Lesson 35

Here Comes The King!

John 12:12-22

The first month of the Jewish year was known as Nisan. It means beginnings. John 12:12-50, our text for today, took place during the month of Nisan. In the old testament law, Exodus 12:2-6, God had said that the 14th day of the first month was the day when Jews were to celebrate the Passover. On the 14th day of the first month the passover lamb would be slain. The law also said (Exodus 12:2-6) that that lamb was to be selected on the tenth day of the first month. The events recorded in our text occurred on the tenth day of the Nisan. Historical records indicate that somewhere around 250,000 lambs were selected and slain in Jerusalem at passover during the days of the New Testament.

At Passover season, Jerusalem was the delight of the Jews and the despair of the Romans. thousands of devout Jews from all over the world would make a pilgrimage to the holy city, their hearts filled with excitement and nationalistic fervor. The population of Jerusalem more than tripled during Passover. It has been estimated that 2 million people were in Jerusalem for this feast.

Roman soldiers were in a heightened state of alert. It wasn't uncommon under Roman occupation of Palestine, for their to be Jewish uprisings during the passover feast. Pilate, the Roman governor of the region and all of the military were watching for an incident where Jewish Zealots could create and uprising and attempt a sedition against the Romans.

It was on this day, the tenth day of the first month, the day when those who were celebrating the Passover were selecting their lamb, that the Lamb whom God had chosen to taken away the sins of the world entered Jerusalem. Some people call this event "The Triumphant Entry". Some refer to it as "Palm Sunday." (Whether it was actually a Sunday or not, the Bible does not clearly say. As best as I can calculate, I believe that Jesus was crucified on a Thursday, thus, this was indeed the first day of the week). Some call it the first day of "Passion Week". (Christ's suffering and dying is referred to as His passion in Acts 1:3; the Greek word translated "passion" is most often translated "suffering"). I call it Hear Comes The King.

All four of the gospel accounts record this event. When you put them all together, you discover that the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem was written about with great detail. We shall concentrate on the account recorded by John. In John, the scene shifts from a quiet dinner party at the home of Lazarus and his sisters to the noisy, public parade in Jerusalem. From Bethany to Jerusalem is a very short trip by way of the Mt. of Olives.

Everything that Jesus does here is very intentional and deliberate. Verse 14 says only that he found a young burro. The other three gospels make a point to explain all the exact details about how the little donkey is found. Why all of this? Because "it is written"! You see, Jesus is fulfilling Old Testament prophecy to the most minute detail. Some 500 years previous, the prophet Zacharias had written (Zec 9:9) "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." And Jesus rides into Jerusalem. Here comes the King!

For Jesus, this moment represents the end of His pilgrimage. Born in a manger in Bethlehem, followed by 30 years of obscurity in Nazareth, then a three year ministry - traveling, teaching, performing miracles and calling men and women to believe in Him, to embrace Him as their Messiah and Savior, has all led up to this moment.

John tells us about the various groups of people who have gathered in Jerusalem and are witness to the arrival of Jesus. In fact, he gives us a snapshot, a verbal photograph of each group.

The Fickle Crowd, 12:12-13.

The Jews from Palestine are aware of this man Jesus. They spread their garments in the road before Jesus (Matthew 21:8) and some cut palm leaves and spread them in the road. They began to shout and sing and praise God. "Hosanna to the son of David" (a title for Messiah), "Hosanna to the King of Israel". Hosanna means Lord save us. This is a quote from Psalm 118:25-26 - "Save, now, I beseech thee O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord ..." Can you hear them? Hosanna to the King of Israel.

Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Can you see it? Can you imagine it? What a procession! And Jesus comes riding into Jerusalem on a little burro. How different King Jesus' parade is from that of a Roman hero. They would arrive on white stallions or perhaps in an elaborate golden chariot. But Jesus comes on a little donkey. He comes meek and humbly, down the steep hillside from the Mt. of Olives toward the eastern gate. The view of the city from there is absolutely breathtaking! I have stood there and looked down at the whole city, the wall that weaves its way around the perimeters, the East Gate, the Temple mount which is clearly seen from the Mt. of Olives.

Some Jews had traveled from afar, from outside the borders of Palestine and they asked (Matthew 21:10), "Who is this?" This is the son of David, this is the King of Israel, this is that prophet from Nazareth! Hosanna! But in just a few days, these same people who today are shouting "Hosanna" will be shouting "Crucify him, Crucify Jesus." They are fickle.

The Confused Disciples, 12:16.

As deliberate and intentional as Jesus is being, his disciples still do not understand. They don't have the foggiest idea that Jesus is fulfilling prophecy. But later, after his death and resurrection, they remember. Can you see the dull disciples with a blank look on their faces?

The Hate-filled Pharisees, 12:19.

Verse 19 gives us another snapshot from the crowd. This is a photograph of anger and hatred. The Pharisees are not at all happy with what they see happening. Just a few days earlier they had put out the word, if anyone saw Jesus to let them know (11:57). They are ready to move against him and have him arrested. And then, when Jesus comes riding into Jerusalem in the midst of this huge crowd of shouting people, the Pharisees are heard to say among themselves, "Perceive ye, how we prevail nothing? Behold, the world is gone after him." Can you feel their resentment against him? Can you hear their hatred?

An then, as if to illustrate that indeed the whole world is going after Jesus, John tells us (vss. 20-22) of some Greeks who requested, "We would see Jesus." One of John's major themes is that Jesus is the Savior of the world, not simply the Redeemer of Israel. He is "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (1:29). "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son" (3:16). Jesus is the "Saviour of the world" (4:42). He gives his 'life unto the world" (6:33). He is "the light of the world" (8:12). Jesus is also interested in "others sheep" - that is, those outside of the Jewish fold (10:16). Salvation reaches out to the world. Here are some God-fearing Greeks who have come to Jerusalem to worship at the feast of the passover and want to see Jesus. We commend these Greeks for wanting this desire. The Jews would have said, "We would see a sign" but these men said, "We would see Jesus."

My hope is that that would be your desire today. Don't be like the crowd, so fickle, vacillating in your affection and loyalty to Jesus from one moment to the next. Don't be like those confused disciples or those hateful Pharisees. Be like the Greeks who say, "We would see Jesus."