Jesus’s Triumphant Entry

Background Scripture: John 11-12
Lesson Scripture: John 12:12-19; Luke 19:39-40

Introduction

Jesus was not always popular. Although there were always those who loved Him and were faithful, the crowd would expand and contract due to the whims of the people. When Jesus’s miracles were especially amazing, his popularity would grow. But when the people’s preconceived notions of what a Messiah would do gave way to the reality of what He was portraying, many followers would melt away.

Not much has changed in the fundamental makeup of mankind. Today, if the gospel is presented with only the pleasant aspects being emphasized, many men will hold Jesus up and cheer his name. But if this one-sided perception of Christ is challenged by the realities of life, many men cannot accept these additional dimensions, and their faith is shaken.

Key Verse

To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen (Jude 25).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

Six days before the Passover, Jesus and the disciples stopped in Bethany. Bethany was the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, whom Jesus had recently raised from the dead. Having set out from Jericho that morning, Jesus may have arrived in the late afternoon and enjoyed supper with his friends. It was during this supper that Mary anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped them with her hair.

The village where the colt was tied was most likely Bethphage. Jesus sent two of his disciples to bring the colt to Him. On this humble animal’s back, He would descend across the Kidron Valley, through the Golden Gate in the eastern wall, and into the temple court. Jesus’s choice of a donkey was the fulfillment of prophecy in Zechariah 9:9.

The Old Testament prophets prophesied of a coming Savior, and the Jews ached for the fulfillment of these prophecies. During his ministry, Jesus had avoided the public declaration that He was the promised Messiah. When people did recognize Him as such, as in Peter’s great confession in Mark 8.29, “Thou art the Christ,” Jesus charged them to tell no one.

Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem served as a public pronouncement that He was indeed the Messiah, the Savior of mankind. Many in the crowd recognized this open declaration and began to spread their cloaks on the road for Jesus to ride over like a royal carpet. They cut palm branches or other leafy plants as they did at other celebrations, spread them in Jesus’s path, and began to chant, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Others responded, “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

The crowd thought this Miracle Worker from Nazareth would destroy the pagan rulers of Israel and establish God’s true kingdom, centered not in Rome but in Jerusalem. Much to their disappointment, Jesus did not lead a violent mob against the Romans, nor did He raise his voice in dissent. He perplexed the Jews by showing submission and respect for their hated enemy.

Practical Truths for Today

Many of the Jewish people were bitterly disappointed that Jesus was not there to overthrow the Romans. They had spent many years fantasizing about the role of a Messiah and had formed unshakable ideas about Him. This humble, submissive Man did not meet their expectations; therefore, many of them concluded against all evidence that He could not be the One they were waiting for.

In Christian living, we also encounter situations in which God does not act according to the way we think He should. The temptation then is to do things our own way. May we never forget that Jesus is Lord. Some may reject Him for not doing what they want, but Christ knows what is best for us and for the world we live in. If we become hardened in our thinking and keep trying to make his ways fit the mold of our imagination, we will be sorely disappointed. We can learn from the people in Jerusalem, who only hailed Christ as their king as long as He fit their image of what a king should be.

As we consider our understanding of the mind of Christ, let us remember that it is often impossible for even a lifelong Christian to guess the way the Lord will lead. Many Christians have found themselves unsure at one time or another of what Christ would have them to do. We have to stop and carefully listen to the voice of the Spirit in order to proceed in a Christlike manner. Sometimes it is difficult to accept the idea that the Lord may be leading in a direction that is counter to a long-held perception.

The Bible speaks of those who rely on their own counsel instead of carefully following the Spirit (Matt. 7:15-23). Many have been deceived into believing they are following the true way. Their spirit, however, cannot rest. Inside they are given to anger and fear. Some believe that serving Christ means standing up for certain political viewpoints and pushing back against whatever opposes their opinion or principle. But the fruits of this spirit are division, distrust, and rebellion.

The example of Christ is one of peace and submission. He did not lash out at the political factions of the day, nor did He rebel against the laws of Caesar. Rather, when he was craftily asked for his view of paying taxes, He immediately understood that the interrogators were motivated by rebellion. In telling them, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matt. 22:21), He was clearly advocating a heartfelt submission to an unpopular government. This was in direct contrast to the popular Jewish perception of how a Messiah should behave, and the questioners went away marveling at his words.

Jesus’s example provides us with a way through the questions of today. We may not always understand his leading, but we can accept it because we can have confidence that He has determined what is best for us. Open rebellion to things we perceive as unjust or to things we fear will only serve to separate us from Him. Fearing the government or entertaining conspiracies about the secular authority or our health care system can lead us down the wrong pathway. There is no peace in wrapping ourselves up in this spirit, for it is not the spirit of Jesus.

Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem did not satisfy the fleshly desires of the Jews. Their flesh desired war and bloodshed, and the humility that Christ exhibited was so far from that result that they could not reconcile the difference in their minds. Today, when we examine the root of how we view Jesus, we must also examine the measure of self we may have wrapped up in our views. It may shock us to find out how much self we have invested in our ideals, hopes, and expectations. When we find it difficult to accept that Jesus may at times have a path for us that we have never considered, we will become indifferent to the wonderful workings of Christ.

May Jesus enjoy an unobstructed path into our hearts and lives, and may we allow Him the honor of our unconditional trust. May He never be limited by our preconceived notions of what is best. He knows what is best for the church and mankind, and He makes no mistakes.

Questions

1. If we are overtaken by a spirit which is given to conspiracy theories and distrust of authority, how can we find our way back to the peace that comes with true submission?
2. When Jesus does not meet our expectations in answering our prayers, how can we accept that He has answered according to what is best for our life?
3. It seems that God has planned that He does not always act according to human expectations. This is surely for our own good, but what is the benefit for the Christian?
4. What causes the fear of complete submission?
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).