Mark 11:1-11, Psalm 118:1,2,9-24, Philippians 2:5-11
My aim this morning is to walk through the story again and show that Jesus knew what was happening, even though others in the crowd would not have known and had mixed reactions.
State visits are regular occurrences in most countries.They normally involve the visiting dignitary disembarking from their plane and waving to the receiving throng – a pretty standard formula – along with processions of cars whisked quickly along surrounded by security personnel.
In a similar way, military giants of old such as Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great and Judas Maccabeus entered a city as leaders, or self-proclaimed leaders. They came with pomp and ceremony, cheered (or jeered) by the crowds and, quite often, finished with an approach to the Temple. When Jesus entered Jerusalem it was a similar situation. But this wasn’t just someone taking a trip to the big city. The events of Palm Sunday proclaim Jesus as King, and start a week that ends with him being crucified as king of the Jews.
At the time of Jesus, a victorious military leader might return to the city riding on a horse. Everyone would cheer him. Jesus chose to ride into Jerusalem on a very young donkey which no one had ever ridden on before. He was acting as a victorious king, except the donkey marked him as a Jewish king obeying the instructions in the Law. God insisted that those who rule his people would be humbly submitted to him. So they were required to make their own copy of the law and study it daily. On parade the king was to ride a donkey so that he didn’t get above himself. This should have been common knowledge for the people waving Jesus in. It would have been part of his claim to kingship. Was this, then, the Messiah they were all waiting for?
Although Mark doesn’t include a direct reference, there is a clear allusion to Zechariah 9:9 with Jesus riding on a colt. Matthew and John pick this up in their Gospels. But Mark does allude to Psalm 118:25,26, with the crowd’s shouts of praise. Psalm 118 is one of the royal psalms, in which the king asks to be admitted into the Temple to sing his royal song of thanksgiving. This was acted out as a processional song or prayer. As the years passed, it gained Messianic importance. In Mark 12:10,11 Jesus applies Psalm 118:22,23 to his coming rejection, of which the triumphal entry is the beginning. It’s all part of a plan and the pieces all fit into place.
At the time of the Romans, the success of athletes and victorious army commanders was recognised by the waving of date palm branches. Whose idea was it for the crowd to wave such branches as Jesus rode into Jerusalem? We don’t know, but you know how it is – one person gets an idea and the rest follow. It was right and appropriate in fact, but the Romans, seeing Jesus caught up in this, might have thought he was challenging their authority.
The excitement spread. The crowd got bigger. Jesus’ disciples must have wondered if this was the time they had all been waiting for. They knew what the crowds knew. What do the people who are being applauded by a crowd usually do and say? (Smile, wave, make a speech, get big heads!) Jesus gave no explanation and said nothing. He sat on the donkey (notice he knew it was going to be there; he wasn’t surprised at what was happening) and then, as Mark’s Gospel tells us, he went into the Temple in Jerusalem. Then he went to stay at his friends’ home. That’s all.
For Jesus, this was the start of his final journey to the cross; this was what he had ultimately come to earth to do – to die. It was part of a plan, but Jesus was the only person present who knew what the plan involved
The crowd was excited at being part of a celebration.
Jesus knew he was going to die.
The crowd was thrilled to cheer for their new king.
Jesus knew that they were not cheering for him as God the king.
The crowd did not think at that time that Jesus’ enemies were plotting his death.
Jesus knew he was going to die.
When Jesus arrived at Jerusalem he knew what awaited him, and yet he continued. He let the crowds shout their praise, while knowing that the Messiah would be rejected. He was both an awesome and triumphant king, and an awesome and triumphant servant.