Jesus Enters Jerusalem on a Donkey
August 11, 2022
Commentary
Since it was Passover, there were probably about 2 million people in and around Jerusalem. This crowd was composed of Jews who lived in Jerusalem and those from Galilee and the surrounding countryside. Jesus and the disciples were approaching Jerusalem from the east as they came up the road from Jericho (v. 1). As they reached the town of Bethphage on the eastern slopes of the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples ahead to find a donkey and its colt (vv. 2-3). The disciples got the animals and threw their garments on them. By this time a crowd had gathered.
Most of these people were from Galilee, who were already familiar with Jesus, and were on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The week had finally arrived for which Jesus was born, the week in which He would die on the cross for our sins. This was the only time in His ministry that Jesus actually planned and promoted a public demonstration. He did this for at least two reasons:
1. He was fulfilling the prophecy recorded in (Zech. 9:9) (v. 4).
2. It forced the Jewish leaders to act. The prophetic Scriptures required that the Lamb of God be crucified on the Passover day (vv. 5-7).
The crowd spread their coats and branches on the road (v. 8). They were shouting and the entire city of Jerusalem was stirred (vv. 9-11). Jesus began to drive the money changers out of the temple and the blind and lame came to him to be healed (vv. 12-14) The priests and religious leaders saw His miracles and were indignant (vv. 15-16). He then returned to Bethany to stay over night (v. 17). God feels passionate that His name be honored and that His people be treated well (v. 12). His silence may unnerve us at times, but He overlooks and lets nothing slide.
Application
How do the religious crowd of my day differ from the religious crowd of that day? As I go to church, sing songs, and listen to the preacher am I allowing the Lord to be King of my life?
Matthew 21:1– 17 (NET)
1 Now when they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you. Right away you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:
5 “Tell the people of Zion, ‘Look, your king is coming to you, unassuming and seated on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those following kept shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 As he entered Jerusalem the whole city was thrown into an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”
12 Then Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts, and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 And he said to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are turning it into a den of robbers!”
14 The blind and lame came to him in the temple courts, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the experts in the law saw the wonderful things he did and heard the children crying out in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant 16 and said to him, “Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of children and nursing infants you have prepared praise for yourself’?” 17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.
Illustration: Missions Trip to Israel
I can imagine what this must have been like. In the early 90’s we took groups of teenagers to Israel. When we attempted to sing, testify, do drama and share the gospel with people on the streets of Jerusalem we were confronted with mobs of orthodox Jews who became very angry, tore up our tracts, spit on us and told us to go home. (Lou Nicholes – Missionary/Author).