seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 12:12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival 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 on it, as it is written:
15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”
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 these things had been done 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 performed this 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!”
We just read yesterday, the chief priests put a hit out on Jesus and Lazarus. Poor Lazarus, first he died, then he got brought back, and now they want to make him die again... violently. Bummer.Mark 11 told the story of how Jesus "found" the donkey to sit on. Mark wasn't one of the disciples. He was a young man, who will become a thorn in someone's side as his story goes on. His story of how they "found" a donkey is so explicit, either he was an eyewitness, or he spent a lot of time getting the information from an eyewitness. I figure this is one event he witnessed for himself. His witness is just too detailed.
Now, why would Jesus go riding into town on a donkey rather than a fine horse? I've been wondering for years. Sometimes when you dig, the answers require more digging. BUT this morning I did a little digging again, and I finally found an answer that makes sense.
King David's son, Solomon, the Wise King, road into town on a donkey. I bet that's why Jesus chose a donkey.
Now look at verse 17. When Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead: when Jesus told the people to take the burial cloth off his friend and set him free: it stirred the crowd. The priests said the same thing I said, news of Lazarus coming out of the tomb would go worldwide. Everyone would want to see the dead man walking and the man who brought him back. Like I've been saying, it was the hottest ticket in the world. Just getting a glimpse of Lazarus or Jesus had to be bigger than the FIFA cup or the Super Bowl. People were invading Jerusalem just to see Jesus and Lazarus!
OK... Jesus knew Caiaphas had people out looking for Him. Since He's Jesus, I bet He knew Caiaphas put out a hit on Lazarus too. Jesus knew this, and He didn't avoid the confrontation.
Jesus knew riding into town like King Solomon would bring on the wrath of the political side of the fence. See, Caiaphas couldn't put Jesus on the Cross at his will. He needed the Roman Government for a Capital Punishment. The worst thing Caiaphas could do to Jesus was throw Him out of the Temple. Jesus had no use for the Temple. So, in order to get rid of this problem, Caiaphas had to hand Him over to the Roman Government.... and what better way to make that happen, than to ride into town as His ancestor, King Solomon, had. That would definitely get under their skin.
People were coming from all over the world to see the dead man walking and the man who brought him back to life. Now the man who brought Lazarus back from the dead, healed Lepers and the blind, would ride into town on a donkey.... declaring subtly Himself to be King of the Jews.
Caiaphas wouldn't tolerate it.
