” The garments and branches cover the ground “so that the feet of the (colt) do not even touch the soil or stones that ordinary people tread.” This sort of “red carpet” treatment is reserved for only one who is “marked off as apart from (holy) and superior to ordinary human affairs and conditions. (Observations by Malina and Rohrbaugh, Social-Science Commentary, p. 128.)
While those people were putting their clothes in Jesus’ path, others cut branches from the trees, and spread them on the road. From John 12:13 we learn that the branches were from palm trees, symbolic of salvation and joy and picturing the magnificent tribute:
Revelation 7:9 [9] After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, (ESV)
• Generally, in scripture, palms (Matt. 21:8; cf. John 12:13) were associated with rejoicing (cf. Lev. 23:40), and later with expressions of triumph or victory (1 Macc. 13:51). There was great excitement and ecstasy as the multitude proclaimed praise to the Messiah, to the Rabbi from Galilee who taught with such authority and who had healed their diseases and even raised the dead. (Hughes, Robert B. ; Laney, J. Carl: Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2001 (The Tyndale Reference Library), S. 416)
The Lord was now completely surrounded by a mass of humanity, perhaps several hundred thousand people, some of whom it specifies in verse 9, went before Him and some who followed after Him. (Matthew) speaks of two crowds, one ahead of Jesus and one behind. The one will doubtless be pilgrims going up to Jerusalem for the Passover (whose enthusiasm was perhaps generated because they had heard his teaching and seen his miracles in Galilee), and the other is probably mainly local, those who lived in the capital city and its environs (and who had been there when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead or had heard of it) Fickle as they would prove to be, the people now disregarded the warning of “the chief priests and Pharisees [who] had given orders that if anyone knew where [Jesus] was, he should report it, that they might seize Him” (John 11:57). (Morris, Leon: The Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leicester, England : W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992, S. 522).
Seemingly with one voice, the whole crowd/multitude was shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest!” The grammatical construction indicates that their action was in the imperfect tense which indicates that the crowds continued crying out as the procession came into the city. The Hebrew word hosanna is an exclamatory plea meaning “save now.” But the crowd on that day was not interested in Jesus’ saving their souls but only in His militarily saving their nation. Like the Twelve, they had long wondered why, if Jesus were truly the Messiah, He had not used His supernatural powers against the Romans. Now at last, they thought, He will manifest Himself as Conqueror. They were about to celebrate Passover, which commemorated the Lord’s miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. What better occasion could there be for the Lord’s Anointed, the Messiah, to make the ultimate and final deliverance of His people from tyranny? (Custer, Stewart: The Gospel of the King : A Commentary on Matthew. Greenville, S.C. : BJU Press, 2005. - "This is a devotional commentary on the book of Matthew"--Provided by publisher, S. 296).
• What is on the minds of most people today? Is it forgiveness of sin or deliverance from economic turmoil? Often our greatest need is not generally understood.
The multitude acknowledged Jesus as the Son of David, which was the most common messianic title. They were crying out for Messiah’s deliverance, pleading, in effect, “Save us now, great Messiah! Save us now!” They were quoting from a popular praise psalm from the Hallel (Psalms 113–118), in particular Psalm 118, which was also a psalm of deliverance, sometimes called the conqueror’s psalm. “We will read Psalm 118 in its entirety as a call and response. I will read the first part if you could read the second part which is in bold”
Psalm 118:1-29 [118:1] Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! [2] Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever." [3] Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures forever." [4] Let those who fear the LORD say, "His steadfast love endures forever." [5] Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. [6] The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? [7] The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. [8] It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. [9] It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. [10] All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I cut them off! [11] They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off! [12] They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off! [13]I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me. [14] The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. [15] Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly, [16] the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!" [17] I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. [18] The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death. [19] Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. [20] This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. [21]I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. [22] The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. [23] This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. [24] This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. [25] Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success! [26] Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. [27] The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! [28] You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. [29] Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
• More than a hundred years earlier, the Jews had hailed Jonathan Maccabeus with the same psalm after he delivered the Acra from Syrian domination. Jesus Himself would refer to this psalm and apply it to Himself (Ps. 118:22–23; Matt. 21:42).
The multitude knew who Jesus was, but they did not understand or truly believe what they knew. They were right in their belief that He was the Messiah, the Son of David, and that He had come in the name of the Lord. Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.—The pilgrims’ greeting on their entrance into Jerusalem at the time of the feasts (greeting and response, Ps. 118:26) (Lange, John Peter ; Schaff, Philip: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures : Matthew. Bellingham, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2008, S. 373). But what does it mean to come in the name of the Lord? He (was sent with the Father’s authority) to do the will of his Father in heaven, and what he had been sent to do was save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21) by dying for them, becoming a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28) (Boice, James Montgomery: The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Books, 2001, S. 438).
Mark’s account records as part of the crowd’s shouts the phrase, “Blessed is the kingdom of our Father David that comes in the name of the Lord” (Mark 11:10). This indicates that the people thought the kingdom was about to be set up with Christ sitting on the throne of David In shouting, “Hosanna in the highest,” the crowd was calling on the heavens to join the earth in praising the Messiah, and perhaps calling on Him to save from the highest heavens. (MacDonald, William ; Farstad, Arthur: Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1995, S. Mt 21:9). It is an enthusiastic cry and probably means that Jesus is to be praised everywhere, right up to heaven itself (Morris, Leon: The Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leicester, England : W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992, S. 523).
• Many people today are open to a Jesus who they think will give them wealth, health, success, happiness, and the other worldly things they want. Like the multitude at the triumphal entry, they will loudly acclaim Jesus as long as they believe He will satisfy their selfish desires. But like the same multitude a few days later, they will reject and denounce Him when He does not deliver as expected. When His Word confronts them with their sin and their need of a Savior, they curse Him and turn away
Illustration: Only a Donkey
Imagine the next day, what the donkey coming into Jerusalem must have thought. The donkey awakened, his mind still savoring the afterglow of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such a rush of pleasure and pride. He walked into town and found a group of people by the well. “I’ll show myself to them,” he thought. But they didn’t notice him. They went on drawing their water and paid him no mind. “Throw your garments down,” he said crossly. “Don’t you know who I am?” They just looked at him in amazement. Someone slapped him across the tail and ordered him to move. “Miserable heathens!” he muttered to himself. “I’ll just go to the market where the good people are. They will remember me.” But the same thing happened. No one paid any attention to the donkey as he strutted down the main street in front of the market place. “The palm branches! Where are the palm branches!” he shouted. “Yesterday, you threw palm branches!” Hurt and confused, the donkey returned home to his mother. “Foolish child,” she said gently. “Don’t you realize that without Him, you are just an ordinary donkey?” Just like the donkey who carried Jesus in Jerusalem, we are most fulfilled when we are in the service of Jesus Christ. Without him, all our best efforts are like “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6) and amount to nothing. When we lift up Christ, however, we are no longer ordinary people, but key players in God’s plan to redeem the word. (Edited from Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice. Copyright 1994 by Youth Specialties, Inc.)
Finally, the Triumphal entry into Jerusalem by Jesus shows:
4) The Element of Perplexity: Matthew 21:10-11
Matthew 21:10-11 [10] And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" [11] And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee." (ESV)
The acclamation had evidently started some distance from Jerusalem as the procession wound its way to the city. The noisy group attracted so much attention that the whole city was stirred up (cf. 2:3) (Morris, Leon: The Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leicester, England : W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992, S. 524). The meaning of the word “stirred/moved” indicates that the city was agitated, upset, perturbed by all the praise of Christ. The praise for Jesus did not go over well with everyone. People who are living in sin do not rejoice when Jesus is praised (Butler, John G.: Analytical Bible Expositor: Matthew. Clinton, IA : LBC Publications, 2008, S. 342). The last time Jerusalem was stirred up was thirty-three years earlier when the Magi came to inquire, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matt. 2:2–3).King Herod, was nearing the end of his life and not entirely sure who would succeed him on the throne, heard of the rightful heir to the throne, the genuine Son of David, in the birth of Christ. Herod’s violent and bloody reign had demonstrated how determined he was to maintain his grip on power. So when Herod’s fear was aroused, all of Jerusalem was disturbed with him (Boice, James Montgomery: The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Books, 2001, S. 438) Thirty-three years passed between Christmas and Palm Sunday, and during that interval Matthew does not record a single time that Jesus was called a king. He was called “Son of David,” and that messianic title certainly had royal overtones (see 2 Samuel 7:12, 13), but it was not until the Palm Sunday parade that Jesus was proclaimed to be a king (see Luke 19:38 and John 12:13). (Albrecht, G. Jerome ; Albrecht, Michael J.: Matthew. Milwaukee, Wis. : Northwestern Pub. House, 1996 (The People's Bible), S. 291)
Matthew’s account of Jesus’ entry closes with an element of perplexity After the great shouts of acclamation had somewhat subsided and Jesus entered Jerusalem, the residents of the city began asking, “Who is this?”
• Not knowing Jesus is the worst kind of ignorance. You may be educated in every area of knowledge there is; but if you are ignorant of Jesus, you will go to hell when you die. You can be ignorant in any other knowledge and not be (put in danger) as you will be if you do not know Jesus (Butler, John G.: Analytical Bible Expositor: Matthew. Clinton, IA : LBC Publications, 2008, S. 342)
Notice the place of the ignorance: Jerusalem. If anyone should know about Jesus, it ought to have been the folk in Jerusalem. It was the holy city, the great, the honored city of Israel where the Temple was located. Yet, they did not know Jesus. Spiritual privilege and a great spiritual past does not guarantee a healthy spiritual condition for the present (Butler, John G.: Analytical Bible Expositor: Matthew. Clinton, IA : LBC Publications, 2008, S. 342).
The best response the crowds/multitude of celebrants could give was, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” They give his title, name, and dwelling-place. They call him “the Prophet,” either as being the One that was foretold (John 1:21; 6:14), or as being inspired and commissioned by God (John 9:17). The appellation, from “Nazareth,” clung to our Lord through all his earthly life. Matthew (ch. 2:23) notes that the prophets had foretold that he was to be called a Nazarene (Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Hrsg.): The Pulpit Commentary: St. Matthew Vol. II. Bellingham, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2004, S. 315) Of this description, Says Isaac Williams notes: “Friends and foes, chief priests in hate, Pilate in mockery, angels in adoration, disciples in love, Christ himself in lowliness (Acts 22:8), and now the multitudes in simplicity, all proclaim him ‘of Nazareth.’ (as cited in Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Hrsg.): The Pulpit Commentary: St. Matthew Vol. II. Bellingham, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2004, S. 315)
Yet, most of the crown had paid little attention to what they had been shouting so vociferously. They had barely finished proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of David, who came in the name of the Lord. But they did not comprehend what they said, and when the mass emotions subsided, they were hard put to say who Jesus really was, other than a prophet who came from Nazareth of Galilee. They no longer called Him the Son of David or praised Him as the great Deliverer. He was now no more than a prophet.
Please turn to Isaiah 6
Jerusalem’s residents do not join the crowds’ confessionary welcome of Jesus to the Holy City. The people of Jerusalem knew but they would not believe, and because they would not believe they ceased to know. Like their forefathers to whom Isaiah preached:
Isaiah 6:9-10 [9] And he said, "Go, and say to this people: "'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' [10] Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." (ESV)
The inhabitants of Jerusalem heard Jesus’ message, they attested to His miracles, and they even acknowledged His divinity, but they rejected His saviorhood and His lordship. They were totally earthbound, materialistic, and self-satisfied. They were interested only in the kingdoms of this world, not the kingdom of heaven. They would have accepted Jesus as an earthly king, but they would not have Him as their heavenly King. May we not make the same mistake but have our praise of Jesus connected in a life of genuine worship of Jesus
(Format Note: Outline & Some base commentary from MacArthur, John: Matthew. Chicago : Moody Press, 1989, S. 254)
