The Beginning of Christ’s Passion Week
“And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’ And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, ‘Who is this?’ And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee’” – Matt 21: 9-11 ESV
My Thoughts:
Source: LDS Ward Library, Jesus Christ Triumphal Entry
Much of the gospel narratives focus on the last week of Jesus’ life. In the case of the Book of John, Jesus’ Passion Week encompasses chapters 12-20. Christ’s Passion Week begins with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Sunday (what Christians now call Palm Sunday). The crowds hailed Him as the ‘King of Israel’ and the ‘Son of David,’ both of which are messianic titles. Many people also spread their clothes and branches on the ground and they waved palm branches signifying that Jesus was arriving as a king and a liberator. Jesus Himself rides in sitting on a donkey’s colt, instead of a horse as military leaders would do, to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, which says, “Everyone in Jerusalem, celebrate and shout! Your king has won a victory, and he is coming to you. He is humble and rides on a donkey; he comes on the colt of a donkey (Zech 9:9 CEV). Jesus is saying He is the true king. (See last week’s article for more on Jesus as the ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King.)
Source: LDS: The Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos, Jesus Cleanses the Temple
Once in the city, to many people’s surprise, Jesus doesn’t go to attack the Roman garrison, but the Temple itself. Jesus goes to the Temple and by His own authority, as the High Priest declares it corrupt. He cleanses it by overturning the money tables, which interrupted the normal business of offering sacrifices (Matt 21). In Jesus’ view, the Temple, the place of God’s presence and where heaven and earth meet forever, was under divine judgment. God wasn’t going to vindicate or save Israel as a whole, but only Jesus and those that followed Him.
And after cleansing the Temple, Jesus heals many who flock to Him while there (Matt 21). And on His way to Jerusalem Jesus once again foretold His death and resurrection to His disciples (Matt 20). As the Final Prophet Jesus speaks the Word of God and predicts many future events.
On Wednesday the religious leaders assemble and plot to kill Jesus, but they wanted to wait until after the Passover Festival had ended on Saturday, so as to not cause an uproar among the people. For it was the time of the Passover season when Jews celebrated their deliverance and rescue from Egyptian bondage and the way God’s judgment passed over their families through the shed blood of the spotless lamb on their doorposts. All Jews would celebrate the season by traveling to Jerusalem and sacrificing an unblemished lamb at the Temple that was to be eaten during the Passover Seder. They would also pray that God would once again deliver them from their pagan oppressors (the Romans).
Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ disciples, goes to the chief priests that day and agrees to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, which is the price of a slave in Exodus 21:32. Jesus has truly become “despised and rejected by men” as Isaiah foretold (Isa 53:3). Or as the gypsy Esmeralda sings in Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, “Yes, I know I’m just an outcast / I shouldn’t speak to you / Still I see Your face and wonder… / Were You once an outcast too?”
We can see that things are moving into place by God’s design. Next week we will look at the next events—what happened on Maundy Thursday.
Prayer
Almighty and eternal God, you created all things in wonderful beauty and order. Help
us now to perceive the beauty of your new creation: a world remade and cleansed of
its brokenness, and people redeemed to flourish as those made in your image. All this
you have done through the sacrifice of our Passover, Jesus Christ, who lives and
reigns forever and ever. Amen.
