The disciples went and did as Jesus had
directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their
cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road,
and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the
crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the
Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the
highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying,
“Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth
of Galilee.”
(Matthew 21:6-11 ESV).
The prophets of Israel spoke about a
king who would come to the holy city and bring justice and peace to Israel
(Zechariah 9:9). When the crowds see Jesus on the donkey, they seem to think
that Jesus is God’s promised King, the long-awaited Messiah sent to rescue
Israel and establish God’s Kingdom on Earth.
But Jesus wasn’t the king they were
expecting. Many thought this king would honor the temple and its powerful
leaders, but Jesus powerfully criticizes the temple system and predicts its
collapse. Others hoped Jesus would lead a military revolt as previous
“messiahs” had done, but Jesus rides in without armies or weapons or warhorses.
He comes on a donkey filled with patient, peaceful, self-giving love. He shocks
people further when he says that the Kingdom of God belongs not to the elite
and powerful but to the poor and the outsider. God’s Kingdom is one where love
reigns—love of God and others, including our enemies.
Is this the King you celebrate today?
This is the King of that first Easter week. His name is Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment