Calvin Synod Herald, 2013 (114. évfolyam, 3-12. szám)
2013-03-01 / 3-4. szám
8 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD Why Was Jesus Crying? I wish simply to remind you of a familiar story from the Bible. It began early Sunday morning (Palm Sunday, we call it today) as Jesus was walking toward Jerusalem. He stops for a moment and sends two of his disciples into a nearby village to carry out a special errand. Here is how Luke 19:29-31 records that event: "As He approached Bethphage & Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, saying to them, 'Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' tell him, ‘The Lord needs it. (Luke 19:29-31) The 2 disciples must have wondered about what Jesus told them to do, because none of the Gospel accounts about the ministry of Christ ever mention Him riding any animal to get from one place to another. He must have walked hundreds of miles up and down the land we now call the "Holy Land," but there is no mention of Him ever riding, except in a boat across the Sea of Galilee. But now, He gives this unusual command to go into the village to get a colt that had never been ridden, and to bring it to Him. It must have seemed strange, indeed. He even tells them the exact words they are to use should anyone question them. They are to say, "The Lord needs it." Was this prearranged? Did the owners know what Jesus was going to do? We don’t know. It is obvious, though, that Jesus knew what He was going to face in the city of Jerusalem. So His decision to go into Jerusalem must have been one of the most difficult Jesus ever made. And on top of that, to ride into the city on a colt, rather than to walk into it as He had often done before, must have been an even more difficult decision, because riding a colt into the city was a public declaration that He was a King. Five hundred years earlier, the prophet Zechariah had proclaimed that fact when he wrote, “Rejoice greatly, 0 Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ” (Zechariah 9:9) You see, in times of war conquerors would ride in chariots or upon prancing stallions. But in times of peace, the king would ride a colt to symbolize that peace prevailed. So, for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem upon a colt is to declare that He is a King proclaiming peace. Of course, this was the beginning of the great 8-day Passover Festival, when the Jews remembered God’s deliverance of their ancestors from Egyptian slavery. Jews from all over the world were gathering in Jerusalem to celebrate, and the city was filled to overflowing. So obviously, Jesus wasn’t the only one coming to Jerusalem for the Passover. Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor, had already entered Jerusalem with a full complement of elite and battle-hardened Roman soldiers ever ready and willing to suppress any attempted uprising against Roman rule that might occur. Herod the one who had imprisoned and beheaded John the Baptist, had also arrived with great pomp and ceremony, undoubtedly occupying the palace of his late father, Herod the Great. Such power and pageantry the people were seeing that week - and then here comes Jesus fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah: “See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ” (Zechariah 9:9) For the crowds lining the road that day, Jesus riding a colt into the city was a public declaration that He was the promised King! How would the people respond to that? Would they recognize that His Kingdom was not of this world that it was a spiritual kingdom, and He was to be a spiritual King? Small chance, because He had been teaching them that for over 3 years, and still they had not learned that lesson. Perhaps some of them would greet Him with laughter. Maybe they would be amused by what Jesus was doing. After all, it was a rather ridiculous picture. Here is a carpenter declaring Himself to be a King! Perhaps some would think, "He is a lunatic, living in a world of fantasy imagining Himself to be a King!" And they would laugh at him. Others would greet Him with anger upset because they would interpret His riding into the city as arrogance and blasphemy against God. Of course, many would hail Him with joy, welcoming Him as an earthly King, come to reestablish the throne of David, and overthrow the Roman Empire. They were ready and eager to place a crown upon His head. Among the crowds would be people He had healed. Some had been among the thousands He had fed. Many more had seen some of His miracles, and listened as "He spoke with authority." They had listened, and their lives had been changed. Jesus knew all of this. He knew that just over the horizon was the cross, looming like a monster ready to consume Him. But Luke 9:51 tells us that in spite of it all, Jesus still "...resolutely set out for Jerusalem." As Jesus rides down toward the gate of the city, the crowds are growing, and there is a festive air, for it is Passover and pilgrims are gathering from far and near for this greatest of all Jewish holidays. The news travels from one person to another, until finally when Jesus was ready to enter the city, great crowds had collected on both sides of the road. They were there! They had cut palm branches and were shouting, "Hosanna to the king!" Excitement prevailed throughout the whole city! Then Jesus looked over His waiting audience. He must have seen the mixture of expressions on their faces. There were those who loved Him: The lepers? Their skin had been cleansed and now they were rejoicing for the healing that the Lord had given them. Maybe Jairus’ daughter was there back to life again after experiencing death. Lazarus and Mary and Martha and Mary Magdalene they were all there! Their lives reflected the love that was in their hearts for this man who had taught them, and molded them and
