Tag Archives: Hosanna

MARK’S GOSPEL…HOLLOW PRAISE – 26

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Mark 11:7-10 NIV

“When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!””

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What do we make of this episode in Jesus’ life? Was He excited because it was yet another prophecy coming true? Was it a deliberate act to fulfil prophecy as though He were following a script? What did He think, and feel about the people’s response? Was He happy or skeptical?

Let’s follow the process. 

First, Jesus sent His disciples to fetch the donkey as though it were pre-planned. The donkey was where He said it would be. The bystanders responded as He said they would, asking the question He said they would ask. 

It was as though Jesus were following the scene He saw happening in His mind. How uncanny! History in advance!

“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭9‬:‭9‬ ‭

And so, the people rejoiced as the Word predicted! Why did they rejoice? What was their expectation? Let’s look at their words. 

“Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Clearly, the common people thought that this was Yahweh’s moment. Finally, at last, their longings, their hopes and dreams were about to be fulfilled. How they relished the anticipation that their hated oppressors would be supernaturally driven from their land! After all, hadn’t Jesus insisted that He was the Son of God, their longed-for Messiah?Hadn’t He demonstrated His power over disease, demons, and even death? They were convinced that He could get rid of the Romans as well. This was their moment of triumph. Freedom at last!

They sang and danced with abandon because they were fully convinced that miracles were about to happen. They celebrated Jesus as their Deliverer, the Son of David. Their long-awaited king! 

But wait! Why was He moving towards the temple? Why not Pilate’s palace…to give Pilate and his cronies their marching orders and to set up His government over  His own people?

Jesus deliberately turned towards the temple, the seat of His Father’s government. Rome was not the real problem. Rome was an intrusion, an interim plan to prepare the hearts of His people for the real thing…not an external force controlling the people but a new ruler on the throne of their hearts. 

As much as Jesus taught and showed them that the real enemy was inside their own hearts, the less they understood that their captor was sin, not Rome. Yes, He had come to deliver them, but not in the way they expected. 

In His debate with His enemies, He could not have expressed His intention more clearly…

“Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭34‬-‭36‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Everything He told them fell on deaf ears. 

So, He followed the script with accuracy because it had to be. He was neither surprised nor alarmed at the unfolding events. He was a purposeful player in God’s story. 

The hollow praise of His people turned to bitter disappointment, and murderous cries as they turned on Him, only a few days later, condemned Him to death, and joined their religious leaders in forcing the hand of Pilate!

Then, just when they thought that they had rid themselves of this imposter, He reappeared… from the tomb, of all things, to do what He said He had come to do!

“This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him…“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” …Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬-‭24‬, ‭36‬, ‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬

No, Jesus was not fooled by the people’s hollow praise. This was all part of the divine blueprint. Step by step as it unfolded, He  carefully followed the script, from “Hosanna” to “Crucify”, from glory to Golgotha, from death to life. With the process came the real deliverance, not from Rome but from eternal death for those who believe in Him. 

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – CRUNCHTIME IN JERUSALEM!

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CHAPTER 11

CRUNCHTIME IN JERUSALEM!

1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Mark 11:1-10

Everything Jesus did had meaning and purpose. Zechariah, the prophet, predicted this event some 400+ years before. Way back in the time of Israel’s weakness and oppression, he visualised Israel’s Messiah riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. Now it was happening. What was this? In the eyes of Rome, it was an act of treason. The people were excited. At last their king had come and they looked forward to a new life of freedom from the hated Romans.

The religious leaders were appalled. They had no desire to turn Jerusalem into a war zone against the Romans. What could one man and a motley group of 12 men do against the might of Rome? This man had to be silenced before things really got out of hand. Their past experience reminded them that, if they got rid of the ring leaders the followers would easily be disbanded. This was crunch time for them. Passover was coming up when Jerusalem would be filled with visitors from all over Israel – a good time to trigger a coup.

Despite conflicting agendas between Jesus and His disciples, Jesus was confident. He seemed to know what He was doing. Was He going to head for Pilate’s residence, the Roman Praetorium, or Herod’s palace (Herod happened to be in Jerusalem – convenient for a coup!)? No, the temple was His destination.

The crowd was excited. Everyone hailed Him as the son of David, paying homage by paving the road with their cloaks and palm branches. This was a blatant bid for kingship. Finally, their hopes and dreams for deliverance from Rome were about to be realised. They waited expectantly for the showdown, egging Jesus on by their show of support.

The disciples were bewildered and afraid. Would they have to tackle Rome by themselves? Where was the army? Jesus had never indicated something like this as part of His plan. He had taught them non-violence, humility, gentleness and submission. They could not figure out what was going on. They only thing He kept repeating was that He was going to die in Jerusalem at the hands of the Jews. How would that win their freedom from Rome? They were very apprehensive and reluctant followers as they made their way into Jerusalem.

A Bid For The Throne

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A BID FOR THE THRONE 

“Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in Him.” John 12:9-11 NIV.

How far will people go to secure their own position and protect their beliefs? These religious leaders were stooping to the very lowest, scheming to get rid of Lazarus as well; to silence both him and Jesus because they were a threat to their power and influence over the people and, of course, to their income from them.

Once again John pointed out that this latest and greatest sign brought another wave of people to faith in Jesus. For the Jewish leaders this was bad news. Things were getting out of hand as far as they were concerned and they had to take action to put a stop to it before they were completely swamped by Jesus and His followers. And it could only get worse…

“The next day the crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. 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!’

“Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written, “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” John 12:12-15 NIV

Although this was a spontaneous outbreak of praise from the people, no doubt set off by one exuberant person and taken up by the crowd, it had been prophesied by the post exilic prophet, Zechariah, centuries before. Surely the religious leaders would have recognised what they were shouting as a fulfilment of prophecy! It should have stopped them in their tracks and alerted them to the amazing truth that they were right in the middle of the fulfilment of their own Scriptures.

“Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9 NIV.

For these stubborn unbelievers it was a danger sign, not a reason to celebrate the arrival of their rightful and righteous ruler. Had they only listened to Jesus instead of opposing Him at every turn, they would have realized that Jesus was no threat to Rome. The kingdom of which He spoke was unseen and within, transforming people from selfish and greedy getters to compassionate and generous givers because of a new Master in their lives.

They would still be under Roman rule until the Father saw fit to release them from their oppressors. But that would be nothing compared with their release from the burden of religion, sin and the slave-drivers within; the guilt, shame and fear which tormented them and from which Jesus came to set them free. The throne of which their Scriptures taught was not an earthly throne but the control centre of their lives surrendered to Jesus so that He could direct them into a life of peace and oneness with the Father.

Where was Jesus heading when He came riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey accompanied by the crowds in a party spirit? To Pilate’s residence to make a bid to oust Rome…with a mighty army of twelve men and a crowd of revelling children? To the temple where He would challenge the authority of the religious leaders and take over the temple?

Yes, it was His announcement that He had come as a king but…His reign would be a reign of peace – “I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.” Zechariah 9:10 NIV.

But that peace would come at a price, His own blood shed for the nations so that they would experience the peace that is much more than the cessation of war — peace with God and the peace of God which transcends understanding.