And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.
After speaking, Jesus went ahead of His followers toward Jerusalem, beginning the account of His triumphal entry before He rode into the city. The journey resumed on the first day of the week from Bethany to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, in the beautiful spring season when many visitors had gathered for the feast. It was His deliberate, public entry as Messiah and King, riding lowly on a colt never before ridden in fulfillment of the prophecy that Jerusalem's King would come on an ass. He was welcomed with garments spread in the road, palm branches waved, and cries of Hosanna to the Son of David, by a large enthusiastic crowd drawn after He raised Lazarus. The crowd expected Him to take David's throne and free Israel by earthly power, so within a few days their hopes collapsed when they saw Him crucified, yet His ascent showed His mercy and love toward Jerusalem even as it rejected Him, for He wept over its coming destruction and went on to die for sinful people so they need not perish.
Journey Toward Jerusalem
After He had finished speaking, Jesus went on ahead of His followers toward Jerusalem, and this going before opens the account of His triumphal entry before He rode into the city. The verse marks His movement toward the city as the procession began, leading directly into His deliberate, public entry as Messiah and King. The account of that ride into Jerusalem made a solemn impression on those who heard it.
The journey was resumed on the first day of the week from Bethany to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, as He approached the feast. It took place in the beautiful spring season, when many visitors had gathered for the feast and rejoicing nature surrounded the way with trees clothed in verdure and fragrant blossoms. A large, enthusiastic crowd had been drawn to Jesus after He raised Lazarus from the dead.
On the way, multitudes who had flocked to Bethany to see Him accompanied Him, eager to witness His entry into Jerusalem, and other companies on their way to the city for the feast continually joined them. As they went, He sent two of His disciples to bring a colt, the foal of an ass, for Him to ride into Jerusalem over the short distance. That colt had never before been ridden, though He had always chosen to travel on foot.
Entry as Promised King
The ascent leads into his deliberate, public entry as Messiah and King, riding lowly on a colt in fulfillment of the prophecy that Jerusalem's King would come on an ass. His ride on the colt and the crowd's garments, palm branches, and shouts of triumph marked his public welcome as Messiah and King. The disciples took this reception as a sign that their hopes of his recognition in Jerusalem would be fulfilled.
He was welcomed with garments spread in the road, palm branches waved, and cries of Hosanna to the Son of David. A large enthusiastic crowd was drawn after he raised Lazarus, and people flocked from all the region about. Among them were people he had healed and delivered, who praised him for being rescued from Satan's power and restored through his works of mercy, with Lazarus, raised from the dead, guiding the beast he rode. Unlike the victories of earthly conquerors, his triumph's trophies were people rescued from Satan's power and restored by his mercy. This royal welcome drew public attention to him as the world's Redeemer and to the sacrifice he was about to make, while faintly prefiguring his future glory as King.
The disciples and crowd took this reception as a sign their hopes would be fulfilled, expecting him to be recognized in Jerusalem, to take David's throne, proclaim himself King of the Jews, assert royal power, establish an earthly kingdom, and free Israel from its oppressors. They expected him to be crowned king to reign on David's throne. Excitement spread far and near and raised the hopes of the people to the highest pitch. When priests and elders tried to silence the multitude, he declared the cry must continue because prophecy must be fulfilled, so that even the stones would cry out if they held their peace. Their joyful acts fulfilled God's purpose.
They misunderstood what was about to happen. Within a few days their hopes collapsed into disappointment and the darkness of death closing about them when they saw him crucified, mocked, and buried, stretched upon the cruel cross above mocking Pharisees. But after his resurrection and appearances their hope revived and they understood that prophecy had foretold his suffering and resurrection. He proves true to his promises with sweet consolation and rich reward to the true and faithful. The journey shows his mercy and love toward Jerusalem even as the city rejected him, for he wept over its coming destruction and fate. In that weeping he saw beyond the destruction of Jerusalem to an impenitent world doomed to destruction, and it leads to his death for sinful people so they need not perish in their sins, a solemn subject that made a solemn impression on those who heard it.
After speaking, Jesus went ahead of His followers toward Jerusalem, beginning the account of His triumphal entry before He rode into the city. The journey resumed on the first day of the week from Bethany to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, in the beautiful spring season when many visitors had gathered for the feast. It was His deliberate, public entry as Messiah and King, riding lowly on a colt never before ridden in fulfillment of the prophecy that Jerusalem's King would come on an ass. He was welcomed with garments spread in the road, palm branches waved, and cries of Hosanna to the Son of David, by a large enthusiastic crowd drawn after He raised Lazarus. The crowd expected Him to take David's throne and free Israel by earthly power, so within a few days their hopes collapsed when they saw Him crucified, yet His ascent showed His mercy and love toward Jerusalem even as it rejected Him, for He wept over its coming destruction and went on to die for sinful people so they need not perish.
Journey Toward Jerusalem
After He had finished speaking, Jesus went on ahead of His followers toward Jerusalem, and this going before opens the account of His triumphal entry before He rode into the city. The verse marks His movement toward the city as the procession began, leading directly into His deliberate, public entry as Messiah and King. The account of that ride into Jerusalem made a solemn impression on those who heard it.
The journey was resumed on the first day of the week from Bethany to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, as He approached the feast. It took place in the beautiful spring season, when many visitors had gathered for the feast and rejoicing nature surrounded the way with trees clothed in verdure and fragrant blossoms. A large, enthusiastic crowd had been drawn to Jesus after He raised Lazarus from the dead.
On the way, multitudes who had flocked to Bethany to see Him accompanied Him, eager to witness His entry into Jerusalem, and other companies on their way to the city for the feast continually joined them. As they went, He sent two of His disciples to bring a colt, the foal of an ass, for Him to ride into Jerusalem over the short distance. That colt had never before been ridden, though He had always chosen to travel on foot.
Entry as Promised King
The ascent leads into his deliberate, public entry as Messiah and King, riding lowly on a colt in fulfillment of the prophecy that Jerusalem's King would come on an ass. His ride on the colt and the crowd's garments, palm branches, and shouts of triumph marked his public welcome as Messiah and King. The disciples took this reception as a sign that their hopes of his recognition in Jerusalem would be fulfilled.
He was welcomed with garments spread in the road, palm branches waved, and cries of Hosanna to the Son of David. A large enthusiastic crowd was drawn after he raised Lazarus, and people flocked from all the region about. Among them were people he had healed and delivered, who praised him for being rescued from Satan's power and restored through his works of mercy, with Lazarus, raised from the dead, guiding the beast he rode. Unlike the victories of earthly conquerors, his triumph's trophies were people rescued from Satan's power and restored by his mercy. This royal welcome drew public attention to him as the world's Redeemer and to the sacrifice he was about to make, while faintly prefiguring his future glory as King.
The disciples and crowd took this reception as a sign their hopes would be fulfilled, expecting him to be recognized in Jerusalem, to take David's throne, proclaim himself King of the Jews, assert royal power, establish an earthly kingdom, and free Israel from its oppressors. They expected him to be crowned king to reign on David's throne. Excitement spread far and near and raised the hopes of the people to the highest pitch. When priests and elders tried to silence the multitude, he declared the cry must continue because prophecy must be fulfilled, so that even the stones would cry out if they held their peace. Their joyful acts fulfilled God's purpose.
They misunderstood what was about to happen. Within a few days their hopes collapsed into disappointment and the darkness of death closing about them when they saw him crucified, mocked, and buried, stretched upon the cruel cross above mocking Pharisees. But after his resurrection and appearances their hope revived and they understood that prophecy had foretold his suffering and resurrection. He proves true to his promises with sweet consolation and rich reward to the true and faithful. The journey shows his mercy and love toward Jerusalem even as the city rejected him, for he wept over its coming destruction and fate. In that weeping he saw beyond the destruction of Jerusalem to an impenitent world doomed to destruction, and it leads to his death for sinful people so they need not perish in their sins, a solemn subject that made a solemn impression on those who heard it.