A Kingly Entrance
If you have been a born-again believer for any amount of time, you have no doubt read about Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem before the Passover. Often times when we read the Gospel accounts of this entrance, we tend to skip over the importance of it to read about the trial and crucifixion of our Lord and Savior. Today I want to point out something that unless you knew the culture of the time, the importance of how Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem would escape you.
“29 When He approached Bethphage and Bethany, near the mountain that is called Olivet, He sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a colt tied, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32 So those who were sent left and found it just as He had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and they threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 Now as He was going, they were spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 And as soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, 38 shouting: “BLESSED IS the King, THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And yet some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!” 40 Jesus replied, “I tell you, if these stop speaking, the stones will cry out!””
Luke 19:29-40
This passage has a minor detail that is often overlooked but this detail packs much significance into why the Pharisees were so upset with those in the crowd. You would think that it would be the crowd calling Jesus King is the reason why the Pharisees are so upset, and while this is part of the reason it is also with how Jesus came into Jerusalem. However, in this passage we see Jesus Christ completing one of the prophecies made about Him in the Old Testament, “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9
In our culture today, a donkey doesn’t really hold much significant value or meaning. However, in the time of Jesus’s ministry a donkey is what kings would ride when they were declaring peace after war or on their coronation. Needless to say, a donkey held high significance during this time frame, the fact that Jesus was riding one as He came into Jerusalem He was declaring both an end to the war with sin (upon His crucifixion and resurrection) and announcing that He was King.
I believe that this is the reason why the Pharisees were so upset and demanding that Jesus rebuke the crowd, they knew that Jesus was announcing Himself as king. This was an issue because the Jewish community at that time was looking for a savior from Rome, not the Savior from sin that Jesus is. Before this moment, others had been recognizing Jesus’s power and authority; even demons recognized Him, “28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29 “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”” Matthew 28-29. However, it was not until Jesus rode into Jerusalem that He was announcing to the world that He was King.
It was not long after this that Jesus would be arrested, tried, and crucified. It is with His death that Jesus won the war against sin, because of His death we are made new when we place our faith in Him “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. Because of Jesus Christ’s resurrection we are freed from sin, “17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were entrusted, 18 and after being freed from sin, you became slaves to righteousness.” Romans 6:17-18. Jesus’s resurrection allowed Him to claim the deed for earth and one day everyone will announce Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, “10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11.
Seek the truth and encourage one another,
Alex