Hosanna In the Highest (Matthew 21:1-11; Zechariah 9:9-10)

The Story: The Beginning of the End

That’s the best way to describe Matthew 21. For 20 chapters we have journeyed with Jesus from Bethlehem to Egypt to Nazareth, throughout Galilee, into Capernaum and Gennesaret, into the Gentile areas of Tyre and Sidon, to Caesarea Philippi, and into Jericho and Judea. Now, for the first time in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus enters Jerusalem.

Matthew 21 records the last week of Jesus’ life. For three years Jesus had preached, taught, and healed, and now, during Passover week, He was entering the holy city. It would be difficult to exaggerate the significance of the events that transpire in the remainder of this Gospel. Over a period of eight days, Jesus entered Jerusalem, cleansed the temple, challenged the religious leaders, instituted the Lord’s Supper, was arrested, was tried, was crucified, and then was raised from the dead. This was the week all of creation had been waiting for. Back in the garden, God had promised the serpent, “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” (Gen 3:15). The Son of God ultimately fulfilled that promise, crushing the head of the snake by His death and resurrection. The events of this week, planned before the foundation of the world, were not just climactic for Jesus’ life; this was the climactic week for all of history!

In this chapter and the ones to follow, Matthew gives us a breathtaking, awe-inspiring, life-transforming picture of this King who will one day return. His attributes are on display, and the picture is stunning. (Platt, David. 2013. Exalting Jesus in Matthew. Edited by Daniel L. Akin, David Platt, and Tony Merida. Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference.)

The journey to Jerusalem began at Bethphage. Bethphage— “house of figs” (the meaning of the name)—is a small village located on the Mount of Olives near Bethany near the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. He had spent the night before (the Sabbath evening) in Bethany with Lazarus, Mary, and Martha (Jn. 12:1f).

Jesus sent two disciples into the city to secure a donkey and her young colt. You’ll find a donkey and her colt, Jesus told them. If anyone says anything to you, say, The Lord needs them. And when they came into the village, that us exactly what they found. And when they spoke the request, The Lord needs them. Without hesitation, the donkey and the colt were handed over to them.

The disciples did exactly what Jesus asked despite the uncertainty of the matter. They had no money to buy or rent the animals, and they were to be questioned about why they wanted the animals. Yet they obeyed—not questioning, not doubting. And there was no saddle for their Lord. They cared about Him and His comfort, so they took their own outer garments and threw them across the animals. This was an act of reverence. In following Christ, the two men had lived a life of poverty, so they had little clothing. It cost them to use their clothing for such a humble act. The clothing would be soiled and smelly, but they cared for and worshipped Jesus, all they had was at His disposal.

And note something of critical importance. In entering the city as a King, He was doing it in the most humble practice of His day: entering the city as a King of Peace. This was symbolized by riding a young colt, instead of riding the conqueror’s stallion. He was disclaiming all ideas of an earthly and material kingdom. He had come to save Jerusalem and the world through peace, not war.

As Jesus and the disciples began this final leg of the journey to Jerusalem, there was a “very large crowd” waiting for them. The multitude had begun to gather since early morning, excitedly looking for Him who had raised Lazarus from the dead. John told us this. In fact, he said there were so many people that the Pharisees said, “the world is gone after Him” (Jn. 12:17–19). There was the crowd of disciples already accompanying Him and the pilgrims on their way to the Passover Feast who had joined His caravan. There were also the residents of Bethany and Bethphage who had heard of His presence and the miracles, and those who were already in Jerusalem, citizens and pilgrims who were rushing out to meet Him.

Historians tell us that Two or more million pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem every year for the Passover Feast. News spread throughout the city and surrounding area about the miracles Jesus performed, a concentration of miracles for some days now which included the raising of Lazarus from the dead (Jn. 11:1f; 11:55–56). The very atmosphere was electric with the exciting expectation that Jesus was God’s promised Messiah. Multitudes had heard that He was in Bethany and Bethphage (Mk. 14:1–9). As said above, there was the multitude who had turned around from Jerusalem to meet Him (Jn. 12:17–19); there was the multitude already travelling with Him (Mt. 21:29); and there was the multitude of citizens in Bethany and Bethphage who had begun gathering around Him (Mk. 14:1–9; Jn. 12:1f). Thousands of people were searching for Him and rushing out to welcome Him when they heard He was coming.

This large crowd lined the road into Jerusalem. They received Him as King. How do we know. They performed acts which were always done for Kings’ entering a city. They stripped off their cloaks and cut down tree branches, and they spread both out on the roadway before Him. They wished to honor and pay Him the homage of a King. They wished to show Him that they received Him as the promised King of Israel. They shouted out,

Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!

They called Him “the Son of David,” which was the title of the Messiah. “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” This means blessed is He who is sent by God to save His people; blessed is He who is sent with the authority of God. “Hosanna in the Highest” which means “God save, we pray. You who are in the Highest heaven, save us now through this one whom You have sent.”

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the entire city was in an uproar. “Who is this?” many inquired. The crowds following Jesus into the city answered: This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth.

In Luke 9:51 “When the days were coming to a close for him to be taken up, he determined to journey to Jerusalem.” Isaiah 50:7 prophesied, “The Lord God will help me; therefore I have not been humiliated; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.” Now, on this Sunday, five days before the crucifixion, Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem was complete, but the journey to the cross was just beginning.

In this drama on the road to Jerusalem, Matthew displays Jesus as the King of Kings. And in doing so, we observe nine attributes of His kingship.

The Main Points

Jesus is a DIVINE King. (Matt. 21:1-3)

God designed every detail of the scene of Jesus’ entry to show us the kind of King Jesus is. In the first three verses we see that He is the divine King. The glory of the incarnation is evident as Jesus, a man, divinely ordains where a donkey and a colt will be at a certain time for a certain purpose. If the disciples are asked why they are taking the animals, they are to respond, “The Lord needs them” (v. 3). To say that the “Lord” needs these animals in this context means that Jesus is more than one’s personal master, teacher, or rabbi, as we might use these terms to show respect. This was a claim to be the Lord of all.

Jesus is the PROPHESIED King. (Matt. 21:4-5; Zech. 9:9)

The quotation in verse 5 comes from Zechariah 9:9, and “Daughter Zion” is a reference to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Jerusalem is often referred to in the Bible as Zion, because Mount Zion is the highest, most prominent hill there. Zechariah prophesied to God’s people after they had come back from the exile. This remnant of Israelites had come back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and re-establish the city. It was a time of joy and of struggle. God’s people had repeatedly seen the tragedy of failed kings, but Zechariah held out hope, promising a day when God would send His King. Zechariah 9:9 begins with a note of joy in light of the coming King. It specifies the way He would arrive, and the fulfillment we see here is truly amazing: 500 years before Jesus came, God promised that a donkey and a colt would be available the week before Passover for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem. You don’t write a script like that unless you are God!

Jesus is the GENTLE King. (Matt. 21:6)

Despite Jesus’ greatness and the significance of His coming, Matthew also tells us that He is the gentle King. Jesus did not come arrogantly, but humbly. Unlike other earthly rulers, He was meek (see also Isa 11:4; Matt 5:5). Most people in the West today don’t understand the concept of a king. Many of the examples we see of monarchies are monarchies in symbol only. But in most places throughout history, a king would be honored with reverence and fear at his coronation. He would be dressed in ornamental, regal attire, surrounded by splendor and pageantry. Jesus, on the other hand, was surrounded by lowly Galileans as he came into the city not with riches, but in poverty; not in majesty, but in meekness. He came humbly and mounted on a donkey.

Jesus is the RIGHTEOUS and VICTORIOUS King. ( Zech. 9:9)

Jesus not only stands forth as the prophesied King in Zechariah’s prophecy, but also He is the righteous King. Unlike Israel’s other kings, Jesus would be “righteous.” Moreover, this righteous King would be “victorious” on behalf of His people.

Jesus is the SAVIOR King. (Matt. 21:9)

This is why the crowds were crying “Hosanna” (Matt 21:9), which literally means, “Save now” (Osborne, Matthew, 756). This cry of “Hosanna” is itself a quotation from Psalm 118:25–26, where the psalmist cries, “Lord, save us! Lord, please grant us success! He who comes in the name of the Lord is blessed” (Osborne, Matthew, 756).

The timing of these events is also crucial for understanding the significance of these quotations. This was Passover week, a time when the population of Jerusalem would swell up to five or six times its usual size. People were coming to celebrate this feast of remembrance, a feast that reminded them of the time when God rescued their fathers from slavery in Egypt and brought salvation through the blood of a lamb. Now Jesus, the Lamb of God (John 1:29, 36) and the One who was inaugurating a new and greater exodus (Matt 2:13–15), was coming into Jerusalem during Passover week. This was no coincidence.

Jesus is the PEACEFUL King. (Zech. 9:10)

Zechariah’s prophecy about Jesus also tells us that Jesus is the peaceful King. Verse 10 of chapter 9 says that God’s king would “proclaim peace to the nations.” It was not uncommon for a king to ride on a donkey; the key is when a king would ride on a donkey. If a king was going to war, he would ride on a warhorse as a picture of power. When he was not at war, the king would ride on a donkey as a picture of peace. The fact that Jesus came riding on a donkey speaks to His mission as the One who came to make it possible for us to have peace with God. When Luke records this account he notes how the crowds cried out, “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!” (Luke 19:38; emphasis added). Then as Jesus drew near the city and wept, He said, “If you knew this day what would bring peace …” (Luke 19:42). This message of peace is good news for those who are by nature enemies of God (Rom 5:10).

Jesus brought a message of peace: peace between God and man, and peace between men. We are reconciled to God through Christ, and we are reconciled to one another in Christ. This message was very different from what many people would have expected. They were looking for a ruler to come wielding his power and to overthrow Israel’s oppressors. God’s King, however, did not come wielding political power, but bringing spiritual peace.

Jesus is the GLOBAL King. (Zech. 9:10)

The peace that Jesus came to bring was not just for Israel. Zechariah had predicted that the coming King would “proclaim peace to the nations,” and that “His dominion will extend from sea to sea … to the ends of the earth” (Zech 9:10; emphasis added). He is the global King. Jesus rules over every leader, king, prime minister, and president in the world, and the salvation that He accomplished is good news for all peoples.

Jesus is the MESSIANIC King. (Matt. 21:9)

Related to Jesus’ global reign is another important theme that has surfaced throughout Matthew’s Gospel: He is the Messianic King. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the city was “shaken,” asking, “Who is this?” (Matt 21:10). Both those who were following Jesus and those ahead of Him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!… This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee!” (vv. 9, 11). The phrase “Son of David” continues to be used in Matthew’s Gospel, appearing as early as the first verse in the opening genealogy (1:1). Jesus has been portrayed as the promised Messiah, the King who would come from the line of David. In essence, then, the crowds in verse 9 were shouting, “Messiah, save us!” These crowds may not have known how Jesus would save them, since presumably no one, not even the disciples, had connected the dots between Zechariah 9 and Isaiah 53. It was not clear that the conquering King would be the Suffering Servant, that the Messiah would save His people from their sins by shedding His blood during Passover week. The significance of all that was happening in these final chapters of Matthew’s Gospel would only be truly realized after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Only then would these events and their significance come into focus, through the illumination of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26).

Jesus is YOUR King. ( Zech. 9:9)

“Look, your King is coming to you,” Zechariah prophesied. That’s personal. Jesus not only came to the world as Messiah and king; not only did He enter Jerusalem as Messiah and King; but He also approaches you. He desires for you, like the pilgrims along the road into Jerusalem, to receive Him as your Messiah and King, your Redeemer and Savior, your Righteous, Victorious, Gentle and Peaceful King. He loves you, and wants to rule in your heart. He is gracious, and desires to adopt you as His royal son or daughter. Jesus is your King, if you will confess and repent of your sin, and trust fully in His redemptive power to save you and give you the gift of eternal life.

Application

Let us OBEY Jesus in all we do.

Just as the disciples, without question or hesitation, followed Jesus’ instructions and obeyed Him fully, we should do likewise. In John 14:15, Jesus instructed, “If you love me, you will keep my commands.” An obedient heart is evidence of true salvation. What is Jesus calling you to do? Are you consistently reading and studying God’s Word? What does God Word teach you? Are you obedient?

Let us prioritize WORSHIP.

Just as the crowds shouted, “Hosanna,” waving palm branches and laying them and their cloaks on the road before Jesus as an act of worship, let us also, with no inhibitions, worship Jesus as Lord and God. Let us lay aside every idol—possessions, pleasures, people, personal ambitions, and anything else that divides our hearts—and let us turn our eyes upon Jesus in worship. Let us consider all we do, all we say, all we think, all we plan, an act of praise and worship to the Lord Jesus, our King.

Let us GLORIFY HIM in our lives.

As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” That means all the credit, all the praise, all the spotlight goes to him. It means we adopt Jesus’ very attitude: Philippians 2:5–7 “Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity.”

Remember how Jesus made His entry into Jerusalem: on a borrowed colt, a gentle King, glorifying the Father is complete obedience, on His way to the cross.