Mary had not at all misread the position of the Lord. The crisis was at hand. Perfectly did He understand to what point every current was flowing; he knew what was in man, in Satan, and in God, and that as the malice of the creature would thus push to the uttermost in rebellious hatred, God would go farther still in redeeming love, but withal in His most solemn judgment of sin. Of this moral glory how little as yet could any heart conceive!
But the final testimony must be full. Jesus had already shown Himself Son of God in power by raising Lazarus from the grave wherein he had lain a dead man: a testimony characteristic of John's Gospel, and peculiar to it. Men have raised objections, which only prove their own spiritual incapacity; for here it exactly suits, as it would nowhere else, and it was the right place and time too. All was divinely ordered.
The next testimony is to His Messianic title, and fittingly, therefore, given in every one of the Gospels. It could be wanting to none, and we find it as the next fact recorded by our evangelist.
"On the morrow, a great crowd that came unto the feast, having beard that Jesus is coming into Jerusalem, took branches of palm, and went out to meet him, and cried, Hosanna, blessed [is] he that cometh in Jehovah's name, [even] the king of Israel. And Jesus, having found a young ass, sat upon it, as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, thy King cometh, sitting upon an ass's colt. These things his disciples knew not at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of him, and they did these things to him. The crowd therefore that was with him bore witness, because he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from [the] dead. Therefore also the crowd met him, because they heard that he had done this sign. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Ye behold that ye profit nothing: lo, the world is gone away after him.” (Vers. 12-19.)
Thus did the crowd welcome Him as Messiah, applying to Him very justly the language of Psa. 118, which the Lord in Matt. 23 declares shall be said by the repentant remnant who shall see Him when He returns to reign. Till then the house, once hallowed by Jehovah and bearing His name, is but their house, and left unto them desolate, as indeed they had made it a house of merchandise and a den of robbers. Nor was it mere enthusiasm in the crowd, but God at work; and the Lord Himself sat on the young ass, according to the prophecy of Zech. 9. It is remarkable how both Matthew and John omit the clause of the prophet which did not then apply, however sure by-and-by, for He knew well that He was to suffer then, in order to bring salvation when He comes again in glory. It was but a testimony at the time, and in the word to faith; when He comes, having salvation for His own, it will be in destructive judgment of all that oppose. Even His disciples knew not these things at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him and they did these things to Him. He needed not that any should testify either of man or of Himself. Past, present, future, earth and heaven, were open to His gaze. He who made all knew all; as John constantly shows in harmony with the glory of His person, which is everywhere prominent, save what He was pleased, in His capacity of servant, not to know, leaving it in the authority of the Father. (Mark 13) In the light of His glorification the disciples learned the import of the word and of the facts. It was His resurrection power which impressed the crowd so mightily. They did not draw the full lesson of faith, but concluded that He must be the promised Son of David, and met Him as such; while the Pharisees could not but own among themselves that obviously their stand and opposition was in vain, and the world, the prizes of unbelief, gone after Him. Little knew they what is proclaimed just afterward: “Now is the judgment of this world.” He sought its salvation, not popularity.
But another scene completes the circle of the testimony here given before the close.
"And there were certain Greeks of those corning up to worship at the feast; these therefore came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, Sir, we desire to see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew; and Andrew cometh, and Philip, and they tell Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say to you, except the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, it abideth alone; but, if it die, it beareth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any one serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there also my servant shall be; if any one serve me, him will my Father honor.” (Vers. 20-26.)
These were Gentiles, Greeks, and not merely Hellenists, who desired to see the Lord, and Philip and Andrew name it to Him. It was enough. The Lord opens the great truth. It is not now the Son of God quickening or raising the dead, nor the Son of David coming to Sion according to prophecy, but the Son of man glorified. This He explains after the solemn asseveration, so often found in our Gospel, under the well-known figure of death and resurrection in nature. “Verily, verily, except the corn of wheat falling into the ground die, it abideth alone; but, if it die, it beareth much fruit.” He Himself was the true corn thus to produce fruit abundantly, yet even so only by death and resurrection. This was not, could not be, from defect of power in Him. It was from man's estate that it could not righteously be otherwise before God. Death only can meet the evil, or fill the void, and His death alone. For all others it wore vain, yea, fatal. Death to them must be for themselves to perish. He only could save, but through His death and resurrection; for as He would die, so He could rise, and by the infinite value of His death avail for others so as to raise them righteously. Living even, He must abide alone; dying, He bears much fruit in the energy of His resurrection.
Thus was He the Son of man glorified. It was for sin that God at length might be glorified; and now He was. Sin brought in death; His dying for it, by God's grace and to God's glory, laid the basis for the change of all things, even for the new heavens and earth in the eternal state; how much more for all that believe to be meanwhile blessed in a new life before they are changed into the likeness of His glory, when He comes for them! “He shall see His seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” So said the first of prophets, and this founded on His death— “when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,” in accordance with His own words here seven centuries after, when approached that wondrous hour and act of man's guilt when he meant pain and ignominy, when God inflicted incomparably worse in His unsparing and unfathomable judgment. To Him the hour was come that the Son of man should be glorified. What perfect self-sacrifice! What devotedness to God! What love to man, even to His bitterest enemies! Such was Jesus going down to death, yea, death of the cross; and such the fruit unfailing.
The principle, too, becomes a primary one thenceforth, not ease and honor and advancement for self, which is now the greatest loss, but suffering and shame, and, if need be death, now in this world for Christ's sake. Such is practical Christianity. “He that loveth his life loseth it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant be; if any man serve me, him will my Father honor.” And what an honor! He assuredly knows what it is, and how to give it. But it is not in self-devised and self-imposed abasements; neither in flagellations of the back, nor in lickings of the dust, nor in like heathenish effort that dishonors the body to the satisfying of the flesh. It is in what the Holy Spirit alone can guide and sustain, in serving Christ—a service inseparable from following Him, its beginning eternal life in the Son, its end the same life in glory with Him, for such will the Father honor. May we be strengthened to discern and do the truth!