The Humble King
Now, a question may arise as to why all the fuss is about Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem. Palm Sunday has been celebrated for ages, and for us here in Kenya, as I believe in other parts of the globe, it creates an opportunity for a public holiday. So why all this fuss? Well, it is the story of Jesus, and just as in that beautiful hymn, “Tell me the story of Jesus”, it is one of the stories most precious, sweetest that was ever heard. I am sure when we picture the triumphant entry of a king as we would imagine any king, we would not imagine him riding on a donkey, just like we would not expect during the inauguration of our president to see him enter riding on a bicycle or being pulled in a mkokoteni, but that is how Jesus comes riding in. However, the donkey was not a sign of poverty for kings who had their royal mules. But Jesus, though he rides as one of Israel’s kings, comes in humility as he was not adorned in military regalia, and he did not have a battalion with him, just a bunch of ordinary men whom he had chosen as His disciples.
Jesus was now being thrust into his reign; he was awaiting his exaltation, though not as anyone would expect. Most could not understand at the time what kind of King He was, especially his disciples, who we are told, were distressed by Jesus’s own words that he was about to be delivered to men who would kill him (Matthew 20:18), but then again, He would be raised on the third day. We should, however, understand that the Jewish people who received Him as He marched into Jerusalem were not oblivious to the events unfolding right before their eyes. They had read Scripture, and it was revealed to them how the Messiah would come marching into the great city of Jerusalem. The prophet Zechariah had many years ago prophesied, “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” (Zachariah 9:9). The Apostle Matthew tells us that the crowd’s response to this man who rode on a donkey was, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:11). His very actions pointed to Him being the awaited Messiah. This Jesus, also referred to as the son of David, would maybe have had the people bring to memory that time David revealed that Solomon would replace him as king by riding upon his mule (1 Kings 1:28-40). We can read that those kings had their royal mules, and while riding them, all their might and power were on full display as they were adorned in kingly attire. However, we can clearly see that Jesus does not come as a conquering king; he comes as a humble king.
The Conquering King
As the Jews read and interpreted prophet Zechariah’s words, they expected a king who would conquer, that is, save them from the Romans by overthrowing the Roman authorities and thus restoring the days of considerable peace and prosperity witnessed in King David’s reign when there was a great united Israel. When I alluded to the people not understanding His entry into Jerusalem, it was not about him riding on a donkey as recorded in prophecy, but rather failing to truly understand the real enemy whom Jesus was to defeat.
When we read the book of 1 Kings 11:9-40, we understand that even though David had great military powers and was a favoured king, he could not guarantee the peace of his people even after his son Solomon took the reins. The Israelites are robbed of the peace they enjoyed because God punished Solomon and the entire nation of Israel as a result of their idolatry. We then see the golden age of Israel coming to an end. I wish to elaborate on this further, and we can read Luke’s narration of the event as he is the only one who records Jesus’ Lamentation as He draws near Jerusalem.
We read the record of Luke in Luke 19:41-44, “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you because you did not know the time of your visitation.” Jesus is simply stating that the people are oblivious to his central task as he comes to Jerusalem. Jesus could see that the people’s excitement did not correspond to genuine spiritual perception of his messianic mission. Although the crowds spoke of peace, they failed to grasp that their reconciliation to God was their deepest need and that it was Christ’s central task. Notice John’s words as Jesus approaches Him in the baptism scene John 1:29, “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”. Apostle John’s statement is profound because at the very heart of the people was the problem of sin, and that is what they really needed deliverance from. The King had arrived to conquer sinful hearts, but the people hoped for a military conqueror.
Our Response
The truth is that many people are blind to the true intent of Jesus Christ. Maybe He is just an ordinary man or a great teacher at best who gives us a reason for a holiday. We love carrying the palms but never really reflecting on what matters most. I hope that we do not lose sight of what Jesus came to do even as we observe Palm Sunday. The Israelites were blind and could not perceive Jesus’ true intent, but what a glory that you and I know what He has accomplished for us. Palm Sunday is no ordinary Sunday; it is when our great King walks in as a mighty conqueror ready to defeat the curse of sin, Hallelujah!
