You Don't Know Like You Think You Know
Notes
Transcript
In the ancient Near East gods and kings rode on donkeys. So in the prophecy of Zech. 9:9 the new king of Jerusalem comes to the city riding on a donkey—as then does Jesus (Matt. 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–38; John 12:12–19).
Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by the patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 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. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 “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.’ ” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them.
Jesus makes a strange request of His disciples on this day. This is the only time when Jesus rides an animal or presents Himself in a way which can be interpreted as royalty.
During biblical times, people commonly traveled on foot (Deut 29:5; Josh 9:5, 13; 2 Sam 15:30). Individuals might walk approximately 16–20 miles in a day, depending on the terrain, but they were capable of traveling greater distances in extreme situations. For example, Josephus claims that the trip from Sogane in Lower Galilee to Jerusalem—a distance of about 120 miles—could be done in three days. However, the threat of unfavorable conditions prohibited people from attempting overland travel on foot without significant need.
You might think that you know this story, but you might not know what you think you know...
1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 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. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 “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.’ ” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them.
The next thing about this passage that strikes us is the nature of Christ’s request. They enter into Bethphage, which is across the road from Bethany, the home of Jesus’ friends Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. There is no record that Jesus had friends in Bethphage, and no indication that Jesus had any personal connection to the owners of the donkey. Thus, on the surface, at least, we have two ways of understanding this: Either Jesus is exercising a royal prerogative or He is breaking the 7th Commandment - “You shall not steal:”
16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
Luke, in his Gospel, adds a detail that shows how unusual this request was:
33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.”
Mark provides the final piece:
6 And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go.
The disciples had no idea how this was going to play out. No previous points of reference that they could draw upon over the past three years. Jesus told them to do something that was seemingly at odds with the Law, and the cryptic response to a legitimate challenge, “The Lord has need of it,” (Ὁ κύριος αὐτῶν χρείαν ἔχει·) got them the rather surprising result - they were given the donkey and the colt.
As Jesus rides into Jerusalem on the colt, now covered by the cloaks of His disciples, others spread theirs on the road in front of Him, while still others cut down tree branches and laid them on the road before Him. Clearly this is not the sort of behavior that greets the typical pilgrim who arrives in Jerusalem for the Passover.
8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
This much activity did not go unnoticed by the residents and officials who were in the city:
10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”
This activity evoked a “seismic” reaction within the city - “the city was shaken, saying, “Who is this?” Not, “What is this,” but “Who?” This is the question which will determine our understanding of this crowd of rejoicing pilgrims. Do they recognize and acknowledge Christ in terms of the prophetic words of Zech 9:9 -
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.
When I was a little boy, reading or hearing the story of Palm Sunday, knowing what was awaiting Jesus in Jerusalem, I used to wish with a little boy’s desperate heart, that the crowds “understood the times,” as happened when David entered Jerusalem after defeating the Jebusites. I wanted them to recognize, as it is written in Psalm 24 that “the King of Glory” has come. Like Peter, I wanted Jesus to not have to suffer what He had declared so clearly to Peter at Caesarea Philippi in Matt 16:21. Why, because, like Peter, I had “affection” - φιλέω - for Jesus, rather than love - ἀγαπάω. I wanted Jesus to “win,” rather than “save.” I would have told him, like Peter, “No, Lord, far be this from you” that you should be despised and rejected of men. Far be it from you that you should have to drink from the bitter cup of mocking, beatings, and the death of the cross.
The adoring crowd said the right words when they shouted “Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” but they had the wrong understanding, for in answer to the question, “who is this?”
11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
The “prophet” - not the King, not The Messiah, but “the prophet.” So close. As Jermaine Jackson once sang, “Why did you do what you did when you did what you did to me?” They saw the signs, the healing of the two blind men in Jericho, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, the feeding of the 5,000 men plus women and children. They heard the gracious words that came out of His mouth, as He taught concerning the Kingdom of God, and the righteousness that comes by faith in Him. They saw as He fulfilled prophecy after prophecy, but...
It was necessary for Jesus to fulfill all of the Scriptures, not just the pleasant words, not just the words that tickle our ears, but leave us spiritually famished, our souls still in bondage. Like those who were happy to celebrate a prophet but rejected the Messiah and fulfilled God’s Word by demanding His crucifixion, we often want only enough of God’s Word to make us feel ok in our spiritual immaturity. We will happily tell others that “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven,” and “Yes, Jesus loves me, for the Bible tells me so.” We would rather hear prophesies that we are “leveling up” than the rightly divided Word of Truth of Law and Gospel.
And you’re right, those other things are true. Jesus loved you from the foundation of the world. Jesus loved you before you were baptized, before you repented, before you loved Him. As it is written,
19 We love because he first loved us.
Jesus “came all the way fro heaven down,” because He first loved us. He “learned obedience by the things He suffered” because He first loved us. He “made us a kingdom of priests” because He first loved us.
But Jesus did more than that, because He was more than a prophet. Jesus made us to become partakers of His divine nature, according to 2 Peter 1:4, made us members of His Body, according to Romans 12:5, united us to His death and Resurrection, according to Romans 6:3-6, so that we should no longer be slaves of sin. No longer cowering before death and the devil, no longer loving the praises of men rather than the praises of God.
Jesus made us, not survivors of the world’s hatred, grasping after the crumbs that fall from the world’s table - No, He said that we are “more than conquerors.” As Carmen once sang, “No way - we are not ashamed - of the Gospel or His name!” I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. I am persuaded that He is able to keep what I’ve committed to Him. I know that He is able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before His presence with exceeding joy. I know that He is the only wise God our Savior!
And no, unlike our Calvinist colleagues who peach that He can only save a few, or our Arminian colleagues who say that he needs us to “help him help us,” I believe that Jesus is mighty to save all who come to Him. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. I don’t care whether you have memorized the Small Catechism, whether you know the Book of Concord, or whether all you know is John 3:16, You need to hold on to the truth that Jesus Christ is for you - that He died and rose again for you. His blood will make you whole. He will set you free from those things that your morality, your money, and your mental gymnastics couldn’t. If you are in Christ, your labor is not in vain. Your struggles are not in vain, your repentance and faith is not in vain.
I don’t care how long it has been, whether you were here just last week, last year, or the last time you were dragged to Vacation Bible School by Pastor Brandt! You may have forgotten what you were taught about Jesus, but He hasn’t forgotten you. Come on back home. God’s house is where you belong. Taste and see, the goodness of the Lord, for now and forever. He offers more than prosperity; He offers peace. He offers more than power; He offers peace. He offers more than preeminence; He offers peace, in His Body and Blood.
So let the peace of God, that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.