Lent: Jesus' Triumphal Entry 2

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Holy Week. On Friday, the whole world will commemorate the death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. It is amazing how such a gloomy week begins with a triumphalist event when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem. The account is so important that it is actually recorded in all four gospels (Matt 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19).

And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, ³⁰ saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” ³² So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. ³³ And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴ And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” ³⁵ And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. ³⁶ And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. ³⁷ As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, ³⁸ saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:28-38)

Luke 19:28-38 is definitely a story of celebration, jubilation, and the exaltation of Jesus as King and Messiah. The use of a colt which no one has ever sat (19:30) points to the fact that Jesus was entering Jerusalem with a sacred purpose (see Num 19:2; Deut 21:3;1 Sam 6:7). Even the fact that they had to borrow the donkey was actually giving a political signal (19:30-34). This was just common practice. When a political figure is arriving at a town, they would often borrow a mount to ride (see Gen 49:10-11). The actions of the people also indicate that they saw Jesus as a royalty, and they welcomed Him as such: “They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road” (19:35-36). This spreading of cloaks was a Jewish custom of paying respect to royalty, something which their ancestors already did for King Jehu (see 2 Kings 9:12-13). So the people were conscious of the fact that Jesus was king entering Jerusalem. They were even shouting praises to Him as king: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38)

However, with all these festivities going on, Jesus’ reaction was quite extraordinary: “When he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it” (19:41). Why did Jesus weep? Amidst all the attention and praise He was receiving from the people, why was the first recorded reaction that of grief? The clue to answer these questions is found in what Jesus did immediately after entering Jerusalem. Hence, in this post, we need to look at the four gospels.

House of Robbers

Luke 19:45-46; Matthew 21:12-13

In the gospels of Luke and Matthew, the first thing Jesus did after entering Jerusalem was to visit the Temple. This is where we find our first clue why Jesus wept upon seeing Jerusalem. First, Jesus wept because Jerusalem has become a city that has forgotten its identity. The Temple was supposedly the place instituted by Yahweh as the place of forgiveness, cleansing, and even communion with God. In fact, as soon as the Temple was constructed, Solomon dedicated it to the Lord as a place of prayer, where people may come in their needs (2 Chron 6:12-42). Truly, it was a “house of prayer” (Isa 56:7).

The problem was that Jesus found the Temple not fulfilling its purpose: “And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, ‘It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers’” (Luke 19:45-46). How could Jesus not weep? The people have forgotten the sanctity of the Temple and its purpose. They have forgotten to honor and prioritize God for the sake of perishable monetary gains. The merchants were robbing God of the glory and attention that belong to Him. They were robbing God of His place in the Temple. The Temple has become a marketplace for profit, not a sanctuary for healing. It was filled with more merchants than worshippers.

The desecrating act of the people to the Temple is quite surprising, considering how, in the history of Israel, the Jews even used violence just to maintain the sanctity of the Tempe. In 168 BC, when Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the Temple by offering a pig in it as a sacrifice, the people of Israel organized a massive revolt. In AD 4, at the instigation of the priests, two young boys toppled down a golden eagle placed by the Roman empire on top of the Temple, which led to the death of the youths. Both these stories highlight the fact that the people of Israel valued the sanctity of the Temple. The Jews did not like any foreign thing to desecrate it. Unfortunately, during the time of Jesus, it was the Jews themselves who desecrated the Temple. Jesus wept because the center of religious life, and the very core of Jewish faith, has become corrupt. Jesus wept because the people have forgotten their own history.

House of Fruitlessness

Mark 11:13-14

In the gospel of Mark, Jesus’ actions at the Temple were just mentioned in passing (11:11). Mark actually emphasized the fact that after entering Jerusalem, Jesus cursed a fig tree (11:13-14). This is actually an important part of gospel, especially when understood in the light of Luke 19:29, which narrates that Jesus passed by Bethpage and Bethany, places which literally meant “House of Unripe Figs” and “House of Many Figs.” It would seem as if Jesus was going to Jerusalem to find out whether Jerusalem was either a house of unripe figs or a house of many figs. And when we read of Jesus finding a fig tree that does not even have a single fruit, Jerusalem is portrayed neither as a house of unripe figs nor a house of many figs, but a house of fruitless figs. Jesus wept because He found Jerusalem a fruitless city.

The parable of the talents immediately come to mind, which is precisely the parable that Jesus told His disciples right before His entry to Jerusalem (Luke 19:11-27). Jesus is the master who just returned from his journey, wanting his servants to report to him (19:15). At least in the parable, there were two servants who the master commended for their fruitful stewardship. But it would appear that in Jesus’ accounting of Jerusalem, the holy city was like the third servant who kept the talent away in a handkerchief (19:20), and was called a “wicked servant” (19:22). The servant was sent for punishment (19:24-27) in the same way as the fig tree withered (Matt 21:19).

House of Ignorance

John 12:20-34

In the gospel of John, what happened immediately after the Triumphal entry was that some Greeks came hopefully to see Jesus (12:20). Upon hearing the request of the Greeks, Jesus’ response was simple: “The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified” (12:23), then went on to describe how He would die (12:24-33). Jesus disappointed the disciples, the Jews, and the Greeks, because His glory is found not in being seated on a throne, but in being hanged on the cross. His exaltation is found not within the mountain of God, but outside the city on another mountain called Golgotha, the place of skull (Matt 27:33). His glory is found not in His entrance to Jerusalem, but in His exit from the city, while carrying the cross (Matt 27:31-35).

Jesus wept because He found Jerusalem as a house of ignorance. They did not understand Him and God’s purposes. Jesus said, “I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32; see also John 3:14 and 8:28). His glory—His being lifted up—is not on a horse or a donkey, but on a wooden cross. The cross is the throne from which Christ governs the world! Revelations 19:11-13 also gives a beautiful picture of the glory of Jesus Christ: “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.” The one riding the horse is portrayed as a victorious king, returning from battle, which is probably why “he is clothed in a robe dipped in blood” (Rev 19:13). But whose blood is on His robe? It is His own blood. His glory is found in His sacrifice.

Jesus wept when He saw Jerusalem because the people did not understand: “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42). Like in His exasperation with His disciples, He was asking: “Do you not yet understand?” (Mark 8:21).

Conclusions

Jesus wept because Jerusalem has become a house of robbers, a house of fruitlessness, and a house of ignorance. His earthly ministry was almost at its end, and He only had seven days left before His death, but the people for whom He came to save still remained in the dark. His heart was truly crushed. He was in deep anguish. But here is the good news: Jesus entered Jerusalem precisely for these kinds of people. He did not come for the righteous, but for robbers, the fruitless, and the ignorant. It is probably true that Jesus suffered deep anguish as He saw Jerusalem and its people, but His heart was also filled with compassion for them. He entered Jerusalem precisely for them. He enters the cities of our own lives, full of uncleanness and helplessness—and He comes to save.