Introduction
In the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem, we see that the cross is very much in view. At the same time, it is still appropriate to call it a triumphal entry because the reality of resurrection is equally central. We might even say that the death of Christ is surrounded by resurrection. Jesus died, but there was resurrection both before and after—a foreshadowing resuscitation before and final resurrection after.
The Text
“On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt. These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him. The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him” (John 12:12–19).
Summary of the Text
In the previous chapter, Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead (11:44). This caused many to believe in Him, and His enemies began plotting His death (11:49-53). But six days before the Passover, Jesus had come back to visit the man He had raised (12:1-3). This caused an enormous stir, and a big crowd gathered in order to see Jesus—not to mention their desire to see Lazarus (v. 9). The chief priests were so worked up by this that they even started plotting on how they could kill Lazarus (v. 10). But many of the Jews were going off, and believing in Jesus (v. 11). This is what created the huge crowd that welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem (vv. 12-13). There is no indication in the Scriptures that this was a fickle crowd, easily turned. This is not the same crowd that a short time later was calling for Christ to be crucified. It was no weather-vane church. This was the true church in embryo.
Palm Branches
Psalm 118 is rich in messianic allusion, and these people picked a really appropriate psalm. It is a triumphant declaration of life— “I shall not die, but live . . . he has not given men over to death” (vv. 17-18). Jesus was entering Jerusalem, and the psalm says, “open to me the gates of righteousness . . . this gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter” (vv. 19-20). Then comes the passage about the stone the builders rejected, which of course refers to Christ (1 Pet. 2:7; Acts 4:11; Luke 20:17; Mk. 12:10-11; Matt. 21:42). Then there is the cry, “Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord” (v. 25), which is what Hosanna means. Then comes the verse which the crowd cried out—“Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” The psalm explains a great deal, including the palm branches. According to at least three translations, v. 27 speaks of the festal procession as carrying branches to the altar. The altar in this enacted interpretation by the crowd was the cross.
Answering the Psalm
Jesus answers the crowd’s appeal to Psalm 118 with a reference to Zechariah (9:9-11). The rejoicing that met Jesus there was righteous and appropriate. Rejoice greatly, the prophet had said. Jesus identifies with this by bringing salvation into Jerusalem, and He does so as a lowly King. But His humility does not diminish the glory of His kingdom, because His dominion will be from the river to the ends of the earth (v. 10).
Note this carefully. On His way to His death, the Lord was rejoicing greatly with His people. This is not to minimize Gethsemane, but rather to highlight the Lord’s faith. Even at the Last Supper, when He takes the bread that represents His body broken, He gives thanks and breaks it. It is obvious from the Lord’s refusal to rebuke those celebrating that He was participating in their joy. If the people were silent, the stones themselves would have to cry out in triumph (Luke 19:40) . . . and Jesus Himself was the stone the builders rejected (Ps. 118:22).
The central thing here is that Jesus is entering Jerusalem by faith. This is by faith all the way down. He is receiving the garland before the race. He is crowned before the conquest. He comes in a great act of faith, and liberates prisoners from the waterless pit, and He does so by means of the blood of the covenant (v. 11).
In order to accomplish this thing, He set His face to go to Jerusalem— “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51).
This was as the prophet Isaiah had foretold:
“The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God hath opened mine ear, And I was not rebellious, Neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, And my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help me; Therefore shall I not be confounded: Therefore have I set my face like a flint, And I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; Who will contend with me? let us stand together: Who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; Who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up” (Isaiah 50:4–9).
Later On . . .
The disciples did not understand how important all this was at the time. Palm Sunday is not celebrated by the church in some thoughtless superstitious way—all four gospels include the Triumphal Entry, and we are taught that it was in fact momentous. So later on, after Jesus had been glorified, it all came together for the disciples. They recalled what the Scriptures said, and they recalled what the multitude had done (v. 16). Who testifies that Palm Sunday happened in this way? Who was qualified to speak to it?
John says something fascinating here. “The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record” (v. 17). And this is the reason why the crowd was there in the first place—because they had heard about Lazarus. “For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle” (v. 18).
Bethany was just a few miles from here. There is absolutely no reason why Lazarus, and Mary, and Martha, could not have been in the crowd. The crowd was there because of Lazarus, and it would have been odd for him to have stayed home.
So everyone there was involved in that glorious event because of a raising from the dead. This was a great testimony—by faith—to the reality of the coming resurrection.
The Whole World Has Gone After Him
The impact of this entry into Jerusalem was profound. Moreover, the triumph was not imaginary, or illusory. The events that the next few days would manifest are the means that God chose to bring salvation, not only to Jerusalem, but also from the river to the ends of the earth. The crucifixion of the Christ was an apparent defeat only—this is how God chose to overcome the wickedness of our grubby little world. What a glorious reversal!
And this is why the Pharisees, just like Caiaphas in the previous chapter, spoke far more wisely than they knew. “The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him” (v. 19).
And glory to God, why yes . . . yes, it has.