Scripture for today: Matthew 21:1-11. You may wish to read the other Gospel accounts of the Triumphal Entry in Mark 11:1-10, Luke 19:29-38 and John 12:12-15.
Matthew Chapter 21 NASB The Triumphal Entry 1 When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately 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 shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 “SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, ‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY, EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.’ ” 6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, 7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them; and He sat on the coats. 8 Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. 9 The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!” 10 When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”
As you read your passage today think back on the crowds who celebrated Jesus’ triumphal entry. Did they really know who it was who rode into their presence that day? The prophet mentioned in the passage is Zechariah (Zechariah 9:9) who wrote, “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Jesus fulfilled many prophecies that demonstrated that He was the Messiah whose coming was foretold centuries before. Jesus was their king, He was righteous and was bringing salvation with Him. The crowd recognized that He fulfilled all the requirements of the Messiah. That is why they gave Jesus a “kingly” reception.
The crowd was crying out, “Hosanna” which means, “please save!”. See Psalm 118:25,26 where the term hosanna is used (where it is translated “save” in our English Bibles), verse 26 contains the very words the people used to greet Jesus on that first Palm Sunday, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”. Look at the contrasts in the thinking of the people and Jesus as they looked toward the unfolding of God’s plan of salvation. The people were looking for an earthly king, but Jesus was their Eternal King. The people recognized Jesus as the Messiah, but they were thinking of their own political salvation. Jesus was concerned with the eternal salvation of the world. The people envisioned a throne; Jesus foresaw the cross. Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem and the people’s spiritual blindness, as we see in Luke 19:41. Do you and I have a clear view of Jesus as Savior and King today?
Prayer: Lord, may we see You as you really are, King of kings and Lord of lords, Savior of the world. May we ever make You the Lord of our lives. Amen.
