Luke 19:28-40
The city of Jerusalem was built on the tops of two mountains, which are close together,—Mr. Zion and Mt. Moriah. and Mt. of Olives is on the east. When Jesus and the disciples came to the foot of Mt. of Olives. He sent two disciples to a village near, where He said they would find a colt tied, which they were to untie and bring to Him. If any asked why they did this, they were to say, “The Lord hath need of him.”
Was it because it was hard to walk up the long, rough roads into the city that Jesus needed the colt to ride? No, it was. because it was written in the scriptures that the people of Jerusalem should see their King coming riding on such a colt, or what we call a donkey. And the Lord Jesus knew the time had come for Him to offer Hielf to the people as their promised Holy King (Zech. 9:9).
We would expect a great King to ride on a horse, but that was for war, and the King for Israel was to bring peace, not war, and to help them in trouble as a servant to God, not as a conqueror (1 Kings 1:38-40).
The disciples found the colt, as Jesus said, and brought it to Him. It is told (Matt. 21) that the colt’s mother was also brought, showing the Lord’s kindness to have them together. The disciples put their cloaks on the colt, as a blanket, and Jesus rode upon him up the road to the city, showing His power over an animal; as a colt, “whereon yet never man sat,” would not have been obedient to a stranger.
Crowds of people followed Jesus and the disciples; it was a time when many were going to Jerusalem for the passover feast; many had come from Galilee and other parts, who had seen Jesus’ power, many had been healed by Him, and all believed Him the promised Messiah and King, and they all began to sing psalms of praise to God.
Some went before and cut the flat branches of palm trees to lay over the rough road, others laid down their own cloaks, and palm branches were waved as they sang; for those things were a custom to show honor and joy. As they came nearer the city, people, already there, who believed Jesus the Messiah, came out to meet them, also singing and shouting words of the psalms: “Hosanna”, (Lord, save!), and “Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Psa. 118:24,26, John 12:13).
It was a great procession, not as a wild celebration, but in true joy and thanks that the long-looked for King had come, and they fulfilled the words “Rejoice greatly, O daughter (people) of Zion: shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy King cometh uo thee: He is just and having salvation: lowly and riding upon an ass.” Zechariah 9:9.
So they went through the city up to the temple, singing praise there (Mark 11:11; Matt. 21). All their words were from God’s Word, yet the chief of the priests and the scribes, who had the writings of the prophets and should have known they were then fulfilled, wanted Jesus to silence the people. They were the men to proclaim the king, hut they did not.
ML 11/11/1945