The King’s Entrance

Matthew 21: The End of the Beginning (1)

Pray Psalm 118.7-9.
The LORD is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
It is better to trust in the LORD
Than to put confidence in man.
It is better to trust in the LORD
Than to put confidence in princes.

Sing Psalm 118.7-9.
St. George’s Windsor: Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
For the LORD stands next to me; He will give me victory! 
Over all who hate my life I will triumph through the strife! 
In His grace I refuge find, in His steadfast love so kind. 
Trust not princes, trust not men—Christ shall be our haven then!

Read and meditate on Matthew 21.1-11.
What would you say if someone asked you, “Who is Jesus?”?

Prepare.
1. How did Jesus enter Jerusalem?

2. How did the people respond to His entrance? What did they say about Him?

Meditate.
Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem marks the beginning of the end of the beginning of Jesus’ work of redemption, which He will accomplish over the course of the next week. He entered Jerusalem at the first of the week, and He would finish the beginning of His work by the beginning of the next week.

Jesus had been to Jerusalem before, but never with such fanfare and display. He staged this entry to fulfill the ancient prophecy of Zechariah 9.9 (v. 5). He waited while the two disciples procured the donkey and her colt, and He allowed the people—“a very great multitude” (v. 8)—to announce His arrival in the words of Psalm 118.26 (v. 9). That psalm ends—as this week will—with the sacrificial lamb being offered to God for His praise and glory (Ps. 118.27-29).

The sovereignty of Jesus is demonstrated in the securing of the donkey and her colt. As other gospel accounts report, the owners of those animals questioned why the disciples were taking them, but acquiesced in the Lord’s will, just as Jesus said they would (vv. 3, 4; cf. Mk. 11.4-16; Lk. 19.32-35). He demonstrated His humility by riding, not on a powerful steed (think: Alexander the Great on Bucephalus), but on a lowly donkey’s colt. And He demonstrated the truthfulness of His claim to be the Son of God and King of Israel by allowing the people to declare Him as the Son of David Who brings the salvation of God to His people (v. 9, the meaning of “Hosanna”).

But the people are perhaps more enthusiastic than truly perceptive. They still regard Jesus merely as “the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee” (vv. 10, 11) rather than their true King. No wonder it will be so easy for them to abandon Him, when they see Him beaten and bloody on Friday.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Jesus certainly could have created a donkey and colt out of thin air (Gen. 1.1; John 1.1). After all, He is God.
Or He could’ve gone into the city and found suitable transportation. But He did not.
He sent two of His disciples because He wanted them to learn to trust His every word.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3.5, 6).

He had much greater, and far harder things for them to believe and trust Him about, than these miraculous happenings. “I will be killed. I will rise from the dead three days later” (Matt. 16.31).

He was always teaching; but also comforting and encouraging their hearts for the road ahead.

I said this. And it happened just the way I said it would.
I predict this. And it will happen just the way I say it will (Matt. 28.6).
Trust My every Word” (Ps. 19.7-9).
“As for God, His way is perfect; 
the Word of the LORD is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him” (Ps. 18.30).

Now to the multitude.
Although most of them did waffle and capitulate a week later; their behavior on this day was exemplary. They were simple folk, not many were wealthy; but they did the best with what they had, at that moment in time, to honor a Man they felt worthy. 

They “spread their clothes on the road and others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.” They also surrounded Him with their praise saying, 
“Hosanna to the Son of David! 
Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the LORD! 
Hosanna in the highest!” (Matt. 21.8, 9).

Their actions were so astonishing that “when they came into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying,
‘Who is this?’” 
And in their misunderstanding, they answered, 
“This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee” (Matt. 21.10, 11).

The disciples were learning to trust Jesus’ every Word.
The people were honoring and praising God—as best they could, with what they had.
All was well until…they missed the entire point—partial-praisers are not solid (Matt. 7.24-27; 16.16-18).

This Jesus is no mere prophet. 
He is the Son of God Who can take away the sins of the world (Jn. 1.29, Jn. 3.16). 
He is Prophet, Priest, and King (Deut. 18.15; Heb. 9.12; Jn. 18.37, Rev. 19.16).
He is ruling and will rule. Forever and ever (Acts 1.9-11).

He is Whom we must follow and serve. He is LORD!

But enough about them. What about us?
They were experiencing “near” Christianity. Do we?
They were doing the very best they could. Do we?
Even so, they missed the whole point. Do we?

Their understanding of Him was so muddled they turned from Him to betray Him. Is ours? Could we?

Reflect.
1. How do you expect to know the sovereign power and Presence of Jesus today?

2. What can you do to keep your understanding and vision of Jesus clear and compelling?

3. How do you experience Jesus’ Word as reliable and true?

Even when the crowds grasped that something great was happening, their inward thoughts remained uninformed, lowly, unworthy and lacking in understanding. But Jesus did these things in their presence not to display pomp but as I have said, to fulfill prophecy, teach self-denial and to comfort his disciples, who were grieving for his death. He was showing them that he would suffer all these things willingly. Mark well the accuracy of the prophets, how they foretold all these things, some from David’s psalms, some from Zechariah. John Chrysostom (347-407), The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 66.3

Pray Psalm 118.14-29.
Call on the Lord for His strength today. Seek His power to do His ongoing work of bringing the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Pray that He will grant you a greater measure of His salvation.

Sing Psalm 118.14-29.
St. George’s Windsor: Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
In the Savior we are strong! He is all our strength and song! 
To His grace now raise your voice; in His righteousness rejoice! 
For the LORD does valiantly; we shall live eternally. 
Praise His works with all your breath, you whom He redeems from death. 

All who know Christ’s righteousness His great Name now thank and bless! 
Through His gate the righteous pass, He our saving mercy has. 
Cast aside and left alone, Christ is now our Cornerstone! 
God has made His Son and Word our salvation: Praise the LORD!

Blessed are they who in His Name come and Jesus’ grace proclaim. 
God His light upon us shines in the Savior’s sacrifice. 
Praise and thanks to You, O LORD; we extol Your holy Word! 
Thanks to You for You are good! Thanks to our great loving God!

T. M. and Susie Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

Other columns of interest: This week: Our Read Moore podcast continues readings from the book, The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart. Our Crosfigell teaching letter is pursuing a series on the spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column is working through a study of the role of reason in the life of faith. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.