The King’s Triumphal Entry – John’s Gospel chapter 12 verses 9 to 19
A curious crowd & plotting priests
Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
John 12:9-11
Curious Passover pilgrims and locals wanted to see Jesus and Lazarus. Plotting priests wanted to kill both. They hated the fact that Jesus came for sinners, not “perfect” people like themselves.
Great expectations
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna! ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Blessed is the king of Israel!’ 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written: 15 ‘Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming,
John 12:12-15
The Sunday before His crucifixion, when people were flocking to Jerusalem for Passover festival, and the word about Jesus keeps popping up. Excitement is growing. Then Jesus comes with a crowd from Bethany! Palm branches are waved as a symbol of victory. Shouts of “blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. (from Psalm 118). They shout “Hosanna (“save now”, from the Romans, not from sin). But the King Jesus they wanted was not the King Jesus they got.
The unstoppable power of God’s Sovereignty
16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realise that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. 17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, ‘See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!’
John 12:16-19
Before His time had not yet come, and the religious rulers could not touch Him. But now the time has – He appears in a most public way. “the hour has come for the son of man to be glorified…”
Only afterwards did his disciples understand.
Even the Pharisees, by God’s sovereignty, unwittingly testify to this: “the whole world is going after Him.”
What kind of King are you looking for? An Alexander the Great who conquered the ancient world then lost it all, or Jesus who conquered sin and death?
New International Version – UK (NIVUK)
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Title image adapted from a painting by Nikolay Andreyevich Koshelov, https://petroart.ru/art/k/koshelev/img/13.jpg