John 12:12-19
The Triumphal Entry
12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the King of Israel!”
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,
15 “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”
16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.
17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”
All four gospels write of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem...There was a great crowd that had come for the Passover Feast...Jesus found a donkey and sat on it...It was written that the Messiah, one day would come riding on a donkey's colt...The Messiah would be a grandson of King David...By riding the young colt into town, Jesus shows His humbleness and humility...It shows that He is the Son of David, and the King of all Kings...This was a climax of His ministry...This entry into Jerusalem fulfills one of the prophecies...He is our Messiah...But His disciples did not understand what was going on...Only after Jesus' death would the disciples realize all the things written about Him in Old Testament Scripture would be fulfilled by Him (Zechariah 9:9)...
Part of the large crowd followed Him, and wanted to see Him...Many of them were there to witness the raising of Lazarus from his death...This part of the crowd, that followed Him from Lazarus' tomb continued to spread the word about Him...Other parts of the crowd had heard about this miracle of Lazarus also wanted to see Him and meet Him...The crowd paved the way for Him with palm branches and ran to meet Him...The Pharisees said "See, this is getting us nowhere...Look how the whole world has gone after Him!"...
There are two groups that are observing His entering Jerusalem and these great things...They are believers and non-believers watching this...There are also two great things being signaled here...One great thing, and one very sad thing...There is great happiness for He is bringing our deliverance...Jesus is coming and we will be saved...Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12)...The second thing, His arrival in Jerusalem is signaling is He must suffer (for us)...The entrance signals His doom and His passion is coming...On the point of those who do not believe in Him...The non-believer are criticizing and wondering who He is...The believer is given hope of eternal life with Him...For His upcoming doom and suffering is for us...