Matthew 21:9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
With the stage set by Jesus riding up the path toward the capitol city of Israel on the back of a donkey, (and the Bible makes it clear that this is a colt, not even full grown nor ridden upon donkey), we're greeted with a crowd of people cheering Him on, with their praise of Him as the King of Israel! How many of the Jews understand what they are saying or doing?
I remember this scene in Sunday School, with the David C Cook materials being handed out to our little grade school class, a sheet with an illustration of Jesus, legs akimbo on the back of a quiet steed, palm branches paving the road up to the walls and gate. A group of people with hands waving in the air were around the man and the animal, yelling happily about His arrival at the city. I never understood that scene. First, did people connect Jesus riding on the donkey with His oft repeated message bout the Kingdom of God? Did they remember Deuteromony's warning about kings NOT riding horses? Were ANY of them aware that Jesus was riding to his betrayal?
The celebration is pretty heady stuff if the words they were yelling are of any significance. The crucial point is, that Jesus was riding into Jerusalem in the midst of this crowd who had gathered and were verbally crowning him King of Israel, praising God and giving recognition of Him of the lineage of David, praising God and blessing the Lord at a time when He's about to be betrayed!
In hours, Jesus will overturn the tables of corrupt money changers, chase out animals being sold for sacrifices and yelling about a "den of thieves" as He clears the temple! In the matter of perhaps 72 hours, the Lord goes from vaunted King, to angry Lord, to crucifief Jesus. He is all of those! as we approach this Easter, Let's meditate on the Jesus who brings the Kingdom of God to the world, has preached about humility, and finally is led, bloody and stumbling, to a cross, cursed by Roman soldiers and Pharisees alike, and crucified. It is this Jesus who saves us for all eternity!
Indeed, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" Lord, open our eyes that we may see You in the midst of our chaos and and fear, our questions and our wonder.
