John 12:12-33 is our text today.
The first part of this passage describes what is commonly called "The Triumphant Entry" (of Christ into Jerusalem). The account is recorded in all four gospels.
This event took place on the Sunday before the crucifixion, the day after Jesus had raised Lazarus from death to life. Word of that miracle had traveled to Jerusalem. People heard that Jesus would be coming to Jerusalem soon and so were expecting Him. In fact, this large crowd went out to meet Him.
Who were these people? They were Jews, mostly from the surrounding countryside, who had traveled themselves to Jerusalem for the Passover week celebrations. It is likely that many of them had either encountered Jesus on His travels or had, at least, heard of the miracles He had done. The crowd was so large that Jesus rode a young donkey to ride into the city. The enthusiastic crowd was not shy about proclaiming Him the King of Israel. They quoted Scripture, Psalm 118:26, as they walked beside Him into town. "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"
In that political and religious climate it was not a popular thing to do, to proclaim Jesus as Messiah. It was viewed as both religious heresy and political treason. While some of the people on the road were worshipping Jesus as the deliverer of their hearts, most were viewing Him as their future deliverer from the Romans. By contrast, we read in verses 42-43 that many of the "rulers" (religious leaders) believed in Jesus, but would not publicly proclaim their allegiance for fear of being excommunicated from the synagogue. John said of them, "They loved praise from men more than praise from God." The people on the road to Jerusalem did not care about the consequences.
They spread their cloaks on the ground before Jesus. This was an act of homage before royalty. They broke off palm tree branches and spread them over the ground before him. Palm branches had historically come to represent victory over one's enemies.
Why did Jesus allow this? What was His reaction?
1. First of all, he anticipated that this would occur. In order to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah (See Zech. 9:9 below), he sent some of the disciples to obtain a donkey's colt. That is recorded in Luke 19:29-35.
“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."
2. He submitted to the adulation of the crowd, whereas in the past He had hushed them up, because, as He replied to the criticizing Pharisees in Luke 19:40, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out!”
The time had come for Him to be hailed as King. But, what an ignoble entrance, some might say! No mighty chariot, no key to the city, no marching band or grand music...none of the trapping this world might attach to a regent, approaching His kingdom.
Ah...He said that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). Not yet. John has recorded seeing Jesus after His glorification seated on a white horse, bearing a bow and a crown, riding forth to conquer. He will return as The Conquering King.
At His first coming, He established His kingdom in the hearts of mankind. And, He did conquer....He conquered Satan's kingdom, death and Hell (John 12:31, Hebrews 2:9, Rev. 1:18) through His death, burial and resurrection.
3. After reaching the Temple, He completely turned the tide of the crowd by stating plainly that now was not the time for His earthly government and rule, but was rather the time for Him to be glorified. See John 12:24-33 below.
24I tell you the solemn truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain. 25The one who loves his life destroys it, and the one who hates his life in this world guards it for eternal life. 26If anyone wants to serve me, he must follow me, and where I am, my servant will be too. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
27“Now my soul is greatly distressed. And what should I say? ‘Father, deliver me from this hour’? No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29The crowd that stood there and heard the voice said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to him. 30Jesus said, “This voice has not come for my benefit but for yours. 31Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33(Now he said this to indicate clearly what kind of death he was going to die.)
You may remember that the voice of God the Father spoke from Heaven once before, at the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry. Now, we see that He has spoken again aloud, near the end, to affirm that He, the Father, would glorify Jesus as well as glorifying HIS own name.
After this, Jesus withdrew into the countryside for a few days, to escape the crowds and control the timing of this most prophetic week.
Tomorrow, I want to focus on verses 24-26 and 42-43.
Dear Lord, thank you for all you have done for me. As this Passion Week begins in John, I think ahead to how the passions of the crowd turned so ugly and that, while on the cross You still bore the title King of the Jews, things were so different from the triumphal day described in John 12. Yet, it had to be so, in order for You to pay the price for all of our sins. What a heavy price it was, too! Help me to never forget that the King has come, and is coming again. In Jesus' name, amen.
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