The last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry began on Sunday as He made His “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem on the day we know as Palm Sunday. All of this began as Jesus left Galilee and traveled south to Jerusalem. Jesus traveled the traditional route of Jews going from Galilee “up” to Jerusalem by crossing the Jordan River to avoid Samaria. Jerusalem was “up” in elevation and in spiritual significance. Jerusalem contained the Temple of God and the Ark of the Covenant, which symbolized the presence of God.
The first day of this final week comprised Mark 11:1-11. Jesus entered Jerusalem and looked around (Mark 11:11). His looking around on Sunday affected what He did on Monday. We will look at those events tomorrow.
What did Jesus do on this first day?
First, He entered Jerusalem to the acclaim of multitudes of people. They proclaimed Him the king of the Jews and used many Old Testament references to do so. Jesus fulfilled Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass.”
Who were these people acclaiming Jesus as king? Mainly Galilean Jews many of whom had accompanied Him from Galilee. The previous chapter of Mark describes the great multitude of people going up to Jerusalem along with Jesus. Many of these people saw the healing of Bartimaeus of Jericho. Bartimaeus probably made up part of the great throng praising God (Mark 10:46, 52).
By this entry, Jesus showed Himself as king of the Jews and Israel’s Messiah. He also challenged Israel’s religious leaders. This led to the plot which brought about His crucifixion.
The people laid garments and palm leaves before HIm, the traditional way to welcome a king. They followed the Messianic psalm, Psalm 118, particularly verses 25 and 26. They cried “Hosanna,” meaning “save now.”
Second, He showed the difference between an earthly king and God’s king. The Romans had a “Triumph” as well. The General who had won an absolute victory would be welcomed back to Rome with a parade. The parade would include captives. At the conclusion, the captives would fight wild beasts in the arena. A Roman general could have such a parade only if he had killed at least 5,000 of the enemy troops. He would ride in a golden chariot to the cheers of the Romans.
Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. In a few days, more than 5,000 people including many priests would know Him as Messiah, Savior, and Lord.
Third, Jesus looked around at the Temple of God. He made a judgment and returned to Bethany to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (whom Jesus had raised from the dead, John 11). He, no doubt, spent the evening and night in prayer. What He would do Monday would have to be bathed in prayer.
Tomorrow we will look at day two of the Passion Week.
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One Response
Thank you for the inspiration to reflect this day and ask myself, just how different I am, we are, from the people who have seen, heard, desired and then felt disappointed because their expectations were not met? I wonder if they faced the question of “Lordship” in their life like us.
Christ came with an option that was always there, yet few chose it. It was the option of “Lordship.” (Lamentations 3, Micah 6, Deut. 4; 30…)The Navy War College per Captain Rick Jacob teaches a maxim: Those who have, do what they may; those who have not, do what they must. It is a maxim that is easy to observe on the world stage and locally. Yet, there is a freedom Christ offered. It is the kind of Freedom Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Leader, Born October 2, 1869 used to secure freedom from England for India. Some may argue, but perhaps his success was because he sought the Mind of God and the Character of Christ reaching past the Western label. Martin Luther King made it the centerpiece of his crusade to liberation. A name without the Character makes the kind of label that the Crusades used, most European monarchs used, even Adolf Hitler used. Just a tool to draw the troops to carry on a base law in nature. Thus man becomes no more Nobel than the wars of ants, honey bees or other territorial animals. The reason Europe became so dark? Perhaps this label is our shibboleth. How we live it speaks the language of God and divulges the iniquity in our heart. I think on such things when I read John 10:36 – 38, consider those who followed Christ into Jerusalem with the chorus of their acclimations declaring their expectations. “Say all of you of him, Whom the Father as sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemies: because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe Me not. But if I do, though ye (you guys) believe not me, believe the Works: that ye (each of you) may know; and believe, that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”
My heart was lifted reading your words this morning as the words leapt off the page filling my soul with images of this Day, then.
Blessings