Procession of the King

Introduction

Today is Palm Sunday. Today is the Sunday where we enter what is called Holy Week. It began with a procession where Jesus entered into Jerusalem in a prominent manner. Today we will talk about the way in which Jesus entered Jerusalem. It was quite unlike anything else that had happened with him. In studying this passage however, there was a commentary that suggested looking at the crowd in a different way. The bible scholar suggested looking at this scene where there is more than one crowd. There is a crowd entering with Jesus and a crowd that is watching Jesus enter. Let’s take a look today at the procession of the King into Jerusalem which kicks off holy week. Listen to Mark 11:1-11

Mark 11:1–11 NRSV

1 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’ ” 4 They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, 5 some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 11 Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

First Crowd

Let’s talk about the first crowd in this scene. This crowd we always talk about in relationship to this scene. We tend to focus on their excitement and praising God as Jesus entered Jerusalem. They see Jesus entering Jerusalem and they start shouting Hosanna. This particular word is in most translations I studied except for one. There was apparently some confusion or disagreement about it a while back but most translations tend to use this word because it has special meaning. Most scholars think this phrase they are shouting, including Hosanna. Bible Scholars believe this goes back to Psalm 118:25. Psalm 118:25 reads

Psalm 118:25 NRSV

25 Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!

It is a prayer to save them and give them success. As Jesus was entering Jerusalem, they were imploring God to save them and give them success. Perhaps the crowd shouting this knew there would be opposition to Jesus in Jerusalem. Perhaps they were simply shouting it because they wanted the Kingdom of God to come to this conquered land At any rate, we can speculate why they did this but at the end of the day, one crowd did this. One crowd celebrated and cried out at Jesus entering Jerusalem and his intent to go into Jerusalem and the Holy Temple. Bible scholars tend to put this triumphant entry not near the temple but outside Jerusalem. In other words, they believe this event was him getting close and being right on the edge of entering the gates of Jerusalem.

The reason this would be significant is that it would make it easier to explain the two crowds idea. The idea is that there was a crowd of Galileans who have followed Jesus for from the Sea of Galilee region. They would have witnessed miracles and heard him teaching and as part of the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the festival of shelters and passover, they may have travelled together. Being Galilean, they would have been looked down upon. Remember the disciple Philips response when he hears about Jesus and asked what good could possibly come from that region. All this being said, this Galilean crowd could easily have followed him and upon getting close to the gates of Jerusalem and seeing Jesus riding on a donkey, just like kings of old, they just knew Jesus was here as the king of the Jews. This triumphant entry would certainly give rise to that accusation by the Romans. This crowd gave Jesus the triumphant entry a king deserves. These people probably had followed him in anticipation of this moment and were excited that it had finally come. They cried out God save us. They cried out God give us success as they were ready for the king to reign.

Second crowd

So this brings me back to the idea of more than one crowd present in this procession. This would have been others already approaching Jerusalem or who were there already and looked on at this procession where people were shouting and rolling out the red carpet for his entering Jerusalem. They would not have participated or been part of it but just witnesses to it. Perhaps this is the tough crowd who have seen many things, many false claims made, seen many rebellion attempts put down by the Roman occupiers, and several other things that the Galilean crowd may not have been subjected to since they were not the religious center. Many things may have made this crowd different. Perhaps they had already heard about Jesus and were curious what he would do. Perhaps others thought he would cause trouble for them. Maybe others feared him and what he may do. At any rate, this second crowd is simply looking on at this triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and is silent.

Comparing the two crowds

There are likely two crowds present at this scene. We have discussed they are two different peoples with two different perspectives or views of Jesus. The first crowd believes in Jesus as the king and the second one is skeptical at best probably. The first crowd is shouting - God save us and give us success - during this procession of Jesus entering Jerusalem as they want Jesus as king. The second crowd likely is worried about what Jesus will do or how the Roman’s will treat them because of this Jewish King being declared and entering Jerusalem. One crowd responds with excitement and another with worry and fear.

Today

Often, things don’t change over time like we would think they would. Ironically when people encounter Jesus, they same type of reactions happen. We can join in the excitement of the King ruling over our hearts and land or we can sit silent with worry and fear about what Jesus is going to do or demand of us. We have the same choice as two which crowd we will be part of. Will we be part of the outcasts who are excited about what Jesus will do in their lives? Will we be fearful that others may be right and we may be wrong about things? There are many questions that this passage and these two crowds elicit. Who are you going to be today? That is the real question that matters. Are you going to allow Jesus to enter into your life as your King or are you going to try and keep him out or at a distant? Today is a great day to allow Jesus to be your King. Today is a great day to commit yourself to the King of Kings. Don’t keep him at a distances but let him into your heart today.