1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” 4 And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. 5 And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. 8 And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. 9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
11 And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. – Mark 11:1-11 ESV
According to John’s gospel, when Jesus and His disciples arrived in Bethany, just east of Jerusalem, they attended a dinner given in His honor. It was held in the home of Lazarus, the man Jesus had recently raised from the dead. John indicates that a large crowd had gathered outside the home where the dinner took place, hoping to get a glimpse of Jesus and Lazarus, who had become something of a celebrity because of His unique death-to-life experience. John adds that while Lazarus’ newfound fame brought adoring fans, it also earned him serious enemies.
…the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. – John 12:10 ESV
It was now just six days until the Feast of Passover and Jesus had His sights set on the task at hand. He knew He was nearing the final days of His earthly life and would soon be facing the prospect of a horrific death by crucifixion. The events in Bethany and Bethpage were preparatory, setting up what would happen in the days ahead. Even at the dinner in Bethany, Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with costly nard, a humble act of gratitude for what He had done for her brother, and when His disciples had expressed concern over what they believed was Mary’s wasteful use of the expensive ointment, Jesus told them, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial” (John 12:7 ESV).
The next day, Jesus sent two of His disciples on a rather strange assignment to the nearby village of Bethphage. They were given specific instructions to find a donkey’s colt that no one had ever ridden. When they found it, they were to bring it back to Jesus. If anyone questioned what they were doing, they were simply to respond, “The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately” (Mark 11:3 ESV). Matthew adds that the disciples were instructed to bring the colt and its mother, which indicates that the colt was not yet weaned. In chapter 21, verse 5 of his gospel, Matthew indicates that this entire episode fulfilled two Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah.
Say to the daughter of Zion,
“Behold, your salvation comes. – Isaiah 21:11 ESV
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. – Zechariah 9:9 ESV
Looking back on the events of that day, Matthew understood that everything Jesus had done was purposeful and in keeping with God’s long-standing plans.
The disciples found everything just as Jesus had predicted, and as soon as they returned, He mounted the young colt and began the last leg of His journey into Jerusalem. As He made His way, the crowds grew. Some had come with Him from Bethany, while others were among the many pilgrims lining the streets leading into the city.
A festival-like atmosphere was already in the air because of the Passover holiday. Throngs of people were making their way into Jerusalem, eager to participate in the Passover celebrations. But suddenly, all eyes seemed to fix on this strange scene: Jesus riding a very undersized donkey. One of the disciples likely led the female donkey, and the colt simply followed its mother wherever she went. This entire scene must have been somewhat embarrassing to the disciples. Despite what the prophet Zechariah had written, this was not how a King should enter His own royal city. The disciples had expected Jesus to enter Jerusalem as a military hero, riding a white horse and leading His army in victory over the Roman occupying forces. But here was Jesus, making His way into Jerusalem “mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9 ESV).
And yet, what happened next must have taken the disciples by surprise. As their little procession made its way from Bethphage to the city gates, people in the crowd began to take off their outer robes and cast them down the road before Jesus. Others cut palm branches and used them to pave the path into the city. The disciples must have been shocked and pleased by these displays of homage to Jesus. It would have been totally unexpected, and when the disciples heard what the people were shouting, their hearts must have soared.
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” – Mark 11:9 ESV
This must have been music to the disciples’ ears. The crowds shouted Jesus’ praises, clearly indicating their belief that He was the Messiah, the son of David, and the rightful heir to the royal throne. This was exactly what the disciples had been hoping for all along. At this point, thoughts of Jesus’ suffering and death must have disappeared. The disciples must have been euphoric, joyously taking in the thrill of the moment as they walked alongside their triumphant King.
The people, who would have been singing the Psalms of Ascent as they made their way to Jerusalem, began shouting the words of another psalm, proclaiming Jesus to be its fulfillment.
Save us, we pray, O Lord!
O Lord, we pray, give us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! – Psalm 118:25-26 ESV
Hosanna is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew phrase, hosi ah na, which means “Lord, save us!”
When we read the gospel accounts of this remarkable scene, we envision Jesus as the focal point of the procession, like a celebrity on a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. But much of what the gospel writers describe may be nothing more than the normal activities of pilgrims making their way into the city. Singing and celebration were a normal part of the day because Passover was one of Israel’s annual mandatory feasts. Their shouts of “Hosanna!” were part of the Passover celebration because it commemorated God’s past deliverance of His people from slavery and subjugation. As the throng of travelers caught sight of the gates of Jerusalem, they would have shouted with joy, crying out to God for yet another deliverance from their enemies.
Had Jesus been the main attraction that day, the crowds’ actions would have drawn the Romans’ attention. But evidently, the Roman authorities saw nothing unusual. It was all just part of the annual activities surrounding the Jewish Feast of Passover.
It almost seems Jesus was taking advantage of the usual Passover frenzy to accentuate His entrance. While the people shouted and proclaimed God’s salvation, the Son of God rode in their midst. He entered the city of David, mounted on a lowly colt; their salvation had arrived, in the form of the Savior of the world. But despite all the throwing of cloaks, the casting down of palm branches, and the shouts of “Hosanna,” the people failed to recognize Jesus as who He truly was. It seems that as soon as Jesus entered the city, the crowds quickly dispersed. To the disciples’ disappointment, Jesus was no longer the focal point of the moment; He was just another pilgrim walking the city’s crowded streets.
Some of the hype surrounding Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem can be explained by those who had accompanied Him from Bethany. According to Matthew, these people were the ones who started the shouts of “Hosanna!” When the crowds began to ask what was going on, they were told, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:11 ESV). Luke’s account also shows that the Pharisees demanded that Jesus rebuke His disciples for stirring up the crowds. But Jesus refused, saying, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (Luke 19:40 ESV).
Luke also adds that Jesus knew the people did not understand the significance of what they were saying. Their shouts were meaningless, and their cries for deliverance would go unheeded because they would not recognize Jesus as their Messiah. Luke indicates that Jesus wept over the city, saying, “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes” (Luke 18:41 NLT). This statement is significant because Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) means “City of Peace.” The Prince of Peace had entered the city of peace, but the people failed to understand who He was and what He had come to do.
Centuries earlier, Isaiah had prophesied Jesus’ coming and His role as the Prince of Peace.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9:6 ESV
The crowds would have truly rejoiced had they believed Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah. But He didn’t look like a king. His arrival in Jerusalem was well-timed, and their shouts of “Hosanna” sounded sincere, but they failed to understand who Jesus was. Soon, their shouts of acclaim would turn to jeers and cries of “Crucify Him!”
Jesus, the Prince of Peace, had come to sacrifice His life, not sit on a throne. His mission was to offer sinful men a way to have peace with God, not the Romans. Jesus had repeatedly warned His disciples that He was going to Jerusalem to die, not reign. But He had also told them He would rise again. And long before He entered Jerusalem for the last time, the Prince of Peace gave His disciples the promise of peace, even in the face of uncertainty.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe.” – John 14:27-29 ESV
The joyous, celebrating mass of people were oblivious to what was taking place around them. Despite all the hoopla surrounding His entrance, Jesus quickly became an afterthought, lost in the season’s hustle and bustle. He was just another Jew among the tens of thousands of pilgrims crowding the streets of Jerusalem. So Jesus made His way to the temple without trouble and without further fanfare. Mark indicates that after taking stock of the scene taking place at the temple complex, Jesus returned to Bethany with His 12 disciples.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.