Triumphant Entry and Final Preparations
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If we look at the Passover, the Old Testament outlines the feast that celebrates and remembers God’s release of Israel from Egypt. Joseph was given power in Egypt after being sold into slavery by his brothers. Eventually, he would save Israel from starvation as they stayed as guests in Egypt. Over time, the Egyptians realized the Israelites had grown in size and could overthrow them if they desired, so the Israelites were taken into slavery. During this time, they were given grueling tasks, worked harder and harder, suffering along the way. They cried out to God for deliverance - and He raised up Moses. 10 plagues is what it took to convince Pharaoh to release them. The last plague, though, was the life of the first-born - human and animals - in Egypt. God had given a way out for His people - the blood of a perfect lamb would take the place of the first-born in the family. Placed over the door posts, the angel of death would “pass over” the homes marked by the lamb’s blood. Specific instructions are given to celebrate the Passover.
3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household.
4 And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats,
The lamb was inspected for 4 days and then if it met the criteria – no blemishes – it was slain on the 14th day of Nisan – the first day of Passover.
JESUS rode into Jerusalem on the 10th of Nisan – on Lamb Selection Day! HE rode into His family – to be scrutinized by them for 4 days.
Triumphant Entry
Triumphant Entry
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.
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!”
10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”
11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
All four gospels outline this last major public appearance of Christ before His trial and crucifixion. There are some estimates that upwards of 2 million people would be in and around Jerusalem during the time of Passover. Up until this time, Jesus usually told people to not tell who He was or what He had done. This time would be different. He would plan out the entry into Jerusalem, and it would come with great fanfare.
Why the change in the way Christ would have normally acted? The change came as a result of prophecy being fulfilled!
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.
He told two disciples to go into the city (Bethphage), find a donkey and her colt and bring them back; along with instructions to tell anyone that asked “The Lord needs them”. Mark 11:2 tells us the colt had never been ridden. Yet, the colt offered no resistance. Now anyone that has been around an unbroken animal knows they are wild, bucking, and disobedient until broken, trained in the way of their master. Yet this colt was already being ridden by The Master.
6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
The colt was already under dominion of the Master.
The second reason He entered Jerusalem with fanfare was it forced the Jewish leaders hand. They saw the reaction of the crowd and knew they had to kill Jesus.
19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”
We know prophecy tells us that the lamb had to be offered as a sacrifice.
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
When Jesus entered, notice the fanfare He received. They spread their coats out on the roads, along with branches, and were shouting “Hosanna” meaning “Save now!” - an exclamation of adoration. In liturgical use, which, accompanied by the waving of branches at Tabernacles, then becomes a shout of jubilation in the solemn procession around the altar of burnt offering, and which echoes the messianic hope.
1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
The people had heard all Jesus had done. They wanted to see all he was about. And their praise echoed the Psalmist.
25 Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.
They did not recognize His true identity as King, as the only one who could save them.
Unfortunately they were just looking for someone to perform a miracle, not coming to know the miracle-maker Himself.
Plotting While Preparing
Plotting While Preparing
1 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,
2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,
4 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.
5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,
7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table.
8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?
9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.”
10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.
11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.
12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.
13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.
16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
As time drew nearer to the crucifixion, Jesus was preparing to suffer and die. As He was preparing, and preparing the disciples, the Jewish leadership was plotting His death. But notice what they decided…they would not do this during the feast, fearing there would be an uproar. Looking at the other gospels, this must be an afterthought of things that took place earlier in the week while still in Bethany (six days before Passover) at the home of Simon the leper. During that time, a woman (identified as Mary in John) anointed Jesus with a Roman pound (11.5 oz) of costly nard (almost a years wages for the common worker), showing her love and adoration, but also foretelling of what was to come. Unfortunately we see the disciples and especially Judas being displeased, seeing it as a waste! “this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” However, we should not forget Judas was the treasurer, and tended to dip into the treasury. John 12:6
6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Jesus quietens their grumbling with His words. You will have the poor with you forever, but I won’t be around much longer. He reminds them the anointing was done to prepare Him for burial.
At this time, Judas went to the chief priests and sold his and Jesus soul for 30 pieces of silver.
12 Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver.
Not only did Judas commit an atrocity, he did fulfil prophecy.
Passover
Passover
17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’ ”
19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.
20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve.
21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?”
23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me.
24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,
28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread would have been the day the Passover meal was eaten. Peter and John were sent into town to pick up supplies for the Feast and place it in an upper room that “a certain man” will have ready. Again, Christ told them to tell him ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’ Whether earlier arrangements had been made or divine intervention had taken place does not matter. Jesus had to protect His venue unless Judas learn of the place and let the chief priests and elders know where Jesus was going to be. Why the secrecy? The time was not yet at hand.
We see the picture of Christ reclining at the table with the disciples. While with the 12 He makes the announcement “One of you will betray me”. All the disciples were concerned asking “Is it me?” not knowing which one could be guilty. Judas asked the Lord Himself “Is it I, Rabbi?”. Could you imagine being called out in front of all, but more importantly knowing Christ had just announced the betrayal. Notice Jesus did not name Judas by name, but did answer Judas question. “You have said so”.
Judas immediately left.
30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
Jesus went on to institute the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. He took two elements from the Passover feast, the unleavened bread and the cup, and He used these to picture His own death. The broken bread pictured His body given for the sins of the world. The “fruit of the vine” pictured His blood, shed for the remission of sins. The text does not indicate that anything special or mysterious happened to these two elements. They remained bread and the “fruit of the vine” but they now conveyed a deeper meaning: the body and the blood of Jesus Christ.
Closing
Closing
The Lord’s Supper reminds us to look ahead for Christ’s return. We will observe this supper until He comes. The Passover pointed ahead to the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. The Lord’s Supper announces that this great work has been accomplished.