Daily Devotions
Matthew
Ministry in Jerusalem
Text: Matthew 21 : 1 - 16
Of course, Jesus had been to Jerusalem before. The synoptist Luke had this to say about Jesus and His family going to Jerusalem.
“His parents went to Jerusalem every year at
the feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old,
they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom
of the feast.”
LUKE 2:41-42
There is good reason to think that Jesus went to Jerusalem regularly. A careful reading of the Gospel of John would indicate that Jesus had a substantial ministry in Jerusalem and in other parts of Judea. Let us consider one text from the Gospel of John that would help substantiate that Jesus found time to minister in Jerusalem as well.
“After this there was a feast of the Jews,
and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.”
JOHN 5:1
A SPECIAL ENTRANCE INTO JERUSALEM
The last thing that the disciples expected Jesus to do was to make a special entrance into Jerusalem. They feared for His life. It might also be true to say that they feared even more for their own lives! They could not prevent or dissuade Jesus from going to Jerusalem. But to draw attention to Himself was something uncharacteristic of Jesus! What could be the reason why Jesus planned a special entrance into the holy city?
“Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came 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, and a colt with her.
Loose them and bring them to Me.
And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say,
‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.'”
MATTHEW 21:1-3
1. Obviously pre-arranged
The disciples were apparently not aware of this plan. But He was their Master, and He did not have to tell them everything He planned!
2. A significant code
Jesus required the use of a colt, the foal of a donkey for His entry into Jerusalem. An interesting and not insignificant code was used. The password was “The Lord has need of them.” How apt were these words! Only to a believer and a disciple of Jesus would such words be intelligible.
a) Who was this “Lord”?
Seldom did Jesus use this title to refer to Himself. He had every right to use this title, but He chose not to. He preferred to humbly call Himself, “The Son of Man”.
b) How does one meet the “needs” of one’s Lord?
Two disciples were sent to fetch the donkey and the foal to Jesus. The owner of the animals would have readied himself when he was first informed that Jesus needed them. How would he respond? Indeed, how would one respond to a request from “the Lord”? If one owned Jesus as Lord, then any and every request made must be met “immediately”.
The codeword was significant indeed. It symbolized a wonderful and correct relationship between the Lord Jesus and His disciple! Any disciple who hears of any need of Jesus would rush to meet that need!
IN FULFILMENT OF PROPHECY
Right from the start, Jesus made it very clear that His very life and ministry would be patterned in compliance to the prophetic Scriptures. He would live out every little detail noted in the Scriptures, be they found in The Law, the Psalms or The Prophets. Even this little detail of how He should enter into Jerusalem was a detail that would not be neglected. Such was the regard that Jesus had for the holy written word of God.
“All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
by the prophet, saying:
“Tell the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.'”
MATTHEW 21:4-5
It was the prophet Zechariah who made this prophecy five hundred years before! Time had done nothing to erode the power of this prophetic word! Zechariah’s text reads
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.”
ZECHARIAH 9:9
Zechariah called upon Jerusalem to rejoice triumphantly! In prophetic vision, he foresaw the King (Jesus) entering into the city of God. The description of Jesus as “King” and as One who was “just” and “lowly” described Him most accurately!
With amazing attention to the most minute detail, Jesus sought to obey the Scriptures. Did the disciples learn much from this lesson? He may enter into Jerusalem as King, but His heart and spirit would always be humble and lowly.