Title: The Triumphal Entry
Traditionally, the Sunday before Easter is celebrated by Christians as Palm Sunday…can anybody tell me why?
Now, some of you were here when it took us 7 1/2 years to work through the gospel of Matthew. Some of that is because of how Matthew was laid out. Matthew spends the first two chapters of his Gospel talking about Jesus’s birth, then spends 17 chapters covering Jesus’s life and ministry. Then, starting in chapter 21, he spends the last 8 chapters talking about what is, quite literally, the last week of Jesus’s life.
This tells us a lot about how important Matthew thought this last week of Jesus’s life was. He dedicates roughly 30% of his writing just covering week of Jesus entering Jerusalem, cleaning the temple, teaching in the temple (which is what we are covering now) and then his arrest, trial, crucifixion, burial and resurrection.
To put that into preaching timeline terms. Next week we will talk about the resurrection obviously it will be Easter. But when we went through Matthew verse by verse, there were three years between the day that I preached the triumph, full entry sermon, and when I preached what would be considered the resurrection Easter servant. Can anyone take a guess as to why Matthew spends 30% of his gospel covering the last week of Jesus’s life?
Today, I want to examine WHY these things had to happen the way that they did, why Matthew places such a premium on scripture being fulfilled.
Why did Jesus need to come in on a colt?
Matthew gives an answer in verse 4. All of this had to happen to fulfill O.T. prophecy concerning the coming Messiah.
Verse 5 is referencing at least 2 O.T. prophecies.
Isaiah 62:11
“Indeed the Lord has proclaimed
To the end of our world:
‘Say to the daughter of Zion,
Surely your salvation is coming;
Behold, His reward is with Him,
and His work before Him.’”
Zechariah 9:9
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
a cold, the foal of a donkey.”
There are certainly some conclusions we can reach, just from a brief look at these two O.T. prophecies:
- The King/The Messiah/Salvation are all part of the promised package.
- He is “coming in low.”
- There is a connection between “His reward” and “His work.”
Why the clothes on the road and the palm branches?
2 Kings 9:13
“Then each man hastened to take his garment and put it under him on the top of the steps; and they blew the trumpets saying, ‘Jehu is King!’”
This was a sign of respect for the King. It goes back to the story of Elisha proclaiming that Jehu was to be the next King in Israel. Immediately, all who were around Jehu laid their garments down so that Jehu, the new king, would never actually touch the ground.
This was not something you did for anyone, just the king.
Leviticus 23:40
“And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.”
So these practices, while they may seem strange to you and me, and also to any Gentiles and Romans watching this spectacle, was a very clear message from these Jews: This was their Messiah, this was their King, and he was coming to reclaim Jerusalem.
That is precisely why, in Luke’s account, the Pharisees (being experts in the Law) rushed out to rebuke Jesus and his disciples.
Luke 19:39-40
“And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”
But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.’”
Wow. Jesus is saying to the Pharisees; THIS is all part of my Father’s plan. This must come to pass. It is right for them to be treating me like what I am. If they would stop, the whole of nature would be turned on it’s side. There is nothing more right in the universe than what they are doing right now.
Two thoughts:
- Can you see why, particularly AFTER this triumphal entry, it was so hard for the apostles still to grasp the concept that their Messiah came to Jerusalem to die?
- Do you now understand how much of a threat the Pharisees now saw Jesus as? After this “stunt” where he clearly comes into Jerusalem “playing the part” of the Messiah, and has the people eating from the palm of his hand, treating him like the returning King. At this point, there is no other option, they have to kill him because his sway over the people is out of control. He’s already convinced them he’s their king!
The Point of the Matter:
(read v. 10,11)
With this entry, with this pomp and circumstance, “all the city was moved.” They all stood up an took notice…something is going on.
Have any of you ever seen the Presidential motorcade pass by in person?
(Story of visiting Jodie and someone…not sure who…went by, and EVERYONE stopped and looked…and this was D.C. in 1998.)
And the city’s natural question was, “Who is this?”
And that, my friends, is the entire point.
Who is this Jesus?
It is, without question or hesitation, the most important question any human being has ever asked themselves or another person.
Eternities are sealed solely upon the basis of the answer to that question.
Nations rise and fall solely upon the basis of the answer to that question.
Universes are born and die solely upon he basis of the answer to that question.
Who. Is. Jesus?
Next week’s message will push that question even harder, for we will see Jesus say and do what no man has ever said and done.