The Jewish ruling authorities complained to Jesus. They asked Him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus told them plainly with his miraculous healings that He was the Messiah. Jesus told them plainly He was the Messiah when He raised Lazarus from the dead. Today, Jesus removed all suspense and any doubt that He was the Messiah in the way He entered a place called Jerusalem.
Jesus began this day in Bethany, likely at the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. The village lies on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, a short distance from Jerusalem. The fragrance of pure nard, a perfume, was still upon Jesus’ body, a reminder to those closest to Him that He had been anointed for burial. Today, Jesus would journey to the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus had been to the Temple many times. Jesus was in the Temple as a newborn baby, a young child, and as an adult. At the Temple, Jesus engaged scholars in deep theological discussions, healed people, and taught the people the sweet truths about God. But never once was Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem and the Temple described for us. The Scripture just said, “In the temple courts,” Jesus did something or taught something. Today would be very different. Today, all four gospel writers offered detailed descriptions of Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem. They used over 1,100 words to describe Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem. They used about half as many words to describe Jesus’ miraculous birth. Today, everything was about the manner and reason Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem to go to the Temple. Jesus’s manner of entering said just one thing: “Your Messiah has come.”
Mashiach (ma’-she-ack). Messiah. The Messianic Era would usher in a Jewish leader, "the anointed one", a righteous man from the bloodline of King David. The Jews believed the Messiah would rebuild the Temple, gather the Jewish people from all corners of the earth, and return them to the Promised Land. The Messiah, it was thought, would be a political leader who would deliver the Jewish people from the Romans by military force. The idea that God’s Messiah would redeem the souls of humanity was not something widely believed. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the Jewish people had been without a king for about 25 years. Instead of a king, the Romans appointed a governor, Pontius Pilate, who was in Jerusalem with his Roman soldiers to keep the peace during the Jewish festival. The most significant Jewish leader then was the high priest, Josef bar Caiaphas, the wealthy son-in-law of the former high priest, Annas. Caiaphas lived luxuriously in Jerusalem, and he had vowed to kill Jesus to keep everything the same. Into this setting of high expectations by the people for a Messiah, the vow of the high priest to kill Jesus, and the desire of the Roman governor to keep things free of turmoil, Jesus, anointed for burial, decided the time was perfect for him to make a grand entrance to Jerusalem. Jesus’ hour had come.
The tradition for Jewish people for the Passover festival was to walk into Jerusalem. Instead of walking, Jesus sent two disciples to bring a colt, a foal of a donkey, for him to ride into Jerusalem. Jesus’ use of a colt that no one had ridden before echoed the prophesies of Zechariah, who said, “9 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). Zechariah’s prophecy foretold that one who entered the city of Jerusalem on a donkey was Israel’s king chosen by God. Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem on the day all others walked made Jesus’ claim unmistakable, “Your King, Your Messiah, has come!” Riding in this manner was also the way Solomon entered Jerusalem for his coronation as king.
The people saw the imagery created by Jesus. John wrote, “12 The great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Blessed is the king of Israel!’” (John 12:12-13). Hosanna is a plea to God to save us. Palms were waved and cloaks thrown on the road before Jesus to give honor to their king. The people were ready. At long last, their king had arrived.
John wrote, “17 Now the crowd that was with him [Jesus] when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him [Lazarus] from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he [Jesus] had performed this sign, went out to meet him [Jesus]” (John 12:17-18). The excitement of the crowd had never been higher. Those from Jerusalem and those in Jerusalem on pilgrimage were overjoyed. The religious leaders saw Jesus’ arrival and the swelling crowds of cheering people. John wrote, “19 So the Pharisees [the religious leaders] said to one another, ‘See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!’” (John 12:19). As the joy of the people rose, so too did the fear of the religious leaders. Jesus appeared unstoppable, and this “Jesus’ Movement” direction was unpredictable. The religious leaders saw only one outcome: the Romans would come in force, casting the religious leaders aside, seizing the temple, and destroying the nation. The religious leaders felt that time was running out and that they must act quickly and kill Jesus.
Jesus’ disciples enjoyed and participated in the joyous arrival in Jerusalem. Yet John wrote, “16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified [killed and raised from the dead] did they [Jesus’ disciples] realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him” (John 20:16). Jesus entry to Jerusalem riding upon a donkey was the final unmistakable claim that He was the Messiah, but not the kingly Messiah the people envisioned. Jesus was not a military warrior coming to sweep away the forces of the nations. Jesus came to proclaim peace to those who would humbly follow Him.
- “He will proclaim peace to the nations” (Zechariah 9:10b). “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
Jesus came to save His people.
- “The Lord their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock” (Zechariah 9:16) “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11).
Jesus came to pour out the spirit of grace.
- “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace” (Zechariah 12:10). “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
Jesus came to do all these things, but his followers saw a king, and evil men saw Jesus' entry as an ending to their power and personal glory.
- “They will look on me, the one they have pierced” (Zechariah 12:10b). “Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet” (Psalm 22:6). “Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water” (John 19:34).
Jesus came to be that good shepherd, but evil men struck the shepherd to scatter the sheep.
- “Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered” (Zechariah 13:7a). “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me” (John 16:32).
Jesus came to bring peace, salvation, and grace. Yet Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem evoked such anger, jealousy, and inner conflict that those who had power would seize Jesus, pierce Him, and strike Him down. Jesus came to bring peace, salvation, and grace, and the people detested him (Zechariah 11:8b).
Jesus understood the corruption of human thoughts opposed to God. Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. 27 Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!” (John 12:23-28).
Jesus, still with the scent of the burial perfume nard about his body, had entered Jerusalem not triumphantly but peacefully so that He could die, fall to the ground, and glorify God. That is why Jesus entered Jerusalem.
Jesus entered Jerusalem not triumphantly with swords, loud clashing, or roll of stirring drums but quietly armed only with deeds of love and mercy, responding to the word “Hosanna,” “save us.” Jesus came offering a simple message of salvation: “Lose your life to me, and I will save it for all eternity.”
Jesus entered Jerusalem not to be served as a regal king or to be pampered and waited upon. Instead, He came to give grace, serve others, and invite his followers to serve with Him.
Jesus entered Jerusalem looking for and searching for just one person: you. Jesus came looking for you to give you peace, salvation, and grace. When we read today's Scripture about Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem, did you envision yourself there? Were you there among his followers, waving palms and laying your coat on the road before Him? Were you there among the city's residents calling out, “Who is this?” Were you there among the non-believers wondering what the fuss was all about? Were you there?
Perhaps you were not there and did not see yourself in the Scripture. That’s all right. Because Jesus is here today, in this very room, and He is doing the same thing He did when He entered the city of Jerusalem all those years ago. He is looking for you, and Jesus is offering the same thing He offered when He entered Jerusalem on the way to His resurrection. Jesus offers peace, salvation, and grace.
Peace, shalom, is not just a phrase that Jewish people say to each other as a greeting and a parting message. Shalom, peace, is a sense of being whole and well-being. Shalom, peace, is an understanding that God loves you and that, despite the difficulties you may encounter or the frailness of our bodies, everything will be all right.
Fourteen years ago this week, Becky went to the hospital to visit with her dear cousin, Jean, at the hospital. Jean was very ill. Jean was anxious to speak with me. I sat beside her and she said clearly, “It is going to be OK.” The inflection of her words led me to believe she was asking a question. I told her, “Yes, Jean, it is going to be OK.” I have not seen many people nearing death, but I was sure that evening Jean was very near. I believed that Jean wanted to know whether everything would be OK if she died. After a moment, she said again, “It is going to be OK.” I told her again, “Yes, Jean, everything will be OK.” She looked away. Although she remained anxious in her body, I believe she was calm and reassured in her spirit. She had peace. At that moment, my thoughts turned to the Gospel of John Chapter 14 verses 1 through 4. Jesus was speaking to his disciples just before his arrest. “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” Jesus said to the disciples and us, “Everything will be OK.” A few hours after we left Jean, she breathed her last. Just as He promised, Jesus was there to take Jean home and everything was OK. Jesus is looking to offer you peace.
Jesus offers salvation, which in Hebrew is yeshu'a. It is the word from which we get the English name, Jesus. Yeshu'a, salvation, is being rescued or saved from the state of sin, suffering, and spiritual death. Jesus can offer salvation because He had no sin, yet died on the cross carrying your sins. In that exchange, Jesus took your record of sin and failure and gave you His clean record instead. Jesus meant this when He said, “15 Everyone who believes may have eternal life in him” (John 3:15). Jesus was that kernel of wheat that must fall and die so that many more may be produced. Jesus has His arm stretched out for you that you may be saved.
Finally, Jesus offers grace, hesed. Grace is what Jesus offers to protect and sustain us even when we don’t deserve it. Even when we accept Jesus' offer of salvation, we will still fall short and need grace to cover our failures. Jesus offers you hesed, grace. And all He asks in return is that you offer grace to others. We are to provide a portion of the grace we have received to those struggling in life, whether it is their fault or due to difficult circumstances. We are to offer a portion of the grace we have received to those who have failed us. They need our grace as much as they need God’s grace.
Jesus is here looking for you. He offers peace, salvation, and grace. If you have received him, Jesus has handed you a triumphal entry to the kingdom of God. If you have not received him before this moment, you have a choice to make. You too can have a triumphal entry to the kingdom of God by receiving Jesus and his offer of peace, salvation, and grace. Or you can leave here empty-handed. The choice is yours. Let us pray that you choose Jesus as your king, the true Messiah who offers peace, salvation, and grace.