b) It was greater than any of the sign miracles the Lord Jesus had performed
29 Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there.
30 Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them.
31 So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.
Matthew 15:29-31
2. Many of The Jews came to believe in the Lord Jesus (John 11:45)
a) But this was of concern to the Sanhedrin Council
b) They feared many more would believe in Him (John 11:47-48)
THE CONTINUING INTEREST IN LAZARUS
9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also,
11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
John 12:9-11
1. The Movements of the Lord Jesus
a) The Jews had been tracking His movements
b) They even knew that the Lord Jesus had gone to the home of Lazarus
2. They came to the home of Lazarus
a) They wanted to see the Lord Jesus
b) They also wanted to see Lazarus who had returned from the grave
3. The chief priests (they were part of the group called “The Jews”)
a) They were very upset at this turn of events
b) Their friends had become believers of the Lord Jesus
c) They were now planning to kill Lazarus too!
WHY WAS THIS CALLED THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY?
12 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
The King of Israel!”
14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:
15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion;
Behold, your King is coming,
Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”
16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.
17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness.
18 For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.
19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”
John 12:12-19
1. Entering into Jerusalem in the past
a) The Lord Jesus had entered into Jerusalem many times
b) Mary and Joseph would make it a point to go to Jerusalem regularly
c) The Lord Jesus was there when He was 12 years old (Luke 2:42)
2. Ministry in the Temple at Jerusalem
a) He taught people at the Temple (John 8:2)
b) He was nearly seized at the Temple (John 10:39)
3. Entering into Jerusalem
a) Not quietly as in the past
b) But triumphantly as King
4. A slightly different perspective in the Gospel of John
a) In the Synoptic Gospels
i) The focus was on the Disciples entering into Jerusalem as His entourage (Matthew 21:1-8)
ii) The Multitudes were mentioned too (Matthew 21:8-11)
b) In the Gospel of John
i) The role of the Disciples was muted
ii) The reason was given candidly
c) The lack of understanding of the Disciples
i) They did not fully understand why these things were done
ii) Only after His resurrection did they comprehend things fully (John 12:16)
5. The adoration of the Multitudes
13 Took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
The King of Israel!”
14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:
15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion;
Behold, your King is coming,
Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”
John 12:13-15
a)They took branches to wave to the Lord Jesus
i) In greetings
ii) In recognition as “The King of Israel”
b) Fulfilment of the Scriptures
i) This was a prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9
ii) He is described as King sitting on a donkey’s colt (John 12:15)
CONCLUSION
1. It was a Triumphal Entry in more ways than one
a) A triumph of the prophetic Scriptures
b) A triumph over His enemies
c) A triumph of the Lord Jesus as King
2. Our Challenge
a) How do we appreciate the Lord Jesus?
b) How well do we comprehend His life and ministry?