John 12:16
These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him. These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
The disciples did not at first grasp that the humble entry into Jerusalem on a colt, with garments spread and palm branches waved and hosannas shouted, was the fulfillment of what had been written of Christ as the promised King. Their minds were blinded by the hope that He was about to assert royal power, take David's throne and free the nation, a hope the shouts of the multitude only strengthened. When He was lifted on the cross those hopes were crushed in bitter disappointment, but when He was glorified in His resurrection they remembered the prophecies and saw that these things had indeed been done to Him. Then they understood that He had accepted the homage to fulfill prophecy and to turn all eyes to Himself as Messiah and to His coming sacrifice, and that they themselves had taken part in carrying it out. Searching those prophecies alongside His trial and death revealed Him so clearly that faith in Him spread and multiplied in many lands.
Setting and Royal Entry
The setting is six days before the Passover, when Jesus rested at Bethany on the way from Jericho to Jerusalem to attend the feast. He stopped at the house of Lazarus for rest and refreshment, and Simon of Bethany, whom He had healed of leprosy, made a supper to show his Master special honor and invited Jesus and His friends as guests. The Saviour sat at the table with Simon cured of a loathsome disease on one side and Lazarus raised from the dead on the other, while Martha served at the table and Mary earnestly listened to every word that fell from His lips.
The surrounding chapter records words of Christ spoken just before His betrayal and death. The verse concerns His humble triumphal entry into Jerusalem as the coming King. He is presented in that entry as the promised Messiah and King, welcomed into the city with leafy branches and palm branches and with garments spread on the road.
When Jesus sent for a colt the disciples were puzzled because He had always traveled on foot. Yet hope brightened in them that He was about to enter the capital, proclaim Himself King of the Jews, and assert royal power. When He accepted homage He had never before permitted, they took it as proof that their glad hopes would be realized by seeing Him acknowledged at Jerusalem as King of Israel.
The multitude hailed Him as Messiah and King, spreading garments in the path, strewing olive and palm branches, waving palm boughs and shouting hosannas. Onlookers were astonished at the scene because He had declared that His kingdom was not of this world.
Misunderstanding Then Remembrance
At first the disciples did not understand that the entry into Jerusalem and what the crowd did fulfilled what had been written about Him, but when Jesus was glorified they remembered the writings and recognized that these things had been done to Him. Their hope that He would establish an earthly kingdom obscured the meaning, for they expected Him to be crowned as an earthly king on David's throne and to bring political independence, and the crowds flocking and crying Hosanna strengthened that hope. When He sent for a colt they were puzzled because He had always traveled on foot, but hope brightened that He was about to enter the capital, proclaim Himself King of the Jews and assert royal power, and when He accepted homage He had never before permitted they took it as proof He would be acknowledged as King of Israel, while the multitude hailing Him as Messiah and King, spreading garments in the path, strewing olive and palm branches, waving palm boughs and shouting hosannas, fed that expectation, to the astonishment of onlookers because He had declared His kingdom was not of this world. He received the shouting because prophecy had to be fulfilled, answering those who wanted the multitude stilled that even the stones would cry out if they held their peace.
His death shattered those high hopes and the darkness of death closed about them when they saw the Master they expected to reign stretched on the cruel cross above mocking Pharisees, a disappointment greater than any later one, but after He rose and appeared to them their hopes revived. Afterward they remembered that they themselves had taken part in carrying out Scripture. The entry that drew public attention to Him as Messiah and to His coming sacrifice was considered alongside His trial and death and searched in the prophecies, revealing Him as the Messiah so that converts to faith in Him multiplied in many lands. Though He could have appeared with heavenly angels and God's trumpets, He remained humble and bore humanity's burden until He gave His life for the world, and He proved true to His promises by giving sweet consolation and a rich reward to the true and faithful.