Good morning,
The next six weeks we will be studying Jesus’ last week on earth and Passover.
This week, we will look at four perspectives of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. They come from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
The Triumphal Entry in All Four Gospels
All four of the Gospel accounts record Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem but each one chose to include certain details important to their respective audiences.
MATTHEW 21:1-11
And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,5 Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
The book of Matthew was primarily written with the focus to portray Jesus as Israel’s promised Messianic King. He recorded this account for Jewish people whose background was the Old Testament. Thus, they understood the Law and the Prophets. Specific prophecies like Zechariah 9:9 would have stuck out which Matthew quoted to pinpoint Jesus’ fulfillment of that five-hundred-year-old promise.
As the people were shouting His praises, Matthew made sure to document their acknowledgment and confession of Him being the Son of David which he also began his account with regarding Christ’s genealogy (1:1). This proved both His birth-right and legal-right to the throne of David as their King. Another interesting point to take note of is that, at the beginning of the book, when the wise men came to worship baby Jesus, the whole city was “troubled” (2:3), and now nearing the end of the book, “the whole city was stirred up” (21:10). Things happen when Jesus is in a city!
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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