Logistically, Jesus and
the disciples draw near to their destination. To give you an idea of the travel
distance remaining,…
The town of Bethany --
"house of dates" -- on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, was
two miles east of Jerusalem. [i] It was where the sisters
and brother, Mary, Martha and Lazarus, resided. As told in Scripture, the three
siblings were loved equally by Jesus.
Also east of Jerusalem,
near Bethany, was the small town of Bethphage -- "house of unripe
figs." It was on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives. [ii]
And the mountain that
stood between the two towns (Bethany and Bethphage) and the city of Jerusalem
was the Mount of Olives -- associated with the arrival of the Messiah (Zechariah 14:4).
Directly opposite from the Temple, this hill was across the Kidron Valley to
the east.
The Passover festival was
about to begin. Just what exactly is "Passover"? Let me lead the way
for explanation in briefly describing three major festivals (Pesach, Shavu'ot and Sukkot) with
historical significance.
* Pesach, known as Passover, begins on the 15th day of the Jewish
month of Nissan. It is the first of
three major festivals. [iii] Jews from various parts
of the world were traveling to observe this holiday -- when the people of
Israel were freed from their enslavement to Pharoah. Exodus, Chapters 1-15 tells the story.
(More to share about Pesach as we move further into Chapter 11.)
* "Shavu'ot commemorates the anniversary of
the day God gave the Torah to the entire nation of Israel assembled at Mount
Sinai. …They became a nation committed to serving God. The festival of Shavu'ot marks the completion of the
seven-week counting period between Passover and Shavu'ot." [iv]
* You may remember from a
previous post, The Transformer, Sukkot means "booths" -- the
temporary dwellings (incorporating palm leaves) in which the children of Israel
lived while wandering in the desert for 40 years. Sukkot, which lasts for seven days, is commonly referred to in
Jewish prayer and literature as the "Season of our Rejoicing." [v]
So with this overview,
let's delve into these 11 verses…
"A colt that has never been ridden." Is that the way a true King
should enter Jerusalem? On a donkey?!? We have two contrasts -- one from Zechariah 9:9
which focuses on humility (yet triumphant and victorious); the other from Psalms of Solomon 17 -- more so verses 21-45, which is more militant. The military leader
of conquering armies would definitely ride on a horse.
While Zechariah 9:9 was a prophetic
vision, there was precedent that "the coronation of a king in Israel also
included the colt (Genesis 49:11)."
[vi]
When reflecting on Jesus'
triumphal entry into Jerusalem, I recalled the second half of verse 8 but had
completely forgotten the first half. "Many
people spread their cloaks on the road,…"
Did You
Know…?
To welcome an anointed
king, garments were thrown on the ground. 2 Kings 9:13 gives an example.
"Then hurriedly they all took their cloaks and spread them for him on the
bare steps; and they blew the trumpet, and proclaimed, 'Jehu is king.'" [vii] The Jehu to which this
refers rose in power as one of the bloodiest kings in Israel's history.
As for the second half of
verse 8, "leafy branches" has traditionally come across as palm fronds
(a tie-in to Palm Sunday). But the word used for leafy branches "means anything that grows in a field suitable
for a soft bed or pathway." [viii] So the wild vegetation
spread on the road wasn't necessarily palm leaves.
Then the people, who
acclaim Jesus, shout, "Hosanna!" At the top of their lungs comes
praise and adulation. Right?
"Hosanna!"
The Greek ôsanna transliterates the Hebrew hoshia' na, which literally means…
"Save, please!" [ix] What?!? The people were
shouting to Jesus riding by on a donkey colt,…
"Save, please!" "Deliver us,
please!"
While praise and adulation
may play a part in "Hosanna," much more is going on behind this
powerful word coming from the lips of so many in need.
Furthermore, "Blessed
is the one who comes in the name…" was a recognition by the crowd of the
messiahship of Jesus. "…Of the Lord" was with the power and authority
"of Adonai!" [x] They're referring to /
quoting Psalm 118:25-26,
which "is sung at the pilgrimage festivals of Passover, Shavu'ot and Sukkot." [xi]
These people wanted their
Messiah -- "our ancestor David" also "Son of David" -- to
deliver them from Roman oppression. Verse 10 though wasn't a direct quote.
It was added to make the connection with the coming Davidic kingdom. [xii] Only in the Gospel of
Mark is this tribute recorded.
Nonetheless…
The emotions are high! The
revolution and overthrow is about to begin! "Blessed is the Messiah!
You're going to exercise God's power and authority on earth! You're going to
deliver us! You're going to save us!"
Oh, but how the tide will
turn regarding these fever-pitched people in just a matter of days.
NEXT
Jesus curses?!?; have
faith in [who, what]?; and to forgive
[i]
MacArthur Study Bible -- p. 1484
[ii]
MacArthur Study Bible -- pp. 1431, 1484
[iii]
www.jewfaq.org-- Pesach
[iv]
Wikipedia -- Shavu'ot
[v]
www.jewfaq.org -- Sukkot
[vi]
Jewish Annotated New Testament -- p. 83
[vii]
2 Kings 9:13 (NRSV)
[viii]
The Renaissance New Testament -- p. 274
[ix]
Jewish Annotated New Testament -- p. 63
[x]
Jewish Annotated New Testament -- p. 63
[xi]
Jewish Annotated New Testament -- p. 83
[xii]
Jewish Annotated New Testament -- p. 83
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