Everybody Loves a Parade...Except the Pharisees

A Long Awaited Day

For centuries, the Jewish people had longed for this day.  The day when their Messiah triumphantly road into Jerusalem.  But as the crowds roared for Jesus as He sat on the back of young donkey, it was a bittersweet day at best.  

The Son of God would certainly begin the most messianic week of His incarnation.  But the same people cheering for Him on Sunday would be the same people calling for His crucifixion on Friday. 

A Power Trip

Luke clearly ties Jesus’ Palm Sunday parade with His Parable of the Ten Minas (Lk 19:11-27).  “And when He had said these things, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem” (v28).  I wonder if the good doctor is tying Christ’s words about stewarding God’s blessings (v26-27) with the Pharisees whining about the cheering crowds (v39).  

The Pharisees had been blessed with a strategic position to bring glory to God and to leverage it for His kingdom.  Clearly they had not.  It had become all about them.  All about their power.  And nothing was going to pull the plug on their power trip.
 
A Visit to Jericho

Jesus’ visit to Jericho was short but memorable.  He has healed blind Bartimaeus (Lk 18:35-43).  He went to home of the notorious Zacchaeus to celebrate His salvation (Lk 19:1-10).  As He headed out of town (possibly while still in Zach’s living room), Christ told of the ten minas (Lk 19:11-27).

Dr. Luke once again reminds us that Jesus is on a mission (v28).  He will not be deterred from what awaits in Jerusalem (Lk 9:51, 53).  The author describes the route as from Jericho to Bethphage and Bethany into Jerusalem.  The trip from Jericho to Bethany and Bethphage is a rugged uphill climb.  

Remember Jerusalem is a city on a mountain.  Jericho sits on the Jerusalem highway on the way from the Jordan River valley, part of the lowest section of the planet below sea level.  Jesus‘ traveling party made the steep ascent from Jericho to Bethphage and Bethany which sat on the hip of the Mount of Olives.
 
Borrowing a Ride

Here, Jesus turns to a pair of unnamed disciples and gives them curious instructions (v29-31).  Go into the next village.  They’ll see a colt tied to a post.  This animal has never been ridden.  Untie it and bring him to Jesus.  Someone may ask what you’re doing.  If so, just tell them, “The Lord needs it.”

Don’t miss the immediate obedience of these two.  They do exactly as Jesus tells them.  It makes me wonder if I'm as I quick to obey? 

Prophet with a Capital "P"

These two “found it just as He had told them” (v32).  Was this because Jesus had made previous arrangements?  Possibly.  But I think it is another indication of the God-Man’s divinity.  In His prophetic omniscience, Jesus knew the young donkey would be exactly as the disciples would find it.  

Jesus is the Prophet with a capital “P.”  

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Christ was so spot on with His description of what they would find that He even gave them a preview of the conversation they would have with the owner of the colt.  And even more amazingly, the owner of the young donkey accepted their reason and allowed them to take the animal.  

Was this person familiar with Jesus?  Possibly.  Remember, Christ had raised Lazarus from the dead just days or weeks before in this same neighborhood. It's been all the papers and trending on social media.
 
The Prophetic Donkey

This passage actually drips with prophecy.  On top of Jesus‘ omniscient insight into the young donkey, these verses send us scrambling back to the OT.  Jesus’ choice of a donkey is anything but random.  The prophet Zechariah declared,
            Behold, your King is coming to you;
            Righteous and having salvation is He,
            Humble and mounted on a donkey,
            On a cold, the foal of a donkey. (Zech 9:9)
 
A Humble Ride

Zechariah wrote about this amazing day centuries before.  Messiah would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey.  Not a horse.  Not on a chariot.  On a donkey.  It is a sign of the  humble nature of the Jesus’ incarnation.  And there is some indication that the kings of Israel often road young donkeys as an indication of their position.

The people prepare the donkey for the parade.  They toss their cloaks onto the colt since they don’t have a saddle (v35).  Then they lifted the Lord onto the donkey’s back.
 
The Parade Begins

The Palm Sunday parade had begun.  People began taking off their cloaks, their outer garments, and throwing them on the dusty road before Jesus (v36).  This is an ultimate show of respect.  They did not want the hooves of Messiah’s mount to touch the unpaved street.  

This would be like taking off your suit coat or blazer and throwing on a filthy dirt path so that livestock could walk over it.  Picture Sir Walter Raleigh throwing his velvet cloak over the mud for his queen.  It’s interesting to note that Luke doesn’t tell us that this is Sunday and he doesn’t mention the palm branches.  Just cloaks.
 
And the Crowd Goes Wild!

Things get crazy as the donkey riding Jesus descends from the crest of the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem.  “The whole multitude of His disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen” (v37).  

What a crazy scene!  The crowd goes wild as Messiah rides into the city!  They cheer because they have witnessed Jesus performing miracle after miracle.  Again, this will all change in just a few short days.  Many of these same people will demand this Man’s execution in five days. 

Here Comes the King!

The crowd sang, chanted and cheered as Jesus made His way down the Mount of Olives toward the Golden Gate into the city of Jerusalem.  Once again, our OT comes in very handy.  The people shout, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” (v38).  

Peace in Heaven and on Earth

This is a direct quote from Ps 118:26.  The crowd cheers Jesus as King, the long-awaited Son of David to sit upon the throne of Israel.  Messiah has come!

They go on to yell, “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”  The people joyfully echo what the angels sang to the shepherds in the Judean hills some 33 years ago.  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!” (Lk 2:14).  In other words, there is now peace in heaven because the Prince of Peace has come to reconcile God and His people.
 
Furious Pharisees

Everybody loves a parade.  Except of course for the Pharisees (v39).  Some of these goobers had made their way into the crowd.  They are like so many of us.  We like to get mad.  We take some sort of sick joy in getting fired up about our enemies.  How ridiculous and sinful is that?!?!  

Well, these Pharisees were furious.  They yell to Jesus to tell His followers to shut up and shut up NOW.
 
Let the Stones Cheer

I love Jesus’ response.  “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (v40).  In other words, boys, if he told them to be quiet it wouldn’t make any difference.  If the people stopped cheering, something else would start cheering.  The stones.  

All throughout the Bible, we read of creation praising God.  That’s what Jesus is saying.  Don’t miss the fact that Jesus is clearly claiming to be God!  

Not only is He accepting the worship of the people, but He tells the Pharisees that even inanimate objects would sing praise to Him if the crowd quieted down.  In other words, Jesus tells the Pharisees that He is God and there is nothing they can do about it. 

Let’s Go Crazy!

Do you ever find yourself in the role of playing the religious police?  Someone is OVERLY enthusiastic about what God has done or is doing in their life.  You feel they need to pump their brakes just a bit.  Let’s not get crazy about this.  Let’s be dignified in our praise.  Settle down.  

Why shouldn’t we be like King David when he led the parade for the Ark of the Covenant, dancing like fool?  

Why shouldn’t we be like the sinful woman who poured her expensive perfume over Jesus?  

Not only should we not stop these people in their enthusiastic and extravagant worship, we should join them!!! 

©2017 

Jay Jennings