Jesus The Coming King
John 12: 12-19
i ItA. Jesus Proclaimed As King: The Triumphal Entry, 12:12–19
(12:12–19) Introduction: this is the revelation of Jesus as the coming King. It involves both a false concept and the true concept of His coming. It is a picture of how men have seen Jesus down through the centuries.
1. The setting: crowds gathered for the Passover (v.12).
2. The false concept of Christ (vv.12–13).
3. The true concept of Christ (vv.14–15).
4. The disciples’ reaction (v.16).
5. The people’s reaction (vv.17–18).
6. The religionists’ reaction: despair and rage (v.19).
1 (12:12) Passover: the crowds gathered for the Passover. Note the words “much people”: a great multitude was swarming into Jerusalem for the Passover. Josephus, the notable Jewish historian of that day, estimated that over two million people were involved in the great Passover Feast. s known that 256,500 lambs were slain at one Passover and that each lamb represented at least ten worshippers. This, of course, puts the number of people well over two million. Teeming thousands from all over the world were flooding into the city to observe the Passover. The mass of people and the necessary housing and food arrangements to handle such a mass of people can hardly be imagined. An excitable vacation and carnival-like atmosphere was bound to prevail over such a mob of people. Such was the scene as the people gathered for the great Feast.
Jesus according to John’ gospel had not to long ago raised Lazarus from the dead: A crowd followed from the region of Bethany as Jeus approached to Jerusalem; There was a massive crowd from all over who came fro the passover feast; We can summarize that the crowd which lined the street was of a mixed bag. Many were waiting for a militant KIng to ride in:
2 (12:12–13) Messiah, Misconceptions of—Deliverer—Utopia: the false concept of Christ. The false concept sees Jesus as an earthly Savior, One who is to bring utopia to earth for the people of God. The false concept sees Jesus …
• as the Conqueror: as the One who is to straighten out the problems of this earth by overcoming all the enemies of mankind including evil men, hunger, disease, and poverty.
• as the Provider: as the One who is to feed, house, and give health, plenty, and success to man; as the One who is to be sought to bless man in all the good things of life.
• as the Indulgent, Passive Lord: as the One who accepts man no matter what man does, just so he is somewhat religious; as the One who allows man to live as he desires, doing his own thing despite the sin and injustices and immorality of his behavior.
The false concept fails to see two things in understanding the Messiahship of Jesus.
⇒ It fails to see the demand of Christ: the demand to serve by reaching out to a world that is lost and reeling in needs so desperate that the thoughtful mind staggers at the reality of it. It fails to see the demand of Christ for self-denial, a denial that demands the giving of all one is and has to meet the needs of the world.
⇒ It fails to see the spiritual concern of Christ: His concern with bringing peace between man and God—with saving man and being mindful that man lives with God and not separate from God; His concern with man’s understanding that God is holy, righteous, and pure; His concern with man’s living a life of faith and diligently seeking God; His concern with man’s living a holy, righteous, and pure life in order to be acceptable to God.
Note several significant facts in this point—facts that clearly show the false concept of Christ held by so many, both in Jesus’ day and down through the centuries.
a. “Many people” were involved in welcoming Jesus in the Triumphal scene. Many held the false concept of Jesus as the earthly King and Savior of man, as the One who was to be sought in order to secure all the good things of this earth.
b. The people “went forth” to welcome Jesus. Note that they were not just sitting and waiting for Him to come. When they “heard” about Him, they actually went out to meet Him.
c. The people took palm branches to wave and lay them before Him (see DEEPER STUDY # 1—
