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Jesus Acclaimed as Israel’s King
This chapter is based on Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke
19:29-44; John 12:12-19.
Five hundred years before Christ’s birth, the prophet Zechariah
foretold the coming of the King to Israel:
“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
He who had refused royal honors for so long now came to
Jerusalem as the Promised Heir to David’s throne.
On the first day of the week, Christ made His triumphal entry.
Crowds who had flocked to see Him at Bethany went with Him.
Many who were on their way to keep the Passover joined the assem-
bly. All nature seemed to rejoice. The trees were clothed in green,
and their blossoms gave off a delicate fragrance. The hope of the
new kingdom was again springing up.
Jesus had sent two disciples to bring Him a donkey and its colt.
Although “the cattle on a thousand hills” (
Psalm 50:10
) are His, He
was dependent on a stranger’s kindness for an animal on which to
enter Jerusalem as its King. But again His divinity was revealed,
even in the detailed directions given. As He foretold, the request,
“The Lord has need of them,” was readily granted. The disciples
spread their garments on the donkey and seated their Master on it.
Jesus had always traveled on foot, and the disciples were amazed that
He would now choose to ride. But hope brightened in their hearts
with the thought that He was about to enter the capital, proclaim
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