Jesus Enters Jerusalem | Luke 19:28-44 

INTRODUCTION

Today we are going to look at the account of Jesus’ Triumphant Entry to Jerusalem. We are going to see how Jesus enters Jerusalem and he establishes himself in the temple where he will begin to conduct a teaching ministry and later to be arrested and crucified.

From this passage on Jesus is going to enter Jerusalem and focus his ministry in Jerusalem. The Passion is going to unfold and the gospel narrative will end with the resurrection and ascension account of Jesus.

Luke 19:28-40

²⁸After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ³⁰“Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

³²Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. ³³As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

³⁴They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

³⁵They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. ³⁶As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

³⁷When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

³⁸“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

³⁹Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

⁴⁰“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Those who have grown up as Christians have heard about this account in the church and some Christian traditions even have a feast on the Triumphant Entry. I remember when I was a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church growing up as a child, we will have palm leaves, we would walk the street, and we would sing Hosanna. There was always this association that, as soon as we heard of Palm Sunday, we are actually coming close to Good Friday & Easter. In other words, the passion events are unfolding as Jesus comes to Jerusalem.

This is a turning point in the life of Jesus. From now on the Gospel writers get so busy showing us everything that Jesus does leading up to his crucifixion. If you belong to the tradition that is that follows the Stations of the Cross, you would have gone through the events that are going to be leading to the various stages that Jesus had to go through to bring about salvation.

Some Observations:

1. The Triumphant Entry Starts From The Mount Of Olives.

The Triumphant entry starts from the Mount of Olives near Bethany and Bethphage and ends up in the temple in Jerusalem. Geographically this should be about 2.7 KM, some have estimated about two miles or so to the city. So you’re not talking about a far distance. In a culture where people walk a lot, this is not going to be such a major distance.

2. Jesus Having Revelation & Authority Of A Prophet.

Jesus predicted the availability of a colt and the owners accept Jesus’ authority.

Jesus will sent 2 of his disciples to go ahead. Later on we will have a situation where Jesus will send 2 to prepare a place for the Passover Feast, and then there will be named as Peter and John. Here the two are not named. We are only told that these are the two.

Jesus was able to predict that there is a colt at a particular destination. The colt had not been ridden by anyone. Jesus sent his two disciples to go get the colt.

Luke wants you to be aware that Jesus has this ability to predict in detail events that will unfold.

“The prophetic ministry of Jesus unfolds when we begin to see not only in his forth telling but also in his foretelling.” Luke Timothy Johnson

Jesus could predict and say:

• You will find a colt tied there.
• The owners will release the colt.
• Nobody has sat on this colt.

The fact that the colt has not been used is indicative of the fact that it is fit for the use of a king, a royal figure or for an important occasion. Luke wants us to understand and see as if the colt was almost bred and left there for Jesus Christ to be able to enter Jerusalem in a grand style.

3. The Response Of The Owner Of The Colt.

The other thing to look at in terms of his authority is the fact that the owner of the colt we’ll be told, “the Lord,” Kurios has need of it. The owner will concede that, “If the Lord has need of it, then you can give it to him to use.”

ILLUSTRATION

Imagine you bought a brand-new car. It is just out of the showroom and has 0 milages on it. You are planning to take a ride with your family or go on a vacation. Then someone shows up and says, “We would like to have your care.” You ask, “Why?” “No, because the Lord has need of it.” The Lord does not come but he sends a driver and asks for your car. Would we give our brand new car?

Imagine how you would feel. It is how the owner of the colt felt. But the owner recognizes authority in Jesus and gives Jesus the Lordship of his valuable. As soon as they said, “The Lord has need of it.” The owner gave it away.

4. Throwing Of Garments On Colt And On The Ground Presume Jesus As Someone Greater Than Them.

People are unrobing, and giving their cloaks to prepare a seat for Jesus. This makes Jesus a royal kind of image here. If the colt is not prepared for him to settle well on it, they said, “Look we can remove our cloaks and we are prepared to almost demean ourselves, almost not look so great, so as for Jesus to be elevated.” For some, they want to be rich at the cost of Jesus, here they are demeaning themselves for Jesus to be elevated.

As they did that and Jesus gets on the colt, they spread their garments on the road for Jesus to ride on them.

These are all marks of Lordship, submission, & recognition of authority.

Here we find the owner of the court recognizing the authority of Jesus, the people around are recognizing this same authority figure called Jesus Christ.

Distinctiveness of Lukan Account

• The people here are disciples, not the crowd.
• The ones who praise Jesus are his disciples.
• They are eyewitness of the ministry of Jesus.
• They are disciples coming with Jesus to celebrate the Passover.
• In Luke they are specifically disciples who are praising him because they have seen his mighty deeds.

They are praising him because of what they have seen Jesus do in his ministry.

5. The Pharisees Protest And Attempt To Silence The Disciples.

Luke 19:39

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

This is the last mention of Pharisees in the Gospel of Luke and they are seeing protesting and attempting to silence Jesus’ disciples. These Pharisees perhaps are also following the entourage. You can find earlier in Luke 15, Luke 18 etc.

The Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, stop your disciples from praising you.” Stop your disciples for saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”  “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

So far we have seen a meek and polite Jesus. But now Jesus turns to the Pharisees and said:

Luke 19:40

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

“If you have a problem, if these people stop praising me, these stones will start praising me.”

Jesus said:

• The occasion is right.
• These events have been put in place as a line of the prophetic tradition for Jesus to come.
• The true king of Israel is entering the city of Jerusalem.
• He needs to be praised.

6. The Triumphal Entry Echoes The Angelic Message To The Shepherds.

Luke 19:38

³⁸“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Luke 2:14

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

You begin to see the echoes that Luke is bringing together. The birth of Jesus was announced to the shepherds, very low people, not much fanfare. Now the coming of Jesus is announced to the who’s who of Jerusalem. It is a massive announcement.

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Glory to God in the highest. Jesus is God on earth. God be honoured.

Jesus comes with peace.

How is Jesus going to accomplish that?

How is he going to accomplish peace?

Jesus is coming in Peace. But what is Jesus going to do?

7. Lament Of Jesus; Lk. 19:41-44

Luke 19:41-44

⁴¹As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it ⁴²and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

They celebrated Jesus and talked about Peace.

As Jesus descends to Jerusalem, there was the Jerusalem city by the Kidron valley.

He looks at this city and almost begins to weep, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace, because this city will be in ruins.”

Jesus is speaking this sometime in AD 30-33.

Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus in AD 70

Luke is writing this in AD 80.

Luke wants his immediate readers to know that Jesus had predicted the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans some 40 years prior. In other words, the Prophet Jesus saw what was going to come to the city.

• Jesus’ Lament over Jerusalem
• Jesus weeps over the city of Jerusalem before entering it.
• Jesus interrupts praise as he mourns a city that is blinded to what brings praise.

Prediction:

Jerusalem shall be besieged.

Jerusalem shall be destroyed and her children will suffer.

Isaiah prophesied this

Isaiah 29:3

I will encamp against you on all sides;

I will encircle you with towers

and set up my siege works against you.

The inhabitants stood unaware of what would occur in AD 70. Yet the disciples are sure of one thing. This is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace and glory in the highest.

Where is Jesus going? See what Jesus is going to do?

• He is going to attack the religious establishment.
• Jesus first starts by cleansing the temple.

Luke 19:45-46

⁴⁵When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. ⁴⁶“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Cr: Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11)

• The procession would culminate in the temple.
• He drives out the sellers in the temple. (Exchanging currencies, or animals and overcharging people)
• When he clears the temple, Jesus uses the temple courts as a new pulpit for His ministry. Jesus was interested in getting rid of unhealthy commercial activity in the temple, so that the temple could be a palace of teaching.
• Jesus becomes like a prophet like figure.
• He is restoring the temple, the heart of the nation.

ILLUSTRATION

Imagine you are the pastor of this church or you are heading any NGO or handling any department in the church. You are in-charge of things and running the place. If Jesus comes and says that everything that you are doing is out of order. It is not like I wanted. Then he turns over everything that you do and say that you are not doing things correct. He will take over everything that you are doing. What will be your reaction?

Question: Are we doing things God’s way?

8. Reaction Of The Temple Leaders; Lk. 19:47-48

Luke 19:47-48

⁴⁷Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. ⁴⁸Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

On one side Jesus is opposing what is happening in the temple. The teachers of the law and the leaders are very angry with Jesus. But there is another teacher here. Who is the new teacher in the temple? Jesus. The people are hanging on to Jesus’ words. Jesus is teaching God’s word and people are hanging onto Jesus’ words. In Jewish concept God can call a prophet from anywhere and use that man to prophesy, here is God doing that with Jesus. Jesus is coming as a prophet.

• The den of robbers have been claimed by Jesus. 2:49
• Luke is suggesting to us that Jesus is making the temple his daily teaching from hereon.
• The rightful teacher for the house of God has arrived.
• The chief priests and the leaders, the custodians of the temple premises and the teaching are not interfering in what Jesus is doing. They have failed in their duty.
• They tried to kill Jesus because He disrupted what they were doing in the temple.

Jesus comes to Jerusalem not to rest but to teach the message of the kingdom of God.

So far people in Galilee and Samaria have heard him. Now He is teaching and demonstrating the power of God in Jerusalem.

Later that week, Jesus will be questioned to answer by what authority he teaches. He will provide an answer that the Son of God is here. The Kingdom of God is here; but he will be betrayed and crucified. We will look at it later this week.

APPLICATION

Jesus Knows Me.

How Do I Respond To Jesus’ Authority? Lordship, Submission, & Recognition Of Authority.

Is Jesus Lamenting Over Me?

Do I Hang On To Jesus’ Words? Delight In, Meditate, Hold On To…

To Those In Leadership & Ministry: Is My House In Order?