The Road to Easter: The Triumphal Entry
(NIV) John 12:12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna![c]”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[d]
“Blessed is the King of Israel!” 14Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,
15″Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”[e]
16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.
17Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”
Have you ever been in the crowd when a dignitary arrived? When I was twelve years old President John F. Kennedy came to Arkansas to dedicate Greers Ferry Dam. He addressed the crowd on October 3, 1963, and later that day spoke at the State Fair and Livestock Show. My aunt checked my sister and me out of school so that we could be in the crowd.
I wonder how many twelve year olds were in the crowd the day Jesus entered triumphantly to the sound of hosannas and the waving of palm branches? Did they realize the import of what was happening? Dud anyone? Did they feel the electricity in the crowd? Did they know how that week would end?
It is important to note that Jesus was fulfilling prophecy from Zechariah as he rode into town. Even, the donkey upon which He was riding was part of the prophecy.
The crowds were already large because Passover was being celebrated, but in addition Jesus had only recently raised Lazarus from the dead. Many of those present in Bethany were in Jerusalem, and as word of Jesus’ miracles spread, and as His popularity grew, the authorities became increasingly concerned.
As we enter into what we refer to as Holy Week, may we fix our eyes upon Jesus and our hearts upon the resurrection.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
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