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Sermon

The Gentle Triumph

Speaker
David Capoccia
Scripture
Matthew 21:1-11

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Note: This transcript and summary was autogenerated. It has not yet been proofread or edited by a human.

Summary

The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem reveals a king who comes not with military pomp but with gentleness, humility, and peace. Through the lens of Matthew 21:1-11 and supporting passages, we are shown that Jesus sovereignly orchestrated his entry to fulfill Zechariah’s prophecy of a humble king arriving on a donkey—an animal of peace, not war. The crowd’s enthusiastic response, while genuine in its acclamations from Psalm 118, masked a shallow understanding of who Jesus truly was and what he came to do.

Rather than the conquering political deliverer they hoped for, Jesus came to address the far more urgent problem of sin and God’s wrath.

Key Lessons:

  1. Jesus’ choice to ride a donkey’s colt was a deliberate prophetic fulfillment demonstrating he is the promised Messiah—a king who comes in peace rather than military conquest.
  2. The crowd’s enthusiastic praise, while appropriate, was ultimately shallow—many wanted the crown without the cross and a Messiah who would serve their agenda rather than the other way around.
  3. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because he knew his humble terms of peace would be rejected, revealing both divine omniscience and genuine compassion for the lost.
  4. The gospel transaction on the cross is the ultimate purpose behind the gentle entry—Jesus took the full punishment for every sin of those who believe and credits his perfect righteousness to them.

Application: We are called to examine whether we truly recognize Jesus as Lord and King or merely see him as a good teacher or someone who serves our personal agenda. True faith means laying down our self-lordship, repenting of rebellion, and following Jesus with wholehearted obedience—not just praising him with our lips but with transformed lives.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In what ways might we, like the original Palm Sunday crowd, be enthusiastic about Jesus while still misunderstanding or resisting what he actually demands of us?
  2. Why is it significant that Jesus chose to enter Jerusalem on a young donkey rather than a war horse, and how does this shape our understanding of what kind of Savior he is?
  3. Jesus wept over Jerusalem’s coming judgment even during a moment of celebration. How should the reality of God’s judgment motivate us in sharing the gospel with those around us?

Scripture Focus: Matthew 21:1-11 (the triumphal entry), Zechariah 9:9 (prophecy of the humble king), Psalm 118:25-26 (Hosanna and messianic acclamation), Luke 19:41-44 (Jesus weeping over Jerusalem), Matthew 11:28-29 (Jesus’ gentleness).

Outline

Introduction

Let’s pray together.

Great God, you reign.

And Lord, these things that we get to sing about you and about your son, they are so beautiful, precious, and joy-giving.

Teach us more about Jesus Christ and his great salvation this morning and cause us to worship you sincerely and more deeply this Easter season in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

Yes, it is Easter season. I don’t know if it caught you by surprise. I didn’t realize we were already on Palm Sunday until halfway through the week this last week.

To help you and to help myself get into that special meditation, that special time of worship and remembering Christ’s death and resurrection, we are going to break from our normal series in the Gospel of John and do a special sermon this week and next week just focusing on the passion of our Lord.

At Christmas time we remember the incarnation and birth of our Lord and at Easter time we remember his suffering, death and resurrection.

Now today is the first day of the traditional Holy Week, Palm Sunday. It’s also the day in which we commemorate what is called the triumphal entry.

But triumphal entry can be a misleading title for the day of Jesus’ final arrival into Jerusalem.

The Roman Triumph

According to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, the main definition of a triumph is a victory or conquest as if by military force.

That meaning comes from how it was originally designed by the Romans.

The word triumph originally referred to a special Roman ceremony. One of the greatest displays of spectacle and power in the ancient world, a triumph was a kind of sacred victory parade. A conquering Roman general would enter Rome, the empire’s capital city, and then process through the streets until he reached the city’s greatest temple. There, the general would offer sacrifice to the gods and then kick off days of celebratory festival.

Though the ceremony was technically a religious procession, the real focus was the general himself, who was usually the emperor. Many aspects of the triumph emphasized the glory of this conquering leader. On his head was a crown of laurel leaves symbolizing victory. On his body was a gold and purple toga, testifying that his greatness was at the level of royalty and even deity.

He rode in a splendid chariot manned by a slave and drawn by four horses.

Before him was a parade of all the captured leaders and prisoners of war along with the many valuable treasures taken from the enemy as spoils.

Behind him were the general’s many soldiers, not in their battle dress but in toga and in laurel crowns, all shouting hurrah for the triumph.

The entire parade would be accompanied by music, clouds of incense, and the constant strewing of flowers.

“The entire parade would be accompanied by music, clouds of incense, and the constant strewing of flowers.”

Add to this the shouts and songs of an adoring crowd who would likely never have seen such a majestic display in their whole lives, and you have an event of truly epic proportions.

Because triumphs were considered so glorious, they were seldom awarded. They were meant to commemorate only the most magnificent of military achievements.

Therefore, for many Romans, particularly the nobles, to process in triumph and march in this kind of victory parade was the greatest honor imaginable.

Even after the Roman Empire fell, many European monarchs adopted aspects of the Roman triumph in their own royal processions. Some of those traditions and aspects remain to the present day in the monarchies that still exist in the world.

A Different Kind of King

Now, if there’s anyone who deserved the honor and acclaim of a triumph, it was Jesus.

Jesus not only is the true king of Israel, the true king of all the world, but he is actual deity. The Romans may have pretended to reach for that, but Jesus actually is the mighty Lord of the universe.

You might think therefore that when Jesus finally publicly asserted his messiahship, his Davidic kingship to the people of Israel, it would be by some kind of royal mega triumph. He’s the greatest king ever. He should have the greatest triumph ever, the most splendid display, something more awesome than Rome could ever produce.

But as with his birth, the Lord in his royal entry did something quite different and on closer examination much more glorious.

He did not come with pomp but with humility, not with military might but with gentleness. He appeared not as the one who had conquered but as the one who would conquer by his death and resurrection.

“He did not come with pomp but with humility, not with military might but with gentleness.”

His delivered spoil was not mere silver or gold but eternal life for all who believe in him.

This morning I want to look afresh with you at the account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem so that you and I might be moved to new wonder, deeper wonder for our glorious Savior and King this season. I’m calling today’s message “The Gentle Triumph.”

All four gospels record Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem. I’ll mention certain details from each of those accounts as we go along today, but we’re going to focus on Matthew’s account. So if you would take your Bibles and turn to Matthew 21:1-11.

If you’re using the Bibles that we provided, you can find it on page 981.

Setting the Scene

Before we read our passage, let’s orient ourselves a bit to where we are in the history of Jesus’s life. We’re backing up slightly from where we’ve been in our study of the Gospel of John.

It’s early April about 2,000 years ago.

Jesus is nearing the end of his three and a half year public ministry. The Passover feast is approaching.

Jesus has just made the journey down from Galilee to near Jerusalem along with his disciples and many other followers from Galilee and cities along the way. There’s a growing sense of expectation in the crowd that is with Jesus that Jesus will soon establish the long-awaited messianic kingdom for Israel.

Yet Jesus has already told his disciples plainly what will happen at this Passover feast in Jerusalem. Jesus will be seized. He will be mistreated and then handed over to the Gentiles, and they on behalf of the Jews will kill him. But three days later, he will rise again.

“Jesus will be seized, mistreated, handed over to the Gentiles, and they will kill him. But three days later, he will rise again.”

Jesus is not yet in Jerusalem. He’s now staying in Bethany, a town on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, which is just west of Jerusalem.

So this town Bethany is on the eastern slope, and he’s at the house of his dear friends Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. We’ve met them in the Gospel of John. Only two months earlier, Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. And just a day or two earlier, Mary had anointed the feet of Jesus with that costly nard perfume.

It’s now Sunday of the Passover week.

Jesus is getting ready to enter Jerusalem along with a massive crowd that is accompanying him. That brings us to the beginning of our text in Matthew 21. Let’s read the 11 verses.

Reading of the Text

When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them.’ And immediately he will send them.”

This took place to fulfill what was spoken to the prophet. Say to the daughter of Zion, “Behold, your king is coming to you, gentle and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.” The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them. And he sat on the coats.

Most of the crowds spread their coats in the road. And others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. The crowds going ahead of him and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.”

When he had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Matthew 21:9: “Hosanna to the son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

In this passage, we see Jesus enter Jerusalem for the last time. Though most of the reported action of our passage actually takes place before he enters Jerusalem, it’s right before. It is truly a glorious entrance, but not in the way that many people might have expected.

And this really is Jesus’ point and the Apostle Matthew’s point in writing down these events for us. Jesus’ gentle entry into Jerusalem proves him to be God’s Messiah in whom you must believe. That is the main message today.

“Jesus’ gentle entry into Jerusalem proves him to be God’s Messiah in whom you must believe.”

The King Sovereignly Prepares

And this great event unfolds in two parts, which are the two points of my sermon. Part one comprises verses 1 to 7.

In verses 1 to 7, we see number one: the king sovereignly prepares. Look at the beginning of verse 1 again. When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage at the mount of olives, stop there for a second.

Here Matthew reports Jesus approaching from Bethany, where Jesus was staying, to the village of Bethphage. Now Bethphage must have been a small and insignificant town because outside of the gospel accounts of Jesus’s triumphal entry, it’s not mentioned. Bethphage, like Bethany, was on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives but slightly closer to Jerusalem than Bethany was.

So Jesus would have to pass through Bethphage from Bethany to get to Jerusalem. He would pass through Bethphage, crest the Mount of Olives, cross the Kidron Valley, and then proceed west into Jerusalem.

But Jesus intends to do so in a particular way. And that way involves some preparatory work by his disciples.

Look at the end of verse 1 going to the end of verse 3.

Then Jesus sent two disciples saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them.’ And immediately he will send them.”

The Disciples’ Strange Errand

Now, notice how specific yet mysterious these directions from Jesus are.

Jesus sends two disciples. We don’t know which ones. Possibly Peter and John because Luke tells us they’re later selected to prepare the upper room, but Jesus picks two disciples and tells them to go into the village opposite them, namely Bethphage.

Immediately, Jesus says they will find something. What will they find? A female donkey tied up with her young colt. They’re going to be in a public space. Jesus says, “When you come upon these animals, untie them and bring them to me.”

Now, imagine being in the disciples’ shoes and hearing these directions. I’m sorry, what? You want us to just show up into town and take two donkeys?

Jesus’s next direction might not seem super reassuring. Jesus then adds, “If anyone says anything to you when you do this, just tell them the Lord has need of them.” Now, could you imagine going somewhere here in New Jersey and just going up to somebody’s bike or car and just start taking it? When the owner confronts you saying, “What are you doing with my vehicle?” you just say, “The Lord has need of it.”

But Jesus tells his disciples, “When you do all this, the owner will send the animals with you right away.” Despite the mystery and probably discomfort that the disciples feel at these directions, the disciples know by now that they can trust Jesus because everything always turns out the way that he says.

“The disciples know by now that they can trust Jesus because everything always turns out the way he says.”

And as we’ll see in a moment, verses six and seven, that’s the case here. All happens exactly as Jesus says it will.

But how? What’s really going on here?

Divine Authority on Display

Well, the basic answer is that Jesus is demonstrating some of his kingly knowhow and divine omniscience. He knows exactly where the animals are that he needs and he knows how to obtain them.

Now, it’s possible that the owner of these two particular animals is an otherwise unknown follower of Jesus. This isn’t some random guy. This is somebody Jesus already knows. That could mean, therefore, that this man would be eager at any word from Jesus’ disciples that Jesus needed to borrow some animals to send the animals along.

Perhaps Jesus even made some prior arrangements with this friend to do just this. “Hey, when I come back to Jerusalem next time, I’m going to need some animals. Can you help me out when I send my disciples to go get them?” That’s possible. None of that’s stated in the text. But it’s also possible, even probable, that this is really just Jesus’ divine authority at work.

Because consider again the words that disciples are to report to this animal owner or whoever’s asking questions: “The Lord has need of them.”

It’s true that people sometimes refer to Jesus as Lord in the Gospels when addressing him. That title isn’t necessarily a confession of belief in him, but it’s just a title of respect akin to “sir.”

While that’s true, it’s worth noting that “Lord” with the article in front in the original Greek, “ho curios,” “the Lord,” is only used in the Gospel of Matthew to refer to God, even Yahweh, a translation of the name Yahweh from the Old Testament.

Therefore, the statement Jesus gives his disciples to say on his behalf regarding the animals would probably not have clearly communicated that it was Jesus in particular who needed the animals. The disciples only would have been communicating that God needed the animals.

And you say, “Well, that’s okay because Jesus is God. Jesus is Yahweh God.” Yes, that’s true. But if a stranger told you that God needed your valuable property, would you just send it along?

Now, some have suggested that the phrase that Jesus tells his disciples to say, even though it doesn’t refer to Jesus specifically, is kind of like a code or a password. “Hey friend, if I ever secretly need your help, I’ll send somebody to tell you the Lord has need of it.”

Did Jesus make an arrangement like this? Again, possible. But again, it’s more likely this is just simply Jesus’ royal power on display. If the heart of kings are in the hands of God, how much more the hearts of a donkey owner?

And if Jesus merely saying, “I am,” in John 18:8, can cause a crowd of soldiers to draw back and fall to the ground, then could not the words, “The Lord has need of them,” spoken on Jesus’ behalf by his disciples, supernaturally move a heart, even for a person to loan two donkeys immediately without asking any more questions?

“If the heart of kings are in the hands of God, how much more the hearts of a donkey owner?”

That’s probably the case here. It’s just a miracle. It’s just divine authority on display. But however exactly it all happened, Jesus certainly displays his messianic authority with these donkey directives. He is the king.

But why does Jesus need animals in the first place? I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed, but according to what we see about Jesus in the Gospels, and again, it’s not exhaustive, but everything that’s reported to us about Jesus leads us to believe that he’s never before ridden an animal anywhere. He’s always walked. Never mentions him taking an animal anywhere else. But now he wants an animal and not just one but two.

Why?

The Prophecy Fulfilled

Well, there’s a very important reason which is clarified for us by Matthew in verses 4 and 5. Let’s look at those verses.

“This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet. Say to the daughter of Zion, behold your king is coming to you gentle and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”

All right, that’s pretty clear, isn’t it? Do you see the purpose of this donkey and donkey colt?

It is on the one hand to fulfill prophecy, to further confirm Jesus’ identity as Messiah, Israel’s king. But it is on the other hand to communicate something glorious about this promised king.

“The donkey is to fulfill prophecy and to communicate something glorious about this promised king.”

Matthew doesn’t specifically identify for us which prophet has the words that are fulfilled by Jesus here in verse 5. Actually, the beginning phrase that Matthew cites for us is from Isaiah 62:11.

But the bulk of the reported prophecy comes from a different prophet, and that is Zechariah. Zechariah wrote down this prophecy 450 years before Jesus fulfilled it.

In Zechariah 9, amid various prophecies about how God will one day, once and for all, deliver Israel from its enemies, dwell with his people, and bring about for them astounding peace and prosperity, God declares this in Zechariah 9:9.

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout and triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your king is coming to you. He is just and endowed with salvation, humble and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Now, just hearing that and comparing it to our text, you may notice that Matthew doesn’t quote the entire verse. He leaves out the parts having to do with rejoicing or about the king coming as the righteous one endowed with salvation, not because they’re not true, but because he wants to focus our attention on a certain other aspect of the prophecy—that’s all about the animal and what that animal’s coming means.

Let’s consider the words of the prophecy as Matthew writes them in Matthew 21:4 and 5.

The Gentleness of the King

He begins by saying to the daughter of Zion—that is, declaring a message to the people of Jerusalem and by extension Israel—”Behold, that is, look, see for yourself: your king is coming to you.” This is an amazing thing. Behold, your king is coming to you. Look, he’s finally arriving.

And how does he come? Gently. Matthew says the word for gentle here could also be translated humble, considerate, or meek. It pertains to someone who is apparently not overly impressed with a sense of his own importance.

Is the king of Israel, even the mighty son of God, coming this way to his people?

By the way, the same word for gentle appears in another well-known verse from Matthew: Matthew 11:28-29.

Jesus says, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Why is Israel’s king coming so gently?

Matthew 11:28-29: “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. For I am gentle and humble in heart.”

Why isn’t he coming in the overwhelming splendor and military might that would be appropriate for his position?

Because this king knows that there are many among his people who are weary and afflicted with sin. They don’t need a conquering general who will frighten them into submission by his power. They need a loving Lord who will speak peace to them, deal gently with them, and save them.

In Zechariah 9:9, in the original passage, the word for humble describing the king can also be translated poor or afflicted. “Behold, your king is coming to you poor. Afflicted.” Believe it or not, that is appropriate.

Often only those who are afflicted themselves have the necessary humility and compassion to deal with those who are afflicted. And God declares through Zechariah, “Behold, see it. See it for yourself. Such a one is coming to you as your king.”

And the gentleness is reflected in the choice of the king’s arrival vehicle.

The Donkey: An Animal of Peace

Note again, Matthew says, “Gentle and mounted on a donkey.” You say, “What’s with a donkey?” Need to understand there was no stigma attached to using a donkey as a travel vehicle in the ancient world. Donkeys, though they are mentioned as a beast of burden, are actually a preferred travel animal because of their generally smooth ride.

Even great men would sometimes ride on donkeys or mules. Mules are just a donkey-horse hybrid. And we see this in the Bible. In Genesis 22, Abraham rides on a donkey to Mount Moriah.

In 2 Samuel 16, King David rides on a donkey when he flees from Absalom.

In 2 Samuel 13, the sons of David who are princes in Israel ride on mules.

In 1 Kings 1, when David has Solomon crowned king, David has Solomon ride on David’s own mule to the coronation site.

There’s nothing dishonorable about riding a donkey or a mule somewhere.

But there’s one thing a donkey certainly is not—an animal for war.

“There’s one thing a donkey certainly is not—an animal for war.”

In ancient times, you didn’t have donkey corps. No soldiers riding on donkeys in battle. They didn’t ride on donkeys.

They rode on horses or chariots, sometimes camels.

For kings then who want to emphasize their might and war-making ability, they would ride on horses and chariots as the later kings of Israel and Judah often did.

But the donkey is an animal of peace. So if your king is coming to you on a donkey, he comes peacefully. He comes gently. And as if coming on a donkey didn’t emphasize the king’s gentleness enough, Zechariah’s prophecy goes further. As Matthew also notes, it’s not just gentle and mounted on a donkey, but even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.

So if a donkey is considered unthreatening, how much more so its colt or its foal? Basically a baby donkey.

Younger versions of animals tend to be less aggressive and more easily frightened. The same is true of a young donkey.

The other gospels clarify that Jesus specifically sought out a young donkey for his arrival into Jerusalem, even one on which no one had ever sat before.

It’s that young.

Not only would this unused animal appropriately set it apart for royal or sacred use by Jesus, but it would also clearly communicate the peaceful and peacebringing nature of the king.

A King Who Comes in Peace

So, brethren, are you already seeing the unexpected glory of this kind of entry of your king into Jerusalem?

He does not come in war or wrath. He comes in peace despite ongoing human rebellion. It’s not like you guys have been so great. I’m just going to lay all this aside. I’m going to come on a donkey.

No, it’s been rebellion. It’s been resistance. It’s been apathy. It’s been rejection. And yet, he comes humbly. He comes on a donkey.

In both his birth and in his public royal entry into Jerusalem, we see this approach from God. Gentle.

“He does not come in war or wrath. He comes in peace despite ongoing human rebellion.”

The king arrives gently.

We see then Jesus sovereignly prepares his entry into Jerusalem so that Israel might see this not only that he fulfills prophecy but he’s a king who comes gently because that’s the kind of king that they need.

Jesus’s display would have been even more poignant considering a certain Jewish tradition likely in place at that time. According to the Talmud, which is the collection of rabbinical commentaries on the law, any pilgrims riding to Jerusalem on animals were supposed to dismount once they were inside the city, which would be normally on the Mount of Olives.

Come to the top of the Mount of Olives, you see the city, and then you’re supposed to dismount and walk the rest of the way because you want to show honor to the city. Reverence for the city, reverence for the city’s God.

Notice Jesus’s plan is to do the opposite. He mounts up at the Mount of Olives and then plans to ride into Jerusalem.

The only way that is not inappropriate and an arrogant affront is if Jesus really is God’s king, even the one in whom you must believe.

We’ve seen Jesus’s directions. We’ve seen the grand purpose behind the directions. And in verses 6 and 7, we see how all is carried out just as Jesus has prepared.

Verse 6: “The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them and brought the donkey and the colt and laid their coats on them and he sat on the colt.”

The disciples placed their own cloaks on the animals in deference to Jesus and to serve as a saddle. Then Jesus sits on the colt and the donkey and colt pair are led toward Jerusalem.

You say, “Well, why is the mom brought along?” That’s likely because the young colt otherwise wouldn’t remain calm amid such a boisterous crowd. It’s that timid of an animal. You have to bring the mom along so that the colt’s not scared.

The People Variously Respond

So this is the first part of the narrative. The king sovereignly prepares. But now let’s look at the second part, verses 8 to 11. We see number two: the people variously respond.

Number two, the people variously respond.

Look at verse 8.

Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road.

Now, let’s back up and consider who’s making up this crowd. Here we have shortly true followers of Jesus, but also nominal followers and people from Galilee and other parts of Israel and even some people who’ve come out from Jerusalem. Pretty diverse.

These people have various levels of belief and understanding when it comes to Jesus. But one thing they have in common is they’re all very enthusiastic about him.

They therefore now begin to display that enthusiasm by happily affirming what Jesus himself is asserting by his mode of entry. And that is this guy is the king. Jesus is the king.

“One thing they have in common is they’re all very enthusiastic about him.”

Coats and Palm Branches

Matthew reports that most in the crowd start laying down their coats as a pathway for Jesus, while others cut down and spread tree branches on the road.

Matthew doesn’t mention it, but the other gospel writers tell us that these branches are from the date palm, the leafy branches of the date palm that are common to Palestine, which is why we call it Palm Sunday.

Now, what’s going on with these coats and these palm branches?

Well, it’s like the people are laying out a red carpet of sorts for the true king, for Israel’s king. We see something similar in the Old Testament.

When Jehu is proclaimed king of Israel, his soldiers place their cloaks on the stairs on which he walks as their newly anointed king. In this way, they are affirming him as king and expressing honor and submission to him.

To lay down your coat before him is to say, “He is the true king, and I will serve him.” Here, take my coat. Let it comfort your way even in a small bit because you’re the true king and I will serve you. That’s what the people are saying.

This is what the whole crowd is now amazingly communicating about Jesus.

“To lay down your coat before him is to say, ‘He is the true king, and I will serve him.’”

Hosanna and Psalm 118

We see further action from the crowd in verse 9. It says the crowds going ahead of him and those who followed were shouting hosanna to the son of David.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Notice there’s a slight shift here. The term is not crowd in verse 9, but crowds plural. So now we’re talking about a massive amount of people. Just as in a Roman triumph, there are hordes going before Jesus and there are hordes coming after him.

And surely there are all sorts of shouts from the crowd, the crowd acclaiming Jesus as the blessed Messiah King. We have some of those reported by Matthew. This explains, by the way, why the cries are a little bit different depending on which gospel you read. The words are not the exact same, but they all essentially give the same report.

The adoring crowd is shouting words from a certain psalm.

What psalm? Well, it’s one we read earlier in the service.

Something you should know about Psalm 118.

By Jesus’s day, Psalms 113 to 118 had become part of a collection known as the Hallel, a series of six praise songs for God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt.

This collection of psalms was sung at every one of Israel’s main feasts, including Passover.

Psalm 118, the last of the Hallel, is a psalm that many think was actually written by Moses himself. The Bible doesn’t mention the exact author. It is perhaps the most interesting of the Hallel psalms because it is clearly messianic.

It clearly foretells the coming of the Messiah. You may have noticed certain words from that psalm are quoted in the New Testament as pointing to Jesus in other places. In fact, the cry from the crowd, as Matthew records it here in verse 9, includes two quotations from Psalm 118:25-26, which read: “Oh Lord, or ‘Oh Yahweh’ in the original Hebrew, ‘Oh Yahweh, do save, we beseech you. Oh Yahweh, we beseech you, do send prosperity. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of Yahweh.’”

So the crowds with Jesus’s arrival are not only quoting words of praise song traditionally sung at Passover, but they are applying the words in a way that is appropriate to the original context of Psalm 118 to Jesus’s arrival.

“Psalm 118 is clearly messianic. It clearly foretells the coming of the Messiah.”

In other words, they are affirming him as the Messiah, as God’s promised king.

The Meaning of Hosanna

You see in Matthew 21:9 the word “Hosanna.”

Kind of famous, right? Hosanna. We’ve all heard that word before. Hosanna is a word that a khalif was talking about in his Sunday school regarding transliteration. Hosanna is one of those transliterated words of the Bible. You take the word from its original language and throw it into English without trying to translate it into something else. Hosanna is a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew phrase “do save” or “save now” from Psalm 118. In Hebrew, it’s “hoshia,” or in Aramaic, “hosa” or “hosana.”

Hosanna originally was a prayer to God for rescue and salvation—”Do save!”

But over time, the phrase gained a new meaning. It became used more as a cry of praise, happiness, or acclaim.

So in this context in Matthew, in Jesus’s entry, there might be a tiny flavor of that original “save now” meaning. But what the crowd is really saying by shouting “Hosanna” is praise, glory, blessed be. Blessed be whom? Well, let’s keep going in verse 9.

The crowd says first, “Hosanna to the son of David.” That is, “May honor and blessing come upon the savior king of the Davidic line according to God’s special covenant with David told to us in 2 Samuel 7.”

Next, they say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” That goes back to Psalm 118. This is a phrase that might be used to welcome any pilgrim coming to Jerusalem. Hey, you’re coming in for Passover. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. But what was Psalm 118 talking about? Not just any old person coming to Jerusalem, but the king, the Messiah.

“Hosanna originally was a prayer to God for rescue and salvation—’Do save!’”

And if Jesus is coming according to what Zechariah had prophesied on that donkey, and now using this phrase of Psalm 118, the people clearly are proclaiming honor and blessing to Jesus as the special one coming in the name of the Lord, or the name of Yahweh.

And then finally, “Hosanna in the highest.”

That is, may highest praise go to the saving God and his saving king. Or may honor, praise, and blessing resound in the highest places.

These are very jubilant words.

Are these appropriate for the crowd to say to Jesus?

Well, they most certainly are.

Though perhaps many in the crowd don’t realize how true the words are that they are saying, the people nonetheless testify accurately to something that Matthew wants us to understand. Jesus really is the long foretold savior, king of Israel and of the world.

He really does deserve all these acclamations.

Even the Stones Would Cry Out

And if we think somehow that all this honor and praise doesn’t really fit with the king’s gentle entry, Luke adds a noteworthy detail in his gospel.

When the Pharisees—remember they are religious leaders and enemies of Jesus—hear these kinds of words of acclamation for Jesus as the king of Israel during Jesus’s triumphal entry, the Pharisees angrily demand that Jesus rebuke his disciples. Get these guys to stop saying all these things about you.

You remember how Jesus replies?

Luke 19:40: “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out.”

Luke 19:40: “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out.”

I love that.

Despite his humble entry, or even because of it, the true nature of Jesus—the God-man, the Messiah—demands that he be glorified when he presents himself as Israel’s king.

Even if it is without soldiers or chariots or horses. Even if it is by lowly and not fully informed masses of people. Even if it is by some just bandwagoning enthusiasm, Jesus must be celebrated as the glorious Lord and God because he is.

If the people won’t do it, the stones will because God’s universe cannot bear up under the true Messiah not being praised in some way on his royal entry day.

Such a glorious Savior, such a mighty salvation, such a gentle work of peace. It demands worship.

So amid continual acclaim, riding on the colt, Jesus crests the Mount of Olives and then rides down towards Jerusalem.

In verse 10, Jesus finally enters the city.

Jerusalem Shaken

And we see another kind of response from the people to their king. Verse 10, when he had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” Notice that Matthew says that all the city was stirred.

This would have been a lot of people. The Passover pilgrims would have greatly enlarged the population of Jerusalem at that time. Hundreds of thousands of travelers would be there.

Not all of them maybe knew about or had gone out to see Jesus arrive. So when they heard the incredible commotion, the shouting and the singing, they saw the huge crowd coming down the mountain flowing around one apparently mounted man. They naturally asked in alarm and wonder, “Who is this? What’s going on? Who is this that is coming?”

Now, it’s not necessarily true that they had never heard of Jesus before, but from a distance, they might not genuinely know that it was Jesus himself who was arriving. So they asked, “Who is this?” Yet it is telling that these persons in Jerusalem hadn’t already gone out to meet Jesus.

Matthew is setting up here a subtle contrast between the people of Jerusalem and the followers from Galilee. The followers of Jesus from Galilee acclaim Jesus.

But what do the people of Jerusalem do? Those people who are closest to the center of worship and power—the temple is there in Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin was there in Jerusalem.

Matthew says that these people are stirred. This word stirred could also be translated as stirred up or even better, shaken.

The Greek verb here is related to the Greek noun seismos, meaning earthquake, and it’s from which we get the word seismic.

“The Greek verb here is related to ‘seismos’ meaning earthquake. They are shaken by the arrival of King Jesus.”

They are shaken. They are thrown into commotion with the arrival of King Jesus.

And the question is why? Why should the gentle arrival of God’s king so alarm someone, even alarm a whole city?

Could it be that no matter how gently he arrived or how humble his heart, this king represents a threat? A threat to expose sin and false worship. A threat to demand true allegiance or true repentance and whole allegiance. A threat to take away political power and earthly treasures.

After all, does this line about all Jerusalem being shaken remind you of any other part of Matthew’s gospel? Maybe the beginning of it, Matthew 2:3.

When the magi proclaimed to Herod that they had come to worship the new king of Israel, Matthew 2:3 says, “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.”

Jerusalem, which should have been the most welcoming of Jesus, was the most troubled by him.

A Prophet from Nazareth?

Well, the crowds soon supplied the answer to the question asked by many in Jerusalem. It’s the last verse of our passage, verse 11. And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth and Galilee.”

There’s something bothersome about this reply from the crowds to the people of Jerusalem. The statement’s ambiguity.

We might expect after the donkey, the acclamations, the arrival that the people would answer the people of Jerusalem by saying, “Who is this? This is our Messiah, the son of David. This is King Jesus.”

But instead, they say, “This is the prophet Jesus.” Is Jesus a prophet?

“We might expect the crowd to say, ‘This is our Messiah, the son of David.’ Instead, they say, ‘This is the prophet Jesus.’”

Yes. But only a prophet.

Now, some in the crowd might understand that he’s not only a prophet, but the prophet, even the one foretold by Moses in Deuteronomy 18, the ultimate prophet to whom all in Israel and all the world must listen and obey.

But did everyone understand Jesus as the ultimate prophet like that?

Or notice the further description. This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee. Is that a true statement? Is Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee?

Well, yes. He grew up there. Most of his life and ministry were around there.

Matthew even notes in Matthew 2:23 that Jesus being a Nazarene fulfilled certain messianic expectations from the Old Testament.

Yet, Matthew also notes right in the beginning of his gospel that Jesus was not ultimately from Nazareth, but from Bethlehem in accordance with the prophecy about the Messiah’s royal birthplace in Micah 5:2.

So, does the crowd know this? Did they understand where Jesus is really from, who he is, and what he came to do?

Our passage ends without giving us the full answer. But we get the answer if we read on in the gospel.

As we do, we discover the truth that the people, even many who are shouting loudly in celebration of Jesus this Palm Sunday, they don’t really understand who he is. They think he’s just a prophet, a good teacher, or a political savior who will defeat Israel’s enemies, especially Rome, and establish a kingdom of everlasting blessing.

They think Jesus is the gateway to achieving all their earthly hopes and dreams.

Now, Jesus is the one to defeat Israel’s enemies and establish a kingdom of eternal righteousness and prosperity, but not yet. Those things are prophesied in the Old Testament, but they are not fulfilled yet. They are not to be fulfilled in Jesus’s first coming because there’s a much more pressing problem that Jesus must address.

The problem of sin and idolatry in his people, which is resulting for them in the burning wrath of God hanging over them. This is not what the crowd is interested in, even though it’s their biggest need, their true need.

For many enthusiastic followers of Jesus on this first Palm Sunday, they want the crown, but not the cross. They want the kingdom, but not contrition. They want eternal life, but they don’t want to lose everything for the Lord’s sake.

Like many today, these original people of Israel were looking for a Messiah King that would get on board with their agenda rather than looking to get on board with his agenda.

Thus, when it becomes clear to them later that Jesus is not really the king that they’re looking for, they will grow disillusioned. They will reject him and they will kill him by nailing him to a cross.

Will this be a great surprise to Jesus?

Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem

No. Because there’s one detail about the triumphal entry that I haven’t yet shared with you which comes from the Gospel of Luke.

You can just listen or you can turn to Luke 19.

Right after Jesus crests the Mount of Olives and sees the city of Jerusalem, or perhaps when he gets a little bit closer, Luke says that Jesus does something that probably nobody in the crowd expects.

Luke 19:41-44.

When he approached Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “Have you known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace? But now they have been hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you and surround you and hem you in on every side. And they will level you to the ground and your children within you. And they will not leave in you one stone upon another because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

Luke 19:44: “They will not leave in you one stone upon another because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

Come on, Jesus. Why you got to throw a wet blanket over everything? Why do you weep in the middle of this triumphant parade in your honor as you go to Jerusalem?

It is because as God, Jesus knows that his humble terms of peace will be rejected. He does come humbly proclaiming peace to Israel, really to all sinners in rebellion against God if they will repent, if they will stop their rebellion, stop their self-worship, stop their sin and return to God.

But Jesus knows even as he presents that offer, they will not. Therefore, he also knows despite the day’s fanfare that only judgment awaits the unrepentant people of Jerusalem.

He even foretells what will happen a few decades later in the great Jewish revolt against Rome. Roman legions will besiege Jerusalem and then destroy it in AD 70. They will slaughter the people, burn down the temple, and it is still not rebuilt.

God was finally done with Israel’s sin and false worship. The rejection of his own son was the last straw.

Yet Jesus himself proclaims later in the passion week that Israel one day will still come to national repentance. For Jesus says this in Matthew 23:39.

Matthew 23:39: “For I say to you, from now on, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Wait a second. That’s Psalm 118 again. Didn’t the Jews already say that?

Yes, they did. But not with real understanding or sincerity. Not with true faith and repentance, but one day they will.

So we saw the king sovereignly repairs and now we see the people variously respond.

The Gospel Call

But what about you?

How do you respond to the presentation of King Jesus as God’s king?

Do you really understand who Jesus is, why he came?

Do you see him only as a good teacher?

Do you see him only as someone who will help you get your will done in life?

Or do you see him as he is the righteous Lord and Messiah, even the one for whom in full sincerity from the heart outwards you are willing to lay down your cloak in front of him and proclaim him to be king, saying, “Only you are the rightful Lord. I will worship and serve you alone.”

Is that your heart?

Each of us must confess that we have not served God or King Jesus the way that we ought to have in our own lives. Rather, what has our record been? We have all sought to live as our own kings and in rebellion against God and against King Jesus.

Even our supposed good works—we don’t do things rightly. We try to make it up by good works. Those are polluted by our own desire for self-kingship, self-exaltation, autonomy from God. Our good works are all polluted.

Therefore, there is no way in ourselves that we will escape God’s just punishment.

But Jesus, why did he come so gently? It was precisely to save doomed sinners like you and me. Those who were in rebellion. He speaks peace to us.

“Why did he come so gently? It was precisely to save doomed sinners like you and me.”

Amen.

He lived a perfectly righteous life doing everything, believing everything, saying everything that you ought to have and that I ought to have. He did it. And then he died an innocent substitutionary death on the cross. The king took the place of the rebels against him.

Why? So that if they believe in him, they would be saved.

An amazing transaction took place on the cross. I love telling you about it again and again. And that is Jesus for those who believe in him. He took on their sins. Not just one sin, not just a few sins, the sins you’ve already done, but every sin that a believing sinner has done or will ever do. He took it all on himself and then he said, “Father, put the punishment that these sins deserve on me.”

What is the punishment that your sins deserve? Hell forever. Everlasting torment and fire and darkness. Every one of your sins deserves that.

And Jesus says, “I’ll take hell for my people. For those who believe in me, I’ll take every hell that they deserve.”

This is what he did on the cross. An amazing thing about the infinite God, Jesus, is that he can take an infinite punishment and finish it. It’s what he did. Though it was held upon him from his own father, he suffered it all and then said, “It is finished.” He drank the cup of God’s judgment to the dregs. There’s nothing left.

For those who believe, he completely pays for their sins. But not just that, he also gives his own righteousness. He accounts it to you if you believe. It says, “My perfect record. I love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and strength my whole life. I never didn’t do that. I fulfilled the whole law as God commanded me to do it. It will now be counted to you.”

If you believe, it is now counted to you.

Not only do you not have to suffer hell for your sins, but you are made acceptable to God to dwell with him forever. Because when he looks at you, he doesn’t see you. He sees his son. And he sees the perfect record of his son.

This is what Jesus did on the cross for his people. But it’s for his people. It’s for those who believe. It’s for those who, unlike this crowd who didn’t understand, didn’t care to understand, and when they understood rejected it.

It’s for those who believe. It’s those who recognize Jesus as the only savior, the true king, the lord and God of the universe.

So what about you? Will you come to terms with King Jesus? Will you cease your rebellion so that he can be your savior? And then if so, will you follow him? Will you obey and follow him with your whole life?

You won’t be perfect, but you’re not relying on your own perfection at that point. You’re relying on his perfection on your behalf. He will give you his spirit so that you will grow in obedience and it will enable you to follow after him.

But are you willing to turn? Will you turn from yourself, your attempts at self-righteous salvation? Will you turn from self-lordship and turn to trust in Jesus alone as savior and lord?

Don’t be like Israel, the Israel of Jesus’ day. They were judged. Jesus wept over them because they would not recognize, they would not accept his terms, and the judgment was severe. It will be worse for you. It’ll be worse for you in the last day even than it was for Israel because the judgment that was on display there was temporal. But God’s judgment in hell has no end because he is a holy God, because he is a just God.

If Jesus is not your savior and lord this morning, it is time to repent and believe. Accept these happy terms from the gently arriving king.

If you do, you will not only gain eternal life, but you will receive the King as your own dear friend.

If you do know Jesus this morning, wow, we have so much to celebrate. We have so much to praise and worship the Lord for based on just the reminders of this passage, the truths of this passage.

Let’s do so today. And then let’s also let it transform the way we walk. Jesus isn’t just worthy of our praise from our lips but praise from our hearts that comes out in our actions. Putting to death sin, putting on righteousness.

The Coming King

It was a gentle triumph. The first time he came, he came humbly. He came gently.

He came in peace to save souls from sin.

But let us recognize that the next time he comes, it will not be this way because he is coming again. And the next time he comes, it will be in power to destroy evil utterly and to establish his kingdom.

But if you believe in Jesus, you will not be the enemies vanquished before him.

“The next time he comes, it will be in power to destroy evil utterly and to establish his kingdom.”

You will be the followers behind looking on and giving praise. You won’t need to participate in the battle. He’s got that covered. But you will be able to see and glorify your Lord.

Probably the best way to conclude the sermon is just to quote Psalm 118 again.

What the crowd said, not fully understanding, but which we can say in full understanding.

Hosanna to the son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Let’s pray.

Thank you, God, for this word. God, I am so desirous that those who are not at peace with you would be made at peace today. They would not delay anymore under your judgment, but they would kiss the son lest he become angry and perish in the way.

God, I pray that you would by your spirit convict and speak this truth to all of our hearts this morning so that those that don’t know you may repent and believe and those that do may walk in new joy and obedience. Please accomplish this for your own sake. Amen.

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