Palm Sunday - Triumphal Entry

Starting with his entry into Jerusalem, Jesus signals that this is no ordinary visit.  For one accustomed to walking everywhere, why ride a donkey?  With two million people converging on the city in preparation for Passover, why not just walk the couple of miles that separates the village of Bethany from the walls of Jerusalem?  Instead, he arrives mounted on a donkey, the royal means of transportation during peace time.  The symbolism is not lost on either the crowd or on those in authority.  Jesus might as well have painted a sign on himself that said, “Here I am!  King Jesus!  Come and get me!”

The crowd is ready for a new king and celebrates his entrance into
Jerusalem with constructing a road of branches.  They had suffered at the hands of Rome long enough and are willing to follow anyone who will bring freedom to their land, especially a miracle working rabbi reminiscent of Moses, the miracle worker who had delivered them out of Egyptian bondage 2,000 years prior.  And as for the authorities, what could be more frightening than a city filled with citizenry who both hates Rome and is looking for a messiah to rescue them from an occupying force?  Jerusalem is a powder keg ready to explode at a moment’s notice with Jesus serving as the fuse.

Why does the crowd turn against Jesus just days later?  Jesus doesn’t deliver.  The uprising never comes.  Their so called king lets them down, and the realization that
Rome
is here to stay is enough to turn any man from friend to foe.


(Excerpt from Steve's new book, God Is Not A Vending Machine)

 

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