One of the greatest parts of being an actor – is that you are a constant student. If you are a dedicated actor – one who does their homework and digs deep into their character that you constantly studying. As you try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and become who they are – you are digging into the human condition all the time. You are a student of humanity. It’s one of the things I love about it. I love trying to understand what someone might be thinking or feeling and why they are behaving that way. My passion runs deep. And there are all sorts of ways that you can discover and understand a character that you are playing – one is by reading what they playwright gives you – the lines you say – the stage direction they give you. Sometimes (depending on the playwright) maybe the emotion they indicate a line should be given with. But one of the most compelling ways to discover a character is by the other characters around them. How are those characters responding to your character? What do those characters say to you? What do those characters say about you? How do the others around you in the play feel about you? I learn the most about the characters I’ve played thru the study of those around them. And I think that is true of ourselves – I think we learn a lot about who we are by the way others around us see us and what they say about us and how they react to us. If we just take a moment to stop and take it in – we can learn a lot. Who are the witnesses to our lives and how do they see us and how will they remember us and bear witness to who we were to future generations?
There are many different ways in which we can learn about and understand Jesus – thru his own teachings – thru the miracles he performed – but we can also learn a lot from the characters around him, the witnesses to his life and his teachings and his miracles – what they had to say about him – how they reacted to him. In this series we have been invited to step into their shoes so that we might understand the person of Jesus in a unique way.
What we’ve looked at for the last 6 weeks – John the Baptist, the calling of the disciples, the burden of Mary the mother of Jesus, the sending out of the disciples as messengers of the upside down kingdom of Jesus, Peter’s struggles, the raising of Lazarus has led us to Jerusalem - to the events of Holy week – which begins with the passage and event we are going to look at today. The triumphal entry. What has been known in the church as Palm Sunday. All of the previous events, His whole ministry has been a long rode to Jerusalem and what Jesus knows he has to do – the prophecy that has to be fulfilled thru Him. It is all about to culminate with his death and resurrection and the beginning of this is his entry into Jerusalem.
He’s been spreading the kingdom and the teachings of the kingdom as he makes his way to Jerusalem – he’s been teaching his disciples the upside down world of His kingdom – the servant messiah – he has been preparing the disciples – his followers for what they need to do – who they need to be when he is gone. He knows what is going to happen. I’m sure they are hoping it’s not true. He’s told his disciples – but hearing that something is going to happen and actually experiencing it are two very different things -Remember they don’t – the disciples, his followers – the witnesses they don’t know exactly what is coming – this is happening for them in real time – they only know what they know. And they don’t know what they don’t know. Can you imagine the confusion, the fear, the frustration – it’s walking into the unknown.
They have been travelling with Jesus and they are very different people than they were when they started out with him – since he called them out and asked them to follow him – the disciples can’t bear the thought of losing him – and Jesus is moving toward Jerusalem with a purpose. Stopping and teaching along the way – performing miracles along the way – but definitely moving with a purpose. He has somewhere to be and something to do and he’s intentionally moving toward that. I wonder if his disciples notice a difference in him as they get closer to Jerusalem. We’re going to pick up the story in the gospel of Matthew. Matthew 21
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But I’m going to incorporate the other gospels in as the story unfolds. This is one of the events that is recorded in all 4 synoptic gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. And while the accounts are very similar – each has at least one unique perspective that isn’t in the other three. But the main narrative is from the book of Matthew – chapter 21 – starting in verse 1. And as we read this I want you to imagine you are one of Jesus’ followers – or one of the Galileans that has just gotten caught up in what Jesus has said and done but you are with him - you are beside him, in front of him, behind him as he makes his way to Jerusalem.
Now the last thing we have seen of Jesus before he walks into Jerusalem is his compassionate heart toward 2 blind beggars – the lowest people in this world at that time. No one wants anything to do with them, but Jesus touches them and gives them purpose and they begin following him. This is the last event of Jesus’ ministry outside of Jerusalem. This is what his followers and those with them have experienced. Compassion and love for the least of these. And now they will follow him to Jerusalem. We pick up the story in Matthew 21
21 As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives.
In the account in Mark, it mentions Bethpage and Bethtanee
As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives.
Both authors are giving you an idea of where you are – Bethpage is on the Mount of Olives which is East of Jerusalem and 2600 feet high – it would have an excellent view of the city. And Bethtanee is about 2 miles east of the city – when these big festivals took place – such as Passover – there was a large influx of people (kind of what it’s going to be like on April 8 with the solar eclipse) – and all these people were required to stay in Jerusalem during festival weeks since it was a part of the law that all Jewish visitors to any festival, but especially Passover, stay ‘in’ Jerusalem. The borders were expanded due to the huge influx of people expected to attend the 3 festivals: during the festivals Jerusalem would grow from about 30,000 to over 180,000 during the Passover festival. So, Jerusalem would have expanded its borders to include Bethtanee during this time. Jesus staying in Bethany would make sense in that he would have been within ‘official’ Jerusalem but still far enough away from the crowds to find some solace.
Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.”
Mark and Luke expand on this a bit and actually describe the interaction the 2 disciples end up having with someone when they are questioned about taking the donkeys. Luke 19
32 So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33 And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?”
34 And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” Luke 19:32-34
Jesus had been walking for 100 miles – he did not physically need a donkey to finish the last 2 miles, but he knew what he needed to do. So, he sends 2 disciples (in the accounts in Mark and Luke it’s says 2 disciples) to go get a donkey and its colt. Sending 2 is common – you have 2 witnesses to the sender’s message – so it gives it validity. And when questioned just tell them it’s for the Lord – now this could be that Jesus because he is the messiah knew that it all would be there and ready to be picked up for him – or it could mean that he made arrangements already with the owner to borrow the donkey for a bit (donkeys did not come cheap) or that the owner would know that Jesus was a well-regarded rabbi and allow him the use of his donkey. Regardless they needed to get them and if questioned respond it is for the Lord.
Now let’s talk about the donkey.
He had something very specific in mind here. He knew that his entrance on a donkey would say something very specific about his identity – and not his identity as perceived by the crowd but his identity as to what he thought of himself! It is interesting that the rabbis had declared that unless you couldn’t walk on your own, pilgrims to Jerusalem were to walk to Passover – riding anything was frowned upon. I wonder what his followers are thinking – riding in – on a donkey? Jesus knew that an entrance on a donkey would say two things.
1. Riding an animal of any kind would have been king like.
Again, it was customary for all Jewish people to walk into Jerusalem during high festivals – it was Jewish protocol – no one rode in – Jesus’ riding on any animal was drawing attention – that was his point.
2. Donkeys always represent coming in peace.
– anytime you see someone on a donkey in the Bible their intentions are peaceful. Warriors rode horses-stallions. Those with no warlike intentions rode donkeys.
He is the king – but a different king than was expected. Just as the prophecy said. Matthew 21 Verse 4
4 This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,
5 “Tell the people of Jerusalem,[a]
‘Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey—
riding on a donkey’s colt.’”[b]
The prophecy that is almost word for word from Zechariah
Rejoice, O people of Zion![a]
Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem!
Look, your king is coming to you.
He is righteous and victorious,[b]
yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—
riding on a donkey’s colt.
Zechariah 9:9
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem said, “Do not be afraid. I come in the name of peace and my kingdom is a kingdom of healing, righteousness, justice and salvation for my people.”
The upside-down kingdom – what he has been teaching and showing them all along – I’m not sure the disciples are grasping all of this in the moment – there is so much happening – but they will understand very soon. In John it says
16 His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him. John 12:16
Then in verse 6 it all just kind of takes off.
6 The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it.[c]
8 Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,
“Praise God[d] for the Son of David!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!
Praise God in highest heaven!”[e]
Everything that happens – the donkey – the cloaks – the palm branches – the ‘Hosanna’ shouts –all happen before he enters the city. Verses 1-9 are all pre-Jerusalem and brought about by the Galilean crowd [Lazarus and blind man, etc.] that have traveled with Jesus and seen his miracles on their way to the festival – in verse 10 we first encounter the people of Jerusalem and they are stirred to question,’ who this is . . .’. And so, we must keep this in mind as we head toward Calvary – the crowd that hailed Jesus as king and Messiah is not the same crowd that cried ‘crucify him!’ We must always remember the ‘cultural’ difference between Galileans and Judeans. These cannot be overstated: like the difference between someone from Los Angelos and someone from a small town in Wisconsin – very different experiences and view of the world. These first 9 verses represent a very different group of people than what comes. His followers are boldly ushering Jesus into a town where the people kind of look down on them.
We can’t forget this as we hear the crowd claim Jesus as the Messiah, nor can we miss the fact that his peaceful-donkey riding imagery was not a part of the Jerusalem people’s experience. All they saw and heard was rumor for the most part and for these Galilean pilgrims to show up with such dangerous and surprising claims about Jesus, it turned the city inside out.
His followers put their cloaks on the donkey – who has never been ridden – to protect Jesus and the donkey – since it didn’t have saddle – and mama donkey was probably there just to keep her colt calm. We moms do that – ha ha. And then they lay their cloaks on the ground for the donkey to walk on. Make it easier on the gravel road. And to indicate a king was coming – just as in 2 kings 9 – when Jehu (jay-hoo) is declared king.
13 Then they quickly spread out their cloaks on the bare steps and blew the ram’s horn, shouting, “Jehu is king!” 2 Kings 9:13
This practice was reserved for moments of high recognition – Jesus’ followers were making a statement with these cloaks on the ground – their hope in him. And the palm branches would indicate the same thing. They were used to pay homage to a ruler as well. Palm branches by the way were not in season in Jerusalem at this time so they were either bought in other places – like Jericho where is was warmer or purchased in Jerusalem from vendors who sold them to Pilgrims – either way these branches were an integral part of the celebration and you had to think about getting one – they had to work to get them – which again indicates the importance of this moment for his followers - and people were willing to let a donkey walk on them. Matthew is a bit cryptic about this whole business – he just says ‘cut branches from the trees. Mark says, ‘branches from the fields.’ Luke says nothing. John alone says ‘palm branches’ which would have been part of the festival. Who knows? The biggest point is that people either used something they’d brought or bought or cut down specifically. It could be all of these – and it all points to royal treatment. The tradition was to stand along the roads in Jerusalem as people entered and greet new pilgrims with songs and the waving of palm branches. These pilgrims are giving of their palms and branches and their cloaks to honor Jesus. And they say.
“Praise God[d] for the Son of David!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!
Praise God in highest heaven!”[e]
Or in some translations
Praise God = Hosanna
And it can be translated as
Hosanna = Save now – Oh save – Please save
Hosanna means ‘Oh, save’ or ‘please, save’. It had become a way of calling out in praise by this time and though the Jewish mind was conscious of the need of salvation from the hands of Rome, this was now a way of calling out generally in praise. And they call Jesus ‘Son of David’ – the same thing the blind men called Jesus. This must have indicated that they were certain of his ancestry. This would have been known in Galilee among those that knew his family and would have been reported and spread as people wondered about his possible Messiahship. If he were the Messiah, he had to be ‘the Son of David’. Jesus being called the Son of David showed their expectations: a new king who would save them. And it also makes sense that people along the route and as he enters the Jerusalem would join in. They did so regularly as pilgrims entered the city. Still, the meaning of this happening was most likely lost on the majority of people. And the people in the city [even though we know from John’s gospel that Jesus has been in Jerusalem before] are asking ‘who is this?’
10 The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked.
11 And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
John also tells us Jesus has Lazarus in tow. And he is equally an item. John 12 says
17 Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others[e] about it. 18 That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign. John 12:17-18
Can you imagine all that was being said by his disciples and followers and the huge crowd that was accompanying him? They were certainly saying more than ‘this is Jesus the Prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.’
Synopsis
Jesus – 2 miles from the city – hops on the back of a young, never ridden donkey and surrounded by his followers and other Galileans makes his way to Jerusalem – while his followers – the ones going before and the ones following - are laying down their cloaks and their palm branches and ushering him toward the city with chants and songs – proclaiming who he is – and as he enters the city – the people there see Jesus and Lazarus – both of whom they’ve heard about and this ragtag group of followers coming in that way – and they do welcome him and the others with this familiar phrases but it is not with the same meaning as the disciples – the people of Jerusalem though they did not see him as the savior – perhaps thought he was a temporary deliverer that would lead them in a revolt against Rome – but it is enough of a stir to cause the religious leaders to take notice and double down on their disdain for Jesus and the urgency to do something about him – in John it says
19 Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone[f] has gone after him!” John 12:19
Everyone or the world has gone after him and in Luke they say to him.
39 But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”
40 He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”
Luke 19:39-40
I’m sure that response did not go over well. It is setting everything up for what is going to happen in the days to come.
How are the disciples feeling in this moment? What do they know? Understand? They are with him they have travelled with him – they have watched him and learned from him. A couple of them go and get his donkey. They are probably leading the way toward Jerusalem and laying down their cloaks and getting the crowd of followers excited and responsive. They have given their lives up to this point to Jesus and his mission and his ministry. Are they still hoping/wishing he’d ride in on a steed in a blaze of glory? Do they really understand what is to come next? They’ve watched his care and compassion – even as he weeps for the lost people of Jerusalem right before he goes into the city.
41 But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Luke 19:41-42
What can we learn, understand, gain from their witness?
We are way on the other side – we see it with hindsight – we know as we read along exactly what is going to happen.
As witness to these events – I feel like there are 3 questions you have to answer or decisions you have to make –
First
Do you believe Jesus?
Do you believe Jesus’ claim that He is the king – that He is the Messiah – that He is the savior – He was making that statement as he rode the donkey into Jerusalem that day – he was fulfilling the prophecy – do you believe that. Are you accepting and trusting that He is who he says he is and are you accepting his invitation to follow him? He is calling out to you – like the disciples – He wants to give you a plan and a purpose
Baptisms
That’s the first decision – the second is decision only exists if your answer to decision number 1 is yes – if you answered yes to the first question – Yes I believe that Jesus is who he said he was – I believe that he rode into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday as the king that the prophets spoke about in the OT – then the next decision is
Are you ready to share that good news with a broken world?
Are you laying down your cloaks and getting out your branches and letting the world know who Jesus is to you – what he has done for you and what he can do for them? No matter what their reaction is – or how they accept or don’t accept it. As it says in 1 Peter
15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 1 Peter 3:15
And finally ?
Pic of the horse
or riding on the donkey
Pic of the donkey
Vacay
will enter your world as Jesus did – on the lowly donkey – representing humility and kindness and mercy and self-giving love – or will you enter your world on the steed where things like power and wealth and self-absorption are your priorities
The donkey is making a statement – he is a servant king.
In order to follow the servant messiah, you must become a servant yourself.
That is a tall order.
It is not possible to do this of your own accord – your ability to become a servant like your servant messiah is to sit and learn from him – just as his disciples did. They spent day after day with him – soaking it all in – engaging with him – basking in his presence. Acknowledging him as king and messiah and Lord. Your adherence to Jesus and his teachings is the only way for you to be able to enter the world riding on a donkey. And it is only thru that humble posture that others are able to hear the message of the Good news.
Every day can be a triumphal entry for us – as the Holy Spirit moves in us and thru us and we take all that we know of Jesus and we usher his upside down kingdom into the world. Just as his disciples and followers did on the last 2 miles into Jerusalem. We have good news to share – we have a message of hope and love and forgiveness. Everyday is our triumph because we have the knowledge – we know the full story – the disciples didn’t quite understand the full scope as the walked with Jesus on that donkey – laying down their cloaks and waving their branches – we know Easter is coming.
Pray