Tell your disciples to be quiet!

Tell your disciples to be quiet!

Wave your palm branches and repeat after me, God’s favor is determined by my faithfulness and His grace.

, And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Today we celebrate the day called “Palm Sunday,” the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem one week prior to his crucifixion and death. In case some of you are wondering why this is called “Palm Sunday”, it’s because according to the Gospel of John the crowds in Jerusalem came out to greet Jesus carrying palm branches, which they either waved or strewed in his path.

We have two independent accounts of Jesus’ triumphal entry, one in the Gospel of Mark and the other in the Gospel of John. Historically speaking, this is very important, since one of the most important proofs of the historicity of some event is the existence of independent accounts of the same event.

Now, of course, as Christians we believe in the inspiration of the New Testament by God and so we know, apart from any historical evidence, that these accounts were not made up. But, still, it’s nice to know that even when you consider the Gospels as just ordinary historical documents, they pass the tests of reliability, which secular historians use. This can only aid us as we commend their truth to our non-Christian friends who have not yet come to believe in the inspiration of the Bible.

Although Mark and John’s accounts differ in various circumstantial details, they fully agree on the core of the story: that at the beginning of the final week of his life Jesus of Nazareth rode into Jerusalem seated on a donkey and was hailed by the crowds who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the annual Passover feast with shouts of “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Now before we look at our passage in detail, let’s set the scene geographically and chronologically. It is the spring of the year, the time of the great Passover feast in Jerusalem, during the Jewish month of Nisan, which is in early April on our calendar. Passover always began on the 14th of Nisan, which that year fell on Friday. Now Jesus and his disciples are on their way up to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, like thousands of other pilgrims coming to the feast. They have just passed through the ancient town of Jericho, where, Jesus healed the blind man Bartimaeus on the way out of town. Jericho is located about 17 miles east of Jerusalem. The Roman road ascends from Jericho over the Mount of Olives, which with an elevation of about 2600 feet stands directly opposite the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley

Jesus enters Jerusalem as King and Messiah. Luke here passes over the events, which happened after visit at the house of Zacchæus at Jericho and the speaking of the great parable of (Mine/Na) “the minas.” This parable was probably shared in the course of the walking from Jericho to Bethany, a distance of some twelve miles.

Tell your disciples to be quiet as they cry out to Hosanna.

28And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

Now the last glimpse, we have of Moses, shows him travelling up the slope of Mount Nebo, travelling there to give himself one last fond gaze of the land that he will not enter, and after, having so done, then to lay himself down and die.

Many have imaged what was going through the mind of the great lawgiver. Many have wondered what was going on in the emotions of his heart. Many have considered what thoughts must have crowded in on him as he took that last solitary journey to his burial plot, where no one would know, in which God alone was to bury him.

Now we see Jesus Christ, by who grace and truth came, is also traveling towards yet another mountain. Jesus was beginning His climb to Mount Calvary, not alone and yet at the same time He was all alone. Yes, there are people in the crowd behind Him, but in that crowd of people there were none who truly understood what He was going through or the trial that He was facing. Only God the Father knows the Son.

So as Jesus neared the Capital and his apostles make their way towards Bethany. It was Friday evening and Jesus spends the last Sabbath on earth in the quiet of the rural village.

We can only suppose what that Sabbath meant—not so much to Him, for now Jesus is moving in a sphere beyond our vision, but to those who were with Him during the Sabbath. Those with which, he passed the hallowed hours before His great sacrifice on the cross. Now as the sun set and the Sabbath is over, there is a family feast served in the house of Simon, a former leper. Lazarus, the man Jesus raised from the dead, is at the party, Martha is there, resuming her old ways, and Mary also is there, filling her heart with His love. Until her heart overflows and she is compelled by an irresistible impulse to serve Him in a special way. All of a sudden she pours on Him the contents of an alabaster box of ointment, which becomes the preparation for His approaching burial. , And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

The next morning (Palm Sunday) the Lord started for Jerusalem, which is just 12 miles away and entered the holy city in the triumphant way as King and Messiah.

Ver. 29, When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two disciples…

Bethphage is never mentioned in the Old Testament, but it was evidently an outlying suburb of Jerusalem. Bethphage was between Jerusalem and Bethany, the rabbis legally counted it as part of Jerusalem. Bethphage, means the “House of Green Figs,” it was called that from its fig-orchards. Bethany’s name means the “House of Dates,” because of its palm trees. Modern-day Bethany is known as El-Azarieh or Lazarieh, because of its history with Lazarus.

Here we see Jesus the King and the Messiah coming into Jerusalem, “meek and lowly.” His state, his pageant, at best is very humble. Yet, its simplicity is its royalty; because its exclusion of the temporary glitter and trappings of earthly greatness is the sign of the kingdom which is in the world, yet not of this world. The procession sweeps onward, along the southern shoulders of Mt. Olivet, until the road, come to summit of the hill, and turns northward and begins its descent. And there we see a stream of people pouring out from Jerusalem because it was said that the Prophet was on His way to the city. This news was met with enthusiasm by disciples and others caught up and prolonged procession. This was truly, a soul-stirring entry! The whole city is moved as Jesus of Nazareth rides through its gate, and passes towards Mount Zion and the holy and beautiful house, which glitters, on its heights.

Before we ponder more about Jesus here, let’s pause and look at two characteristic signs of His Kingship given in his journey on that day.

Ver. 30, Saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here.

Now, the account of this transaction is less circumstantial in Luke than in the other evangelists. This is because of the reference to the prophecy of is here left out. This prophecy is, however, necessary for the full understanding of the mystic act of riding upon a donkey’s colt. Well why did Luke leave it out Pastor? Because Luke, is writing especially to Gentile readers, and felt that such a reference to the old Hebrew story would scarcely interest a foreigner, he felt it would serve to distraction. But for us, however, the meaning of the scene, must be viewed in light of the what Zechariah said, , Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

This campaign over Israel’s enemies would conclude in the triumphal entry of its king to Jerusalem. The people are summoned to praise their coming king. Their King is described as “righteous,” like the ideal ruler of

May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice! Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people,

and the hills, in righteousness! May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor! May they fear you while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations! May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth! He will ensure God’s blessing on his people, thereby bringing about their “salvation.”

, Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice! Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor! May they fear you while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations! May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth! He will ensure God’s blessing on his people, thereby bringing about their “salvation.”

and crush the oppressor! May they fear you while the sun endures,

and as long as the moon, throughout all generations! May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth! He will ensure God’s blessing on his people, thereby bringing about their “salvation.”

This King is also humble (cf. ), hinting that this king is still obedient to the King of kings, and he comes riding on a donkey, the mount of one who comes to bring peace, not on the standard military mount, a horse.

This prophecy famously finds its counterpart in Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when Jesus clearly signals his messianic identity.

John gives us a little more detail in his gospel.

, The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!” His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

The disciples and the multitude wished their Master would now claim His kingdom. At this moment in His eventful history, aware that death awaited Him in the course of the next few days, Jesus chose to gratify them; so he claimed His kingdom.

Yet, His kingdom was utterly unlike what they longed for.

Jesus came to this royal, sacred city in the strange guise foreshadowed by Zechariah, He came as a Prince of Peace, not as a military leader, He came, not with a chariot or a horse, but He came meekly riding on an donkey’s colt, and He came claiming, a dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.

, will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

The Lord will bring to an end Israel’s need for the traditional instruments of war: chariot, warhorse, and battle bow. The coming ruler will rule the whole earth, from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth, just as

, May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth! The result of his rule will be universal peace.

Now Jesus adds some specific instructions for His disciples about this colt. ‘…On which no one has ever say…’ This request should have sparked the memory of the disciples who knew their Old Testament, they should had remembered that this was God’s practice. God always requested the same thing for anything that was used for His sacred use.

, Now the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, “This is the statute of the law that the LORD has commanded: Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and on which a yoke has never come. , And the elders of the city that is nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer that has never been worked and that has not pulled in a yoke.

, Now then, take and prepare a new cart and two milk cows on which there has never come a yoke, and yoke the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them.”

God always set aside those things or people who are to be used for His sacred use. It is the same for all of us that have been called by Christ to serve Christ. Think about, Jesus makes all things new! , Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. You and I have also been set aside for God’s sacred use, that is why we are called saints, hagios, which means we are set aside for God’s holy use.

Ver. 31. If anyone asks you, ‘ Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: The Lord has need of it.”’

“Say, The Lord has need of him.” The text here does not give us any reason to believe that there was any secret agreement between Christ and the owner of the colt. But he was a man obviously prepared for the announcement. Yet Jesus had not called him fully to His service. Though, he understood who was meant by tithe “the Lord,” because it did not object when he found the disciples untying to colt. But don’t we all know who the Lord is; even if we have not come to faith in Jesus Christ; don’t we inherently know that He is God!

Aren’t we all just living in denial of that truth!

So when the Lord calls us into service there is an irresistible request, which we will respond to. And so it should it be, whatever the Lord needs, we should respond, wherever there is a need for our use or the use of anything we have; God’s calling should be enough to make us respond.

We must always remember that the King’s word has authority over us personally. Man, woman, or child it is us that Jesus calls. He calls us because He wants our heart, He calls us for He wants to redeemed our lives, and He calls us for He wants to make us His own. Does God not have the right here, to claim what is His? Surely, if the cattle on a thousand hills are His then the colt could be no exception. Surely, if the cattle on a thousand hills and the donkey and colt are His then we could not be any acceptation. Surely, if the cattle on the thousand hills and the donkey and colt are His and we are His, then all that we have belongs to Him as well and could not be an exception.

Are you holding on to that God has need of and a used for?

Matthew not only mentions the colt, but also the donkey as well.

“Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you,

humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

, Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and Jesus sat on them.

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and Jesus sat on them.

This little detail is unnoticed by Luke. Probably because the colt, though not broken in, would go the more quietly accompanied by its mother. But the reason for Matthew’s special mention of the donkey as well as of the colt was the reference to Genesis.

, Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey's colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes.

Judah should be the royal tribe, the tribe from which Messiah the Prince should come. Shiloh, that promised Seed in whom the earth should be blessed, that peaceable and prosperous One, our Savior shall come from Judah. This is what a dying Jacob saw at great distance in Christ's day, and it was his comfort and support on his deathbed. Till Christ comes, Judah possessed authority, but after his crucifixion this was shortened, and according to what Christ foretold, Jerusalem was destroyed, and all the poor harassed remnant of Jews would be confounded together.

Ver. 35-36, And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.

This was a common act of respect and reverence shown to a king or royalty. So in the case of [Jee/Who] Jehu, the officers of the army offered him this tribute, look at , Then in haste every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, “Jehu is king.”

, Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

To make straight a person’s paths means to make the course of the person’s life one that continually progresses toward the proper goal. The goal of Jesus is our sanctification that we are saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved!

, Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

In Proverbs, the emphasis is on the moral quality of one’s life path (here, its moral “straightness”).

Tell your disciples to be quiet if they do the rocks will cry out.

Ver. 37-40, As he was drawing near already on the way down the Mount of Olives- the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works what they had seen. And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these went silent, the very stones would cry out.”

These Pharisees were the great and influential sect who had all along listened with respect and attention to the Teacher, looking upon Jesus as a most able and powerful Rabbi, but refusing to entertain any of the growing Messianic understanding of His deity. Some suggest that the words, “Rebuke your disciples,” came from irritated, anxious, and fearful Jewish leaders who were looking towards the frowning citadel of Antonia.

Antonia was where the Roman garrison of Jerusalem resided. This Roman garrison was in full view of Jesus and the crowds. So, the anxious Jewish leaders were concerned that the Romans were watching for any signs of rebellion or disaffection on their part. Jesus answers and says, “If I could silence all these,” looking round on the impassioned faces of the multitude as they waved their palm branches in homage to their King, “the very rocks would cry aloud.” This striking imagery was a memory of our Lord’s prophecy in .

, You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life. For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond.

Babylon was being condemned for it violence and injustice. The stones were plundered from other nations’ buildings or purchased with plundered goods and would serve as a witness against Babylon. God is saying here “blessed is He who come in the name of the Lord.” God is saying here you people are the living stones and a new nation rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious. Don’t allow any rocks or wood to cry out for you. Here in Luke Jesus is saying if attempt is made to quiet their worship and adoration of their God and King, these the very rocks would cry out. Don’t you know that you cannot suppress true worship and honest adoration!

For all creation was made to worship this King who is Lord of all. The Messianic shouts of welcome, which overwhelmed the crowd, were loud and undeniable. But in Luke’s gospel he does not mention the word “Hosanna!” as seen in Matthew and John’s gospel. Why pastor? No doubt once again because Luke felt that this peculiar Hebrew cry would not have conveyed any meaning to the Gentile he was especially addressed.

But, look because Luke does add the meaning of the word Hosanna, in verse 38, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Tell your disciples to be quiet as Jesus cries out over Jerusalem.

Ver. 41, And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it.

It’s a very different view today when you travel to the same spot where Jesus viewed Jerusalem. Though Jerusalem, when Jesus Christ was teaching on earth, was yet beautiful and the glory of the city was still remarkable. Still glittering in the midst of the great city was that “mass of gold” known as the temple mount. The far-extending suburbs were covered with the gardens and palaces of the wealthy Jews. And even in its entire great grander, Jesus is considering how great the city might have been! What splendid and far-reaching work might have been done!

And now the cup of Jerusalem iniquities was just brimming over; in only a few more short years, and they will experience a silence and structural demise of city and temple.

What was once so sacred would become only shapeless ruin. Has this no what as happen to the America church, what was once so strong, so sacred, so substantial, has it not become so secular, so skeptical and so superficial that it is in danger of becoming a shapeless ruin if we do not return the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Here in our text we see a clear and compelling vision of things to come, which brought Jesus to cry out in tears over Jerusalem. The text says, “And Jesus wept over it.” Now, this friend was a not merely silent tear of sorrow, which was muted sorrow, but Klaio, which means to cry, to wail, to be overcome with great grief, to cry and wept aloud. Think about this for a moment, all the insults, all the sufferings, all the beatings, and all the pain of the Passion was powerless to elicit a cry from the Man of sorrows. But here Jesus cries over Jerusalem.

“He beheld the city, and wept over it.” Remember, “at the grave of Lazarus he had dropped silent tears, tears because of the lack of faith of Martha and the people present but here Jesus wept aloud. Think about this for a moment, in all the shame of his mockery, all the anguish of his torture, all the hurt and rejection Jesus faced, all of it was powerless to extort from Him a single groan, or to wet his eyelids with one trickling tear. But here His love for Jerusalem overmastered His human spirit, and he not only wept, but also broke Him into a passionate lament in which His choked voice seemed to struggle for its utterance. It was the agony of the Saviour over the lost. Do you not understand that Jesus is concerned about the fact that you are still lost? Do you not understand that Jesus is concerned about your salvation?

Here was their time, the “the time of the visitation”, and Jerusalem had not known it. Now was the day, the hour, the last offer, the last opportunity; for them and they were still rejecting salvation. The city was hardened in ignorance, hardened in it heart and hardened towards a good and gracious God.Their own deceived heart blinded them, and all that would remained would be ruins.

Do you think that Jesus weeps still; weeps still for men and women who can only hear their own passions and inclinations, and not the voice of the God who is calling them to repentance?

Ver. 42, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day that things that make for peace! But they are hidden from your eyes.”

The emphatic repetition of the “you,” and the broken form of the sentence, tells of the intense feeling of the Divine Speaker. “In this their day.” There was still time, still one day left, before his terrible trial-time began, which filled up the measure of Jerusalem and her people’s iniquity. Still one day in which, had they only known “the things which belonged to their peace,” No Jesus no peace, Know Jesus, and know peace.

Still one-day left in which they might have won forgiveness for all the past centuries of sin but they did not know what time it was. This is a question for us today as well; do you really now what time it is? Are you sure that this is not your last day to be able to seek the forgiveness of Jesus?

Vers. 43- 45, For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.

, For thus says the LORD of hosts: “Cut down her trees; cast up a siege mound against Jerusalem. This is the city that must be punished; there is nothing but oppression within her.”

, He destroys you, O Israel, for you are against me, against your helper.

In the passage from Jeremiah God tells them that their own tress will be used a batting rams against them and they are to be punished because of their rejection of Him. Then in Hosea, God accuses them of fighting against their only hope and their only help, which comes from Him.

Both these passages and the end of our passage today makes me think of how this passage started by at verse 28a.“And when he had said these things…” What things pastor? Well Luke is referring to the parable of the “Ten minas”

Look at , As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”