John 12:12-19, Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem

The story of the “Triumphal Entry” is recorded in all four Gospels.  Here is a “timeline,” harmonizing the accounts.  While all saw the same event, they described the ongoing reactions of the crowd in different order.

·       It happened on the day following Jesus’ anointing by Mary in Bethany.

·       As they came from Bethany, climbing over the southern end of the Mt. of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples to Bethphage, further north on top of the mount, to get a donkey and it’s colt.

·       The disciples threw their outer garments on both animals.  Jesus rode on the colt, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9.

·       People accompanying them from Bethany spread garments and palm branches on the road (Lev. 23:40, a symbol of joy).  It’s a few days before Passover, by which time the city of 65-70,000 would grow to a million or more.

·       Meanwhile, pilgrims inside the city went out to meet the procession (12:18).

·       Enthusiasm mounted as people shouted joyfully (12:13, from Ps. 118:25-26, a Psalm the Jews recognized as Messianic as announcing the glorious day of the ascension of the Messianic King (118:24).

·       Another source for the crowd involved the large number who had witnessed the raising of Lazarus.  They were giving testimony to what they had seen (12:17).

·       The envious Pharisees appealed to Jesus to rebuke the crowd (Lk. 19:39-40).

·       Having crossed the Kidron Valley Jesus ascended up toward the city gate and wept over the city, knowing that the crowd did not realize what was being offered to them (Lk. 19:41-44).

·       Upon entering the city, many in the crowd were asking who He was.  The answer was, “the prophet, Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee” (Mt. 21:10-11).

·       Having arrived at the temple, Jesus cleansed the temple and healed the sick, again resulting in shouts of praise, including from children whom Jesus saw to be a fulfillment of Psalm 8:2 (Mt. 21:12-16).

·       The result of all this was greater resignation on the part of the Pharisees, that they were getting nowhere in their opposition to Jesus (Jn. 12:19).

·       At evening, Jesus and the Twelve returned to Bethany (Mt. 21:17).

·       The Twelve did not understand the full significance of all this until after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (Jn. 12:16).

Jesus made a credible offer of Himself as King to Israel, fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament.  The crowd had the right words.  But what was missing was what John the Baptist had said in his ministry: receiving Christ as King requires a heart of repentance.  By the day of crucifixion, it was evident that many in this crowd were not ready to receive Jesus in that way.