Not that Kind of King
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
With today being Palm Sunday…a familiar scene plays out before us.
This is my 39th Palm Sunday…for many of you you’ve experienced a lot more than that. And whenever we read a story that is familiar to us - we have a tendency to tune out…to not play as close attention as we ought to.
When we hear a passage that is read every year in most churches - we can developed an “I’ve already heard this before” attitude.
Maybe we think that about this passage because we think of it only as a cute little Sunday School story - where the little children wave palm branches and dance around Jesus and greet him with the familiar cry of ‘Hosanna!”
But, if we only think of this story as a cute little Sunday School story - we miss the bigger picture. It’s a story that is full of tension, it is full of political intrigue.
This entire story…the scene of Jesus making his way from Bethany to Jerusalem…making is way down the Mount of Olives…riding on a donkey, fanned by palm branches, greeted with shouts of praise..
This whole story is politically charged…it is motivated by Jewish nationalistic pride.
So, instead of thinking we know all there is to know about the Triumphal Entry because we hear it every year…let’s learn from it. The more I read the different accounts of this scene, the more I learn about it. I hope the same can be said for you.
The more I read, I hear and see what the text says, but I am able to understand what it means.
The scene of Jesus riding on a donkey to Jerusalem, palm branches waving, shouts of Hosanna filling the air…if this whole thing is politically charged and nationally motivated…how so? And what does it mean for Jesus? For the people in the crowd? For us today?
How is the nationalism of this story played out? What are the politics behind all of this?
How do we view the Triumphal Entry and Jesus being hailed as king of Israel in light of what happened later that week? the story is familiar to us…but let’s read it anyway. If you have a Bible - turn to . We’ll be ready
12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.
13 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!”
14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,
15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!”
16 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.
17 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.
18 The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign.
19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”
What happened before?
What happened before?
So the section starts out, “The next day...” So the logical question to ask as we start in on this passage is this… “What happened on the previous day?” What happened before?
Well, in the first 11 verses of chapter 12, we have the account of Mary anointing Jesus’ feet with perfume and wiping it up with her hair. In the chapter previous to that - we have the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.
On the night previous to the Triumphal Entry - Jesus was at a dinner party in Bethany, and after the party was over...
On the next day, Jesus set out from Bethany to Jerusalem, even though he knew what lay before him there.
Notice that John’s account of the Triumphal Entry is different than, Matthew, Mark and Luke’s…and even their accounts differ from each other.
John doesn’t supply us with the details of the elaborate plan to fetch a donkey for Jesus to ride on. No back story…John’s account is much simpler.
But John’s telling of this story beautifully displays the tension between what is happening in this scene and what will happen.
John’s retelling holds the tension between the kind of king Israel wanted with the kind of King Jesus is.
The way I read this passage it breaks down like this -
First - I see the praise of the people. We hear the familiar shout of “Hosanna!”
Second - We have Jesus’ response to their praise. How does he respond this time to the people wanting to crown him king?
Third - John describes the 2 different types of people who were in the crowd that day.
The Praise
The Praise
The first aspect of this passage to look at is the familiar praise of the people. We know it well - palm branches, “Hosanna!” But what we might not realize is everything the people do here is politically motivated.
There is also a military motif playing out here…and the scene is steeped in Jewish nationalism. If we pay close attention to how John tells the story…we see the people doing 3 things.
if we pay close attention to how John tells the story…we see the people doing 3 things.
First, John writes that a large crowd took palm branches. Remember that this was the time of Passover. Passover being the biggest of the yearly Jewish festivals…and its a feast that required a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Palm branches were associated with this pilgrimage…associated with other feasts as well. Palm branches were waved as pilgrims made their way into the city.
And since this was Passover time - the population of the city swelled - as Jews from all over the region descended upon the city. No doubt, rumours of Jesus had spread, so when word got out that he was on his way to Jerusalem…this large crowd wanted to see what he was all about.
But palm branches weren’t only associated with feasts - they were a symbol of kingship and victory. Palm branches were also used to symbolize the Jewish State.
After since the time of the Maccabees, palm fronds were used to display military victory.
Palm branches were minted on to Jewish coins…and even the Romans put palm branches on newly minted coins after they destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD, as a symbol of destroying the Jewish state. But here, they bring palm branches to meet Jesus - a symbol of Jewish pride and Jesus’ kingship.
But John uses an interesting phrase - he writes that the crowd…did you hear it…went out to meet him. This is a militaristic expression.
When a conquering hero came back to town…or when a visiting king or dignitary came to town…a welcoming party would go out to meet him…even while he was still outside the city walls.
This welcoming party would to praise and sing and dance around the coming king…the crowd went out, in order toe escort the coming king into the city.
That is what’s playing out here. Jesus is on his way to the city. The people are pretty sure he’s the Messiah, the coming king of Israel. So the welcoming party goes out…with palm branches in had..and they go out to meet their coming king in order to escort him into the city to take his place on the throne.
Along the way they shout “Hosanna!” We read it every year. We sing songs with the word “hosanna” in them throughout the rest of the year…but do we even know what the word means?
Hosanna means “Save us now!” What a wonderful phrase. Save us now, the people cried…thinking they knew what Jesus was going to do and what he was going to save them from!
It’s the cry from a Psalm of Ascent…sung as pilgrims made their way up to the Temple in Jerusalem. Hosanna is followed by another Psalm - blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord…even…did you hear it when we read it before…blessed be the king of Israel.
The king of Israel…ripe with political tension and Jewish nationalism. The people wanted a king, a Saviour…They wanted God’s promised Messiah to come. And here he is.
Hosanna, they shouted. Save us now from the Romans. Save us now from Rome’s tyranny and brutality. Save us now and restore Israel to the greatness she once had.
They thought this was it! Here’s Jesus - a man sent from God…the peoples’ hopes were raised…and in their minds the time had come - the king, Jesus, is coming in to Jerusalem...
And in their minds, he’s going to raise up an army and overthrow the big bad Romans. He’s going to take his throne as Israel’s king.
Emotions were high, tensions were high, expectations were high. Jewish pride is bubbling over. This could get out of hand pretty quickly.
So how does Jesus respond to all this?
Jesus’ Response
Jesus’ Response
Well, previously in his ministry, people were ready to crown Jesus king, but he slipped away because his time had not yet come.
But here, Jesus receives and accepts their praise. He accepts their claim that he is king of Israel.
But in an unusual turn of events - Jesus shows them what kind of king he is - he’s shows what characteristic will accompany the in breaking of his kingdom.
So how does Jesus respond??? By throwing in his armour, grabbing a sword, mounting a steed and by charging in to Jerusalem to take what’s his?
No…pretty much the exact opposite.
Instead of riding a warhorse into the city…Jesus rides a donkey. And he rides a donkey for 2 specific reasons.
First - he rides a donkey to fulfill prophecy. And he rides a donkey to show this crowd what kind of king he is.
We know a lot of prophecies about Jesus. His birth was prophesied by Isaiah in chapters 7 and 9. Micah prophesied the place of Jesus birth in .
Jesus’ death was prophesied by Isaiah in chapter 53. But the prophet Zechariah - prophesied that Israel’s king would one day ride into the Jerusalem riding a donkey.
Yes, Jesus is king…but not the militaristic and nationalistic king the crowd was anticipating.
In , Israel’s king is said to be coming to town riding a donkey. And with all that’s going on around Jesus on this particular Sunday - with the anticipation being ramped up - Jesus takes a seat and rides a into the city…just as Zechariah said he would…on a donkey…a peace time animal.
9 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.
specifically addresses the mode of transportation for Israel’s king…but the following verse shows what kind of kingdom that king will have.
Jesus will not be a king of war - he doesn’t mount his steed and charge into the city…he rides a young donkey instead.
And in - the verse immediately following the prophecy about riding on a donkey…the next verse talks about the peace that will ensue.
10 I 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.
He will remove…cut off the chariot from Ephraim. he will cut off the war horse from Jerusalem.
Jesus, king of Israel, as prophesied in Zechariah, will establish his kingdom, not through a political coup or a military offensive...
but his kingdom will come on earth as it is heaven by removing the tools and instruments of war. Jesus rides on a donkey to show the people of his day…of our day…what kind of king he is.
he isn’t going to lead a military revolt or a political revolution. His kingdom won’t come by physically overthrowing the Romans, but it will come by Jesus submitting himself to the Romans, by dying on one of their brutally cruel crosses.
The people thought they needed liberation and salvation from the Romans - that’s as far as their thinking went…but Jesus knew the people, all people, need liberation and salvation from the sin that separates them from God.
His kingdom will be a kingdom of humility and peace - real peace. Not peace through intimidation that the Pax Romana had. His kingdom comes by removing the threat of war, by removing the instruments of war.
Jesus's kingdom isn’t brought by riding the warhorse and chariot into Jerusalem - as much as the people wanted him to.
Jesus’ coronation as king would happen on a Friday morning at his coronation through crucifixion…but the events that lead there, started here, when he mounted a donkey and rode into the city.
In this scene, Jesus fulfills prophecy, but he also makes a powerful statement about his kingship and his kingdom.
The Crowds
The Crowds
And as there always seems to be, there were 2 groups of people around Jesus that day. There were those who were curious and those who were furious.
There were those who were cheering and dancing and celebrating - hailing Jesus as king. They were curious about who Jesus was and what he was going to do next.
they had heard about the signs and miracles he had performed…specifically raising Lazarus from the dead, so the crowd gathered around him.
The author admits that he and his fellow disciples missed the significance of this event until after it was revealed to them when the Holy Spirit came in power.
So there were those who were curious about who this Jesus fellow was and what he was going to do for Israel.
But, whenever Jesus said anything, did anything or went anywhere - there was always a second group of people…the furious…the religious leaders, the Pharisees in this case.
They always seemed to be lurking in the background. As Jesus is teaching - there they are…plotting.
As Jesus is performing miracles - the religious leaders lurk in the background…plotting. As Jesus is eating dinner at a party - they are still there - lurking, judging and plotting.
And as Jesus processes into Jerusalem amid fanfare and praise and palm branches - the religious leaders are there…putting the finishing touches on their plan…a plan that they were about to execute in just a matter of days.
In just a few short days - the cries of “Hosanna’ and “blessed be the king of Israel” turn in to shouts of “Crucify him!” And “We have no king but Caesar!”
But the religious leaders play an important role in this scene - because, as is common throughout John’s Gospel - the Pharisees speak better than they know.
They say these words - “the whole word follows him!” Yes, they are exaggerating. Obviously that wasn’t the case…but they spoke more than they knew.
Because Jesus isn’t only the king of Israel, king of Jews, but he is indeed king of the whole world.
As said - he shall rule from sea to sea. From the Rive to the ends of the earth. The Pharisees were exaggerating and maybe even a sarcastic, but their words were true...
10 I 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.
Their words point to a time when the Gospel of Jesus would spread to every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
What happens next?
What happens next?
So we started out by asking the question “What happened before the Triumphal Entry? And we’ll close by asking this question… What happens next?
well…on Monday - Jesus curses the fig tree and cleanses the Temple.
On Tuesday, he predicts the destruction of the Temple and his own return.
On Wednesday - Judas agrees to betray Jesus.
On Thursday, Jesus celebrates the Passover with his disciples…he institutes the Lord’s Supper, and he is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane.
On Friday - Jesus is question by Anna, he is condemned by Caiaphas the high priest.
Jesus is questioned by Pilate, sent to Herod and then sent back to Pilate.
on Friday, Jesus is crucified on Calvary - he dies on that cross…on Friday.
On Friday he is buried in the tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea.
On Saturday…his body lay in a tomb.
And on Sunday - on Sunday…well, you’ll have to come back next week to find out what happened on Sunday!