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RIDING A DONKEY INTO JERUSALEM

John chapter 12 v.12 to 26

When Christ was born, he had been sought by wise men who called Him the King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2). This caused consternation to King Herod, who sought to kill Him. Now, at the end of His ministry, He was again presented as the King of the Jews. This was the public offer of Himself as their King and the rulers rejected it.

A great multitude was gathering in Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover, and, hearing that the by now famous Jesus of Nazareth was coming to Jerusalem, defying the Sanhedrin with all their public advertisement for him, they went out expectantly to meet Him and to escort Him as the King of Israel.

The Lord knew His hour was coming, and was preparing to give Himself to the nation. Whereas previously He used to come into Jerusalem unobtrusively, through the sheep gate, avoiding any publicity, this time He did the most public thing He had ever done: He stepped out in the open and presented Himself as the King of Israel, riding on a donkey's colt, as had been prophesied (Zechariah 9:9), and accepting the acclamation offered by the crowd.

Here we have a very brief account of this event, written many years later, and more detail is found in the other three gospels. Even His disciples did not understand His extraordinary change in behaviour, until the time when He was glorified, after His resurrection and visible ascension. Apparently Mary was the only one who had understood that He had to die very shortly.

To carry palms was a mark of triumphant homage to a victor or a king (Revelation 7:9). Palm-trees grew on the Mount of Olives (Mark 11:8) on the road from Bethany to Jerusalem.

The crowds (one in front and one behind, Mark 11:9; Matthew 21:9; chapter 2:18) cut the branches as they came (Mat 21:8). It was a scene of growing excitement, and they cried out Hosanna, a transliteration of the Hebrew word meaning "save now." Little did they know how quickly their cry would be answered: He was about to bring salvation, not only to them, but to the whole world within a few days, though not the kind of salvation they probably had in mind.

They were quoting from Psalm 118:25-26, sung in the processional recitation then as a welcome to the worshippers, but the words were now addressed to the Messiah as is made plain by the addition of the words even the king of Israel, as Nathanael had called him (chapter 1:49), and which He now accepted. The charge made against Him before Pilate (chapter 18:33) was based on this public acclamation.

This crowning triumph of Jesus gave an added sense of importance to the crowds that were actually with Him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead. Clearly there was much talk about the raising of Lazarus as the final proof of His identity as the Messiah of Jewish hope.

Obviously, Jesus Christ could have had the crown without first going to the Cross. However, if He had gone directly to the crown, if He were the ruler today, we would never have been saved. He had to go to the Cross for that. This was a brief moment of triumph before His death, but it was not His triumphal entry. This is still to come, when He will enter Jerusalem as Lord of lords and King of kings.

As the Pharisees stood and watched the enthusiastic crowds sweep by, they blamed each other like people usually do, for the defeat of their plots against Jesus and for his final victory, as it seemed. The world is a bunch of fools, they feel, but see for yourselves. And the Sanhedrin had advertised to find Jesus! They can find him now!

There was another group, of Greeks, probably Gentile proselytes. They had found the city ringing with talk about Jesus, and may even have seen Him coming in. They wished to have an interview with Him (they could easily just see Him), but apparently He had gone into the temple. Since they could not enter beyond the court for the Gentiles, they respectfully asked Philip (who had a Greek name, possibly already known to them from Galilee, where there were many Greeks in those days) to introduce them.

This was a problem for Philip, so he took it to Andrew (another apostle with a Greek name), a man of wisdom for a crisis, who first brought his brother Simon to Jesus (chapter 1:41). True, the Lord had said something about other sheep than Jews (chapter 10:16), but He had not explained. Philip and Andrew wrestled with the problem that would puzzle Peter on the housetop in Joppa (Acts 10:9-18), that middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile that was only broken down by the Cross of Christ (Ephesians 2:11-22) and that many Christians and Jews still set up between each other. Andrew had no solution for Philip and they brought the problem, but not the Greeks, to the Lord.

But Jesus answered them - no further mention is made of the Greeks: it is very possible that the Lord went over to them and this reply is given to them all. The predestined hour was seen from the start of His ministry (chapter 2:4), it was mentioned again later as not yet come (chapter 7:30; 8:20) and after this as come (John 13:1), and as already come (chapter 17:1; Mark 14:41).

The request from the Greeks for this interview brought up the fact that the Cross must come before any Gentile could really come to Him with understanding. ". . . for the joy that was set before him [He] endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). The glory of God is seen in that Cross. Yet this request from the Greeks showed that interest in Him now extended beyond the Jewish circles.

The Lord Jesus showed to them the paradox that life comes through death (1 Corinthians 15:36-49). Although a grain of wheat in the ground dies, it produces the blade, the ear, and the harvest. It must die to bring forth fruit. Many people think they have seen Jesus because they have read the Gospels and they have studied His life. They see the historical Jesus, but they have never seen Christ until they comprehend His death and His resurrection. He died a redemptive death. He gave His life in death so that we might have life.

He then told them the second paradox (see also Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35,10:39, Luke 9:24,17:33): there are two kinds of life and they are put in contrast here.

1. The first is the life that enjoys the things of this world and finds satisfaction in the gratification of the senses, the physical, natural life that we have. We can really live it up, drink it up, take drugs, paint the town red, but one day we are going to die, and lose it.

2. The second is the eternal life: peace and fellowship with God for ever; if we do not live for this world or for the things of this world, we keep our life unto life eternal. And eternal life comes through the death of that grain of wheat that fell onto the ground and rose again, the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the only way we can save our lives.

To serve Him we must follow Him - and He was on His way to the Cross (Matthew 10:38-39, 16:24-27, Mark 8:34-38, 10:21, Luke 9:23-26, 14:27-33). "Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:33). He promises that where He is, His servants will also be, and they will be honoured by the Father. "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works." (Matthew 16:27) "and whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38).

 

R David Jones

 

 

 

 

12 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!"

14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:

15 "Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey's colt."

16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness.

18 For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.

19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!"

20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.

21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."

22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

23 But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.

24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

25 "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

26 "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honour.