Monday 5th August
Read John 12:12-19
“The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
‘Hosanna!’
‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’
‘Blessed is the king of Israel!’
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written:
15 ‘Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.’
16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realise that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, ‘See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!’” (NIVUK)
A shortened, if very familiar, Palm Sunday account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The crowds, hearing that Jesus is coming, welcome Him as king. Like Matthew, Mark and Luke, the fulfilment of Scripture is emphasised signalling the joy that God’s salvation for His people is finally appearing.
We are so tempted to always place ourselves in the vanguard – after all we have believed and followed Jesus – so we would be lining the roads into Jerusalem. But is that really true? There are many who would stay home cooking the evening meal or preparing the fields. There would be many who simply would not care. I confess I would have no interest at all in seeing royalty pass by.
Spend time today reflecting on how the various groups of people mentioned in the narrative respond to Jesus. Where would you be that day?
