Sermon Cloud

Jesus and his disciples have been making their way to Jerusalem . Verse 29 says that “a great crowd followed them.” Tens of thousands (possibly upward of 2,000,000!) of people made their way to Jerusalem for the Passover. Jesus is quite popular, and a number of people have begun to follow him and his disciples.

 

 

The road they have been traveling from Jericho to Jerusalem was a military highway that, in the distance of seventeen miles, climbed three thousand feet. It passed through Bethphage, then over the Mount of Olives, though a valley and then into Jerusalem . The Mount of Olives stands about 300 feet higher than the temple hill, offering a marvelous view of the city. It is here that Jesus stops—in a place where his actions and entrance will be easily noticed, especially by the great crowd following them

 

 

The first thing that we should notice is: Jesus is intentional about crafting his entrance. Jesus arranges this on purpose, wanting this to happen.

 

 

Jesus sends two of his disciples into town with some instructions. “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.”

 

 

Jesus is intentional about riding into Jerusalem on a colt. This is, in the words of Don Carson, an “acted parable.” Jesus told ‘parables’ that contained truths about himself or the kingdom that would be understood only by those with “ears to hear.” Here Jesus is arranging his entrance to tell us something about himself. Those with “eyes to see” (or minds to remember after his resurrection) will understand what Jesus is saying about himself.

 

 

What Does This Mean?

 

The question that we should be asking is: What is Jesus saying about himself?

 

 

We aren’t left wondering. Just as Jesus made an intentional pause on the Mount of Olives , Matthew makes an intentional pause in his recording of this event to ensure that we read it rightly. Instead of continuing on his narration of events, Matthew pauses to give us theological commentary on what is about to happen. In verse 4, Matthew tells us, “this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet…” and then quotes the prophet Zechariah, “Say to the daughter of Zion , ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

 

 

Matthew interprets the meaning of this entrance for us as a fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy.

 

 

Matthew could have told us this at the end of this account. So, why does he interrupt the flow of thought to point this out? Matthew interprets it for us before he describes it to us, indicating that he wants us to read what follows as the fulfillment of that to which Zechariah was pointing forward.

 

 

We must understand Zechariah 9 before we can fully appreciate this “Triumphal Entry.” (Just as we must understand the Triumphal Entry to fully appreciate Zechariah 9.) So, go with me back to Zechariah 9 and let’s ask the question, “What does Zechariah 9 tell us?”

 

 

Zechariah 9

 

Zechariah was a prophet to Jewish exiles who had returned to Jerusalem roughly 550 years prior to the events recording in Matthew’s gospel. He encouraged the exiles who returned to Jerusalem to repent of their sins and renew their covenant with the Lord. He reminded them that the Lord is faithful to his covenant people and would one day establish his rule over all the earth.

 

 

On this note, Zechariah 9 foretold the arrival of the Warrior God through his agent, the King, to bring salvation. I want to look through Zechariah 9 and briefly fill out each aspect of that statement.

 

 

…the arrival of the Warrior God… (Zech 9:1-8)

 

In chapter 9, verses 1-8, we see the Lord spoken of as an approaching warrior who is about to arrive.

 

 

…to destroy His enemies,

 

His approach should not be taken lightly. Zechariah catalogues several nations and cities who were early enemies of Israel .

 

 

God is coming to destroy His enemies. In verses 4-6, we get a glimpse of what the Warrior God intends toward his enemies:

 

But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down her power on the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire. Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid; Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish; Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded. The king shall perish from Gaza; Ashkelon shall be uninhabited; a mixed people shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of Philistia .

This should be a reminder to us that the Lord has enemies, that he is against them, and that he will conquer them.

 

 

…to save a remnant from out of His enemies,

 

After these words of destruction, we read something surprising. Philistia and her cities (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod ) have just been mentioned. The Philisties were notorious enemies of Israel . Goliath was a Philistine. And then, of the Philistines, the Lord says,

 

I will take away its blood from its mouth, and its abominations from between its teeth; it too shall be a remnant for our God; it shall be like a clan in Judah , and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.

 

The Lord is promising that he will take away the uncleanness of this Gentile nation and from them have a “remnant.” He will purify people from the Gentiles—from his enemies—for himself. This Warrior God will save a remnant from out of His enemies.

 

 

In fact, even more startling, is that these Gentiles will be “like a clan in Judah .” Judah , of course, was as ruling clan. Jacob prophesied of Judah (Genesis 49:10), “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet...” This means that not only will the Lord save a remnant from out of the nations, but they shall even be leaders amongst his people.

 

 

This is a reminder to us that being a part of the Lord’s covenant people and being an heir to the covenant promises made to Abraham was never ultimately a matter of having Abraham’s blood, but a matter of having Abraham’s faith. “Know then,” Paul writes in Galatians 3:7, “that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.”

 

 

…and to save His people with finality.

 

When all this has happened—when the Lord’s enemies are destroyed and a Gentile remnant is grafted into his people—the Lord will save His people with finality.

 

 

The Lord will encamp in his house—he will take his throne in the Temple —and see to it that no oppressor will ever trample his people again. On that day, it may be said:

 

Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:3-4)

 

 

…through his agent, the King… (9-10)

 

This is good news for God’s people. Zechariah calls upon Israel to celebrate the Good News of the Lord’s coming reign: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion ! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem !”

 

 

In verses 1-8 and again in verses 10-17, Zechariah described the arrival of “the Lord.” However, in verses 9-10, Zechariah calls upon Israel to behold the arrival of her “king”—“Behold, your king is coming to you…”

 

 

The King of Israel is God’s chosen servant, his anointed agent through whom the Lord rules. The King was described as Yahweh’s “Son.” To disobey or dishonor or attack the Lord’s King was nothing less than to disobey and dishonor and attack the Lord Himself.

 

 

Here, we see a man coming—distinct from the Lord, yet closely identified with him—who is the King. This tells us that the Warrior God will come through his agent, the King. He is the one whom we should look for to conquer his enemies, save a remnant of the nations and save them with finality.

 

 

…who comes to Jerusalem ,

 

Zion, Jerusalem —the capitol city of the Kingdom—is told to rejoice because the King is coming to her. The king will come to Jerusalem —to the capitol city—because that is where Kings dwell when they are not at war. Jerusalem may rejoice because the King is coming in victory.

 

 

What we read in verse 8 about the Lord encamping at his house to ensure peace for his people will happen through his agent, the King, when he comes to the capitol city.

 

 

This King will be utterly unlike the kings of the nations and so many of Israel ’s kings.

 

This is a King who is righteous,

 

He will perfectly uphold the law of the Lord. He will be the embodiment of the Lord’s righteousness. This King will truly be God’s son, and in him the Lord will be well-pleased.

 

 

This is a King who has salvation,

 

This is the King who bring the salvation of the Lord spoken of in verses 1-8.

 

 

This is a King who is humble,

 

When the King arrives, he will be “humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The King’s humility and his riding a donkey are connected. This is not because a donkey is a terribly disgraceful animal to be seen upon. In fact, kings frequently rode donkeys. Kings rode horses off to war, but they rode donkeys during times of peace.

 

 

The king, in this sense, is humble—he does not love war. He is not a proud, oppressive tyrant who has a sadistic taste for blood and loves to rule harshly over his people.

 

 

The Lord’s King does not approach his capitol city on a horse, as if to wage war. Instead, he approaches humbly, on a donkey, because he is meek and lowly in heart and he brings peace.

 

 

This is a King who speaks peace to the nations.

 

The King’s peaceful attitude will extend beyond Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. He will wage war against his enemies, if they will not be a part of his people on his terms. But, what he loves—and what he will ultimately accomplish in all the earth—is peace.

 

 

Through the King, the Lord will “cut off the chariot” and the battle bow. That is, he will do away with weapons of war.

 

 

The King will “speak peace to the nations.” His message to the world will be one of “shalom”—wholeness, covenant life with all the attendant blessings.

 

 

“His rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.” Ultimately, with his enemies removed and his remnant saved, the peace of this king will fill the earth and subdue it.

 

 

…to bring salvation. (11-17)

 

With all that has been said, it is obvious that the Warrior God will arrive in his agent the King to bring salvation his captive people. “I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.”

 

 

When the King comes, he will “proclaim good news to the poor.” He will be sent “to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” (Luke 4:16-21; Isaiah 61:1-2)

 

 

…as their Champion

 

When the Lord appears, he shall appear as their Champion. A champion was a warrior who went out and won battles on behalf of his people. Goliath was the champion set forth by the Philistines. David went outside the camp as a conquering champion of his people (because that is what real kings do).

 

 

When the King arrives, “the Lord will appear over them” and “the Lord of hosts will protect them.” And like the Israelites on the heels of David’s victory, the Lord’s people will be emboldened to be mighty, roaring warriors themselves.

 

 

and Shepherd,

 

He will not only be a champion. He will bring salvation as their Shepherd. “On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people.” The Good Shepherd will save his sheep. He will lead them in green pastures and strengthen them with grain and their cup will overflow.

 

 

through the blood of the covenant,

 

In verse 11, we read that this salvation will come “because of the blood of the covenant with you.” Ultimately, salvation will not be because of who they are or what they have done, but because the Lord is faithful to honor the blood spilt in the covenant he initiated with his people.

 

 

to those who return to Him.

 

The invitation to salvation is given in verse 12—“Return to your stronghold.” Ultimately, salvation will not be for everyone. We have already seen that a “remnant” from the Gentiles will be part of his people. This verse clarifies who receives this salvation.

 

 

Salvation shall only be for those who return to the Lord. Salvation will only be for those who hear the proclamation of salvation, trust the Lord’s word, and return to him in faith that what he has said shall be true.

 

 

The Meaning of Jesus’ Entry

 

All this is what Matthew meant to fill our hearts and minds as he wrote this account of Jesus getting on a donkey, on the foal of a donkey, and riding into Jerusalem .

 

 

And, Matthew intends for us to see that the crowd responded rightly (outwardly, if not in their hearts), by hailing Jesus as the Messiah—the Son the Lord promised David would be King.

 

 

As the King, humble and seated on a donkey, approached Jerusalem , the crowds gave him a Champion’s welcome. Verse 8 tells us that the crowd “spread their cloaks on the road and…cut branches from the trees and spread them on the ground.”

 

 

Garments. In the book of Kings (2 Kings 9:13), after Jehu was anointed king over Israel , “in haste every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, ‘Jehu is king.’” Spreading cloaks was a quick way to provide a “ceremonial carpet” when a real carpet was absent. Their actions pointed toward his kingship.

 

 

Palms. Some years before all this, a man named Simon took actions to expel enemies from Jerusalem and allow the Jews to live in Jerusalem with peace. Listen to this description of how they entered the city, “the Jews entered it with praise and palm branches, and with harps and cymbals and stringed instruments, and with hymns and songs, because a great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel ” (1 Macc. 13:51). The palm-branches symbolized victory and the importance of the man who accomplished the victory. Spreading palm-branches was a sort of “victory ritual.”<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--> It pointed toward the Zechariah 9 they expected Jesus to bring.

 

 

“Hosanna.” The crowds expressed this expectation in words. They shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

 

 

The word “hosanna” was originally a cry for help, a cry for deliverance. It is used in Psalm 118:25-26, “Save us, we pray, O Lord,” or “Hosanna, we pray, O Lord!” The word began to be used as a shout of acclamation for a deliverer. So the people were, one sense, crying out for deliverance and praising Jesus as their deliverer.

 

 

They hailed him as the “Son of David.” The Lord promised David that one of his sons would reign on his throne forever. They were hailing Jesus as David’s greater son.

 

 

Let us not forget that Jesus arranged this. Jesus wanted this to be said, he wanted this to be seen. In arranging this ride, Jesus is proclaiming himself to be the Messiah, the Son of David, and the fulfiller of prophecy of Zechariah 9.

 

 

Did Jesus Fulfill Zechariah 9?

 

Be careful how you answer that question. It may be easy to look around the world, to see the suffering of God’s remnant and to think “no, this has not been fulfilled.” But, we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7). We must answer this question through the eyes of Scripture-informed faith, not through worldly eyes of flesh.

 

 

Did Jesus fulfill Zechariah 9? Yes. He must have, because Matthew says so. So then, why do we not see it? The reason we do not fully see and experience all these things is because we live in the age of the Already and the Not-Yet. We live in an “in-between” period of salvation history. Jesus Christ has fully accomplished our salvation already. But, that salvation is not yet felt and seen and experienced in its fullness.

 

 

Already. Paul tells us in the past tense that God has already “made us alive together with Christ…and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:5-6). We have already “received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:15).

 

 

Not Yet. And yet, even with Paul, “we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23).

 

 

Who Is Jesus Christ?

 

If Matthew is right and Jesus is the fulfillment of Zechariah 9, then what does this mean? Look back on the all that was promised in that chapter:

 

 

This means that in the person of Jesus the Messiah is the agent of the Warrior God who…

 

…has conquered his enemies.

 

Colossians 2:15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

 

 

…will conquer his enemies.

 

Revelation 19:11-16 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

 

 

Through Jesus, God saves a remnant from out of the nations. Jesus said to the Jewish leaders:

 

John 10:16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

 

Through Jesus Christ, God will bring his people final and lasting salvation.

 

John 10:27-30 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

 

Revelation 7:15-17 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

 

…through his agent, the King… (9-10)

 

Jesus Christ is the King sent by the Lord to do His will.

 

Luke 9:35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”

 

 

In this passage, Jesus enters Jerusalem . And, he proceeds to the Temple , which he enters and cleans house—as if it were his own house (because it is).

 

 

Jesus is the embodiment of God’s righteousness.

 

1 Peter 2:22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.

 

 

Jesus Christ is the salvation of the Lord. When Simeon held baby Jesus, he said:

 

Luke 2:29-32 Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.

 

Jesus Christ is the perfect example of humility.

 

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 

Philippians 2:8 …he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death…

 

 

The message of peace with God through Jesus Christ is for the nations. After his resurrection, Jesus told his disciples:

 

Luke 24:46-47 Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

 

…to bring salvation.

 

Jesus Christ is the delivering Champion of God’s people. (cf Luke 4:17-21)

 

1 Corinthians 15:56-57 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession…

 

Jesus Christ is the Shepherd of God’s sheep.

 

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

 

The covenant of salvation is cut in Jesus’ blood. Jesus sheds his blood on the cross, bearing the curse of sin for his people to bring them the blessings of salvation.

 

Matthew 26:27-28 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

 

Jesus Christ is the one to whom we must return in hope.

 

1 Peter 2:24-25 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

 

 

How Should We Respond?

 

The crowds responded outwardly in the manner that we should respond with our hearts, minds, souls and strength.

 

 

They cried to him for salvation. “Hosanna” is the sinner’s prayer. All we can do is confess that we are sinners, condemned to death, who cannot save ourselves, but we recognize that Jesus Christ is more than able to redeem us from our sins through his life, death and resurrection. So we leave our prison of sin and in hope we cry to him, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Save us, Jesus the Anointed One of God!”

 

 

They worshipped him as the conquering King. They spread their cloaks and palm branches as an act of reverence for their conquering Lord. So too, as we trust in him, we worship and glorify the King of kings, the Lord of lords, and we worship him alone.