12The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.13They 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!”
14Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
16At 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.
17Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” (John 12:12-19)
Thoughts: John indicates that a lot of the excitement for Jesus' coming to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday was because word spread because of Lazarus' resurrection. Other gospels speak of the excitement caused by his "many" miracles (Lk. 19:37). They called Jesus "King" which was bound to upset both the Romans and the Jewish authorities. But Jesus was not that kind of king. He rode a colt- the foal of a donkey into Jerusalem both in fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy about the Messiah, and as a sign of being a prince of Israel (for the princes rode donkeys- Judges 10:4). Jesus is the King who saves us (Hosanna means "Lord save."). He is our Savior, and He came to Jerusalem at Passover to bring the salvation that comes from being the sacrificial "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." He is worthy of our praise.
Prayer: Lord, you are worthy of our attention and praise. Thank you for being my Savior and King.
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