Magyar Egyház, 2003 (82. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)
2003-01-01 / 1. szám
6. oldal MAGYAR EGYHÁZ Wife© iS VXfelLS ? Matthew 21:1-11. (Palm Sunday) In the story of Palm Sanday, all four evangelists take notice of this passage of Christ’s ’’riding in triumph into Jerusalem,” five days before His death. The passover was on the forteenth day of the month, and this was the tenth; on which day the law appointed that the paschal lamb should be taken up (Exodus 12:3.), and set apart for that service. On that day therefore Christ our Passover, who was to be sacrificed for us, was publicly showed. This was the prelude to his passion. He had lodged at Bethany, a village not far from Jerusalem, for some time. At a supper there the night before Mary had ’’annointed his feet.” (John 12:3.) But, as is usual with ambassadors, he deferred his public entry till some time after his arrival. Our Lord Jesus travelled much, and his custom was to travel on foot from Galilee to Jerusalem, some scores of miles, which was both humbling and toilsome. Many a dirty weary step he had when ”he went about doing good.” How ill does it become Christians to be inordinately solicitous about their own ease and state, when their Master had so little of either ! Yet once in his life he rode in triumph; and it was now when he went into Jerusalem, to suffer and die, as if that were the pleasure He desired. We see the Savior here in an attitude of a novel description. He goes back, as it were, to what was claimed for Him soon after His birth, when the wise men came to worship Him as bom King of the Jews. He does so, also in much the same way as was done for Him then. The wise men did not find their King in circumstances of power and display. Neither does this King appear now, as it were, in purple. Why ? Jesus is the King of our hearts. Nothing is meeker, indeed, as nothing is plainer than the claim that He makes. The preparation was spontaneous, simple and summoned. The provision that was made for this procession into Jerusalem was very poor and ordinary, and hinted that His kingdom was to be ’’not of this world.” Here were no heralds at arms provided, no trumpet sounded before Him, no chariots of state, no liveries. But His second coming, to which His magnificent appearance is reserved. He just sent two of His disciples to fech Him a donkey, and He ’’rides upon an ass.” He had nothing of this world’s goods but what was given Him or lent Him. The crowd asks ’’Who is This ?” He is the King of our hearts. His coming prescribed in the scriptures, as the prophets looked forward to Him, so He looked upon them, that all things which were written of the Messiah, might be punctually accomplished in Him. His coming described, when a king comes, something great and magnificent is expected, especially when he comes to take possession of his kingdom. When Christ would appear in His glory, it is in His meekness, not in His majesty. ’’Who is This ?” the crowd cries. Jesus is the King of our hearts. The procession itself, which was answerable to the preparation, were both destitute of wordly pomp, and yet were both accompanied by a spiritual power. In this procession Christ is honored by the multitude of His followers; for He values men by their souls, not by their preferments, names or titles of honor. According to the best of their capacity, they tried to do honor to Christ. And they said: ’’This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth in Galilee.” And One who is more a Teacher, than a sceptred Ruler of men ! Who is This ? Jesus is the King of our hearts. As in a picture, the memorable entry of Jesus into Jerusalem indicates the way in which our blessed Lord goes through the world now. Now, as then, His purpose is to bless. His contract with men awakens their life, but much excitement about Him is transient. And men’s possessions are claimed by Him to further His progress. There are some interesting lessons for us in this story. It’s a strange claim indeed when it says ’’The Lord hath need.” It is strange because we see that the greater has need of the lesser. And it is a universal law. The rich have need of the poor; the strong have need of the sick; the parents have need of the child. It is a strange claim also because we see that the Divine has need of the human. For example, Jesus Christ is saving man by way of man, and so has need of the loyalty, activity, gifts, examples of men. This claim is also a supernatural claim. Here are indications of His knowledge. He knew exactly where the donkey and colt were to be found. So, He knows all about our money, our time, our power, every element of it. And yet there is another application we can make here. The donkey and colt were tied. So many of men’s possessions are ’’tied” by pleasure, or greed, or gain, or habit, or the gordian-knot of selfishness. So we are bidden ’’Loose them and bring them unto Me.” Though the donkey was the ordinary beast of burden of the Jews, it was the scorn of the Romans. So this Prince of peace enters the city of peace in a manner that should forever emphasize His own teaching, ’’Blessed are the meek.” In His meekness and condescension He chooses to win His way, the way of blessing and saving men by employing humble, disdained, despised means. If the swift dromedary or the splendid war-horse were the symbol of the agency He employs, only few of the vast world of mediocre men could hope to have any part or lot in the matter. But ”God hath chosen the weak things of the world.” He has need of the most commonplace of our days. He can use us and ours in His great triumphal entry into the hearts and nations of the world. Who is This ? The Lord Jesus Christ is the King of our heart. S. Sz.
