They Call It Triumphal

John 12:12-19 (NLT)
¹² The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors
¹³ took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Hail to the King of Israel!”
¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:
¹⁵ “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.”
¹⁶ His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him.
¹⁷ Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it.
¹⁸ That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign.
¹⁹ Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!”

This event marks the beginning of the end...Triumphal?  It hardly seems so when you consider that it was Jesus returning to Jerusalem and there he would remain until he was crucified on the cross.

The "triumph" of this event lies in the symbol of what was done.  Jerusalem was the capital of the nation.  He had come here a couple of other times, at least, and each time there had been a confrontation in the Temple.  He came as a worshiper and a prophet each time.
It was Passover and the city swelled with pilgrims coming to the Temple worship.  This is the highest, most important event in Israel's spiritual year.  The city is filled with an atmosphere of intensity as they anticipate this high and holy day....and then the word begins to filter through the crowds.  Jesus is also coming to the Passover celebration.  Perhaps it is time and he will take his role as Messiah, and lead the Jewish nation in overthrowing the Romans.   They hear he is coming and they go out with Palm branches awaiting his arrival.

Soon the disciples begin to appear, with smiles on their faces they lead the donkey down the hillside road towards Jerusalem, and the people begin to shout their approval.  The Palm branches are laid in the road...he comes as a King would come to enter a city.
..."Look your King is coming"..."Hosanna, Hosanna" is shouted.  It means "save, save us".

The disciples don't understand because by now they know that Jesus has said so many times that he's to be arrested and killed by the authorities.  They don't understand the fulfillment of prophecy.  Caught up in the wonder of it all, they are both delighted and sobered...where is this all going?
The crowd that shouts their praise and prayers would soon turn on Jesus and cry out for him to be crucified.  They wanted a Messiah to deliver them...meet their needs...not die for the sins of the whole world.
The Pharisees see a threat to their power and rule.  They plot to make Jesus the scapegoat... which leads us back to the event...Passover.  Two lambs, one is a sacrifice, one is a scapegoat...both symbolize the atonement, the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins.

NOW an event happens that changes everything...we'll look at it tomorrow.

Peace