The Gospel of John - part 30
The Triumphal Entry of Our King
In America we typically struggle with royal imagery. 200 years ago we rid ourselves of monarchy, so typically we are not too interested in them. I am fascinated by the number of Americans who actually keep up with British Royal gossip. Personally, I haven’t cared about British royalty since 1776.
Consider what is probably the closest thing to a kingly image we have in the US.
“Washington Crossing the Delaware”
Emanuel Leutze, 1851
I’m sure you recognize this painting as “Washington Crossing the Delaware”. It was painted in 1851 by Emanuel Leutze. He grew up in America, but moved to Germany as an adult. During the Revolutions of 1848, Leutze wanted to inspire his German brothers to revolt. He chose Washington, naturally, and used this particular event because this was a turning point in the War. Instead of waiting for the British to attack, Washington chose to cross the freezing river in order to surprise them. Thankfully, it worked out very well.
But look how Leutze paints Washington. He has that regal pose, standing in the boat which shouldn’t be done, but it’s Washington so he can do that. He stands stately and still as his men row with determination. His eyes are fixed on the shore and the coming victory. Leutze even purposefully included a variety of ethnicities in the boat to show how Washington led to fulfilling the motto E Pluribus Unum — ‘from many, one’. It’s how we imagine all our heroes. Full of power and determination to make right and defeat an oppressive enemy.
It is a powerful image, because it incorporates what we want in this physical world of our heroes. However, the image we are about to read in John is slightly different. The One True King does not come riding for battle, at least not the kind of battle we would expect.
“Jesus Enters Jerusalem and the Crowds Welcome Him”
Pietro Lorenzetti, 1320
Consider this next painting, “Jesus Enters Jerusalem and the Crowds Welcome Him” by Pietro Lorenzetti in 1320. Here, we don’t see the hero riding into battle, but gently on a donkey. The donkey’s head and ears are low to demonstrate their own humility. Jesus doesn’t hold a saber, but instead has the two fingers in the pose of a teacher. He is regal in the blue tunic and golden halo, however this is not a king of war but the Prince of Peace.
Contrasting these two paintings helps us to remember that our King is not like any other king or president. He came in humility so that we can be saved. He will return victorious over his enemies, but that victory does not come with sword or gun.
Today, I would like us to read the story of Jesus’ entrance, but then also look at it from the standpoint of the story of salvation, the symbolism within the story, and then what it means for us who follow the King.
The Prophecy of Triumph
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall speak peace to the nations;
his rule shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Zechariah 9:9-10
The story of Jesus entering Jerusalem actually begins much earlier during the time of the Exile. Zechariah 9:9, which all the Gospel writers cite, tells Israel to rejoice because her king is coming, “humble and mounted on a donkey”. In verse 10, the king will speak peace to the nations and rule “from sea to sea”.
The Israelites knew from Jeremiah the Exile would only last 70 years, but they were also learning of the time when the Messiah would usher in a new age of freedom. The Messiah would overthrow the oppressors and establish an eternal kingdom. When the people saw Jesus entering Jerusalem riding on the donkey, they praised Him as the Messiah-King. And, when Jesus no longer told them to keep quiet about His identity, it spurred their praises even more. John uses the imperfect form of ‘praise’ denoting that they kept praising while He entered and passed by. Notice also that Jesus isn’t moving into their path, they are seeking Him out. The imagery is exactly as Zechariah foretold—the king has entered Jerusalem and the people call out in praise.
Jesus fulfilled Zechariah 9:9-10 when He entered Jerusalem on a donkey.
The Symbols of Triumph
The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,
“Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!”
His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness.The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”
John 12:12-19
The Palm Branches
Palm branches were readily available whether from the trees in season or from the people’s homes. Palm sheaves were used in tabernacles, so it would not have been difficult to find some ready to use. Regardless where they came from, the significance is known to all in the crowd. Victors who rode into a city would receive praise in the form of palm branch waving. Kings of the past and the Maccabees of more recent history would ride into the city while the people sung praises and waved palm branches.
Palm branches were waved for victors and kings.
The Donkey
Jesus enters into Jerusalem as a King. However, He rides a donkey in order to show that He is a King of peace. In the ancient Middle East, a king entering a city could ride on either a horse or donkey. On a horse, he demonstrated his intentions of war and conquest. On a donkey, he demonstrated coming in peace. Consider 1 Kings 1:33 where Solomon rides a donkey to his coronation. The importance of the donkey goes back to Zechariah 9:9 and that Jesus is entering in peace. It reminds us the victory Jesus brought with Him was not a military victory or an overthrow of Roman authority. It is a spiritual victory that would bring about a new age for humanity.
The donkey emphasizes the peaceful mission of Christ.
Although the donkey was available to royalty in the ancient Middle East, the modern Western World has not been as kind to the lowly animal. In the 19th century, G. K. Chesterton wrote a poem about the poor creature on his greatest day, which I will share with you now.
G.K. Chesterton (1874–1936)
The Donkey
When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born;
With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil's walking parody
On all four-footed things.
The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.
Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.
Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
The last symbol is what the people said. They cried out Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! You will find this song in Psalm 118:25-26. This song was sung during the Feast of Tabernacles and when the priest came to the ‘Hosanna’ or “Lord, save us”, every man and boy would shout ‘Hosanna’ and wave their lulabs in the air. What’s a lulab, you ask? It is a bunch of willow and myrtle tied together with a palm leaf. The term ‘Hosanna’ coupled with the phrase “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” makes it absolutely clear to John’s original readers and the Jewish leaders this crowd proclaimed Jesus the Messiah.
The shouts of ‘Hosanna!’ were for the Messiah.
Another Chapter to the Story
The Jews are jealous of Jesus’ popularity and exclaim “the world is going after him”. They hope to end His popularity by killing Him, but that will only make their ironic prophecy come true. It is in Jesus’ death that He will be glorified by Resurrection and all the world will go after Him. Whether in faith or in defeat, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Let’s look ahead at the end of the story.
Revelation 7 echoes the Triumphal Entry in verses 9-12. Let’s read:
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.
Revelation 7:9-12
The Jews ironically prophesy the truth of Jesus’ coming reign.
The First Advent of Christ is the Messiah of Peace coming to bridge the divide between Heaven and Earth. When Christ returns, it will be to abolish sin and destroy the remnants of evil on the earth. Revelation continues to describe the events that lead to the New Heaven and New Earth where every tear is wiped from our eyes and all is made right in the world. This re-creation is only possible because the King of the Universe stepped down from his throne in Heaven in order to redeem mankind.
Sometimes it is hard for us to reconcile this triumphant entry into Jerusalem with the coming death of our Lord, but that is the triumph—that is how the Messiah accomplished His victory over Satan and death. He willingly went to the cross to be the payment for our sin, then after being buried, He arose on the third day. It is His glorious death and resurrection that gives Him the Ultimate Victory over sin and death. And it is into that victory He calls us.
Let’s return to our passage for the last bit.
Following in Triumph
Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
John 12:20-26
Greeks show up as the first gentile fruit. John mentions some of the Greeks ask to see Jesus. They are unsure if they will be welcomed, after all they are Gentiles in Jerusalem. However, they have seen enough to know Jesus is someone to look into. When Jesus cleansed the Temple, the overturning of the tables would have been in the Gentile courts, so it is possible these Greeks watched Jesus castigate the Jewish leaders and money changers. By the time John writes his gospel, many Greeks have already come to saving faith in Christ. They were the first gentiles to do so, with the Ethiopians being a close second.
However, not only do we see the first gentiles coming to faith, but we also are given the keys to the Kingdom. Look again at 25-26.
First, Jesus uses an analogy. In order for the wheat to grow, the seed has to fall and die. Now, we don’t typically think of a seed ‘dying’, but picture it. The seed is buried as the dead are buried, and the seed breaks apart just as the body decays. The seed eventually disappears, and the wheat takes its place. Which is better? Seeds have the potential, but the wheat is the actuality of that potential. It is the wheat that can be used. The seed is the vessel to get that wheat—and, once the plant matures, it can bear more seeds and more fruit.
Second, verse 25 is the explanation. This life is just the seed. It is only when we put our old self to death that we find eternal life. To help with the explanation, we have to look at the Greek a bit. I believe we have looked at these words before, but a refresher is always helpful. The word ‘life’ we have in English is three different words in the Greek. Here, Jesus uses two of them. In the first part, ‘life’ is psyche which points to a way of thinking or lifestyle. It is used here to mean the earthly life—the seed. Whoever loves this life will lose it, because this life is passing away. There will come a point when this life is over—whether yours personally, or at the end as we saw in Revelation. However, those who are willing to bury this life (i.e. ‘hate’) will receive eternal life—zoe aeonios. ‘Zoe’ is used here to mean a heavenly life. Whenever Jesus talks about eternal life, it is zoe. It points to a greater reality that can only be seen through the new birth. It is the life in the Kingdom of God.
The seed is this life which has to be put to death.
Last, verse 26 presents us with the picture of burying the seed. Jesus is about to go the cross, and He says that if anyone serves Him they must follow Him. Follow Him where? To the cross. The Synoptics record it this way: “Whoever wants to come after Me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” Whoever is willing to lay this life down will find greater life. The seed is only potential, but in its death it finds resurrection and life that bears more life. When we lay this life down, we find eternal life that bears more life around us.
The wheat is eternal life which bears more seeds and more life.
As I said, we typically don’t care for monarchs in America. And we did just celebrate our declaration of independence and ridding ourselves of English oppression. However, as Christians, we must always remember that we serve the One True King. Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the First and the Last, Alpha and Omega. His triumphant entry into Jerusalem was nothing compared to the celebration that is to come when all nations and all peoples shout Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
But that celebration is only for those who have laid this life down.
Today, if you have not surrendered to the King of Kings, then now is the time to put your faith in Him. He rode into Jerusalem on a mission of peace that culminated with dying on a cross to pay the penalty for your sin, then He arose on Sunday morning proving who He said He was and proving what he can do for all who will call on His name.
Turn away from this life and look for eternal life found in Jesus.