Page 109 - Advanced Life of Christ - Student Textbook

The idea of a suffering Messiah was foreign to most Jews. The news of His impending death seemed to
fly over the heads of His disciples. To them, the Messiah would set up His Kingdom and reign as King of
Kings and Lord of Lords. Even James and John, after being told of Jesus’ impending death asked Jesus if
they could sit on His right and left hand in the Kingdom. This request brought an indignant response
from the other ten disciples who also wanted such a position. Matthew’s Gospel lessens the negative
image of James and John by depicting their mother, not the disciples themselves, as the one making the
request.

All three Synoptic Gospels recount how Jesus healed a blind beggar while passing through the city of
Jericho on His way up to Jerusalem. Matthew’s Gospel mentions the healing of two blind men, of which
one may have been Bartimaeus. This episode is another in a long line of stories which illustrate the
remarkable faith of the people that Jesus healed. Bartimaeus proclaimed his faith in Jesus as the
Messiah by calling Him the “Son of David”. The blind man was fully confident in Jesus’ power to heal
him.

Two episodes unique to Luke’s Gospel continue Jesus’ progress toward Jerusalem. In the city of Jericho
Jesus sought out a tax collector, a story that illustrates Luke’s favorite theme of Jesus’ concern for the
“lost” and the outcast. Contrary to the assumptions of the crowd and His disciples, Jesus proclaimed
Zacchaeus to be a faithful son of Abraham. Even a wicked tax collector who normally took advantage of
his own people could be saved!

In another unique account to Luke, he explains that Jesus told the parable of the pounds to correct the
mistaken impression that the kingdom of God would appear immediately. Jesus and the disciples were
now near Jerusalem and some Jews expected a political revolution to take place. The Messiah, they
thought, would set up His kingdom!

Why a Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem?
This event was unspeakably important with respect to Old Testament prophecy and to the ministry of
Jesus. It did not happen accidentally. Jesus planned and strategized to make it happen. The day was
Sunday and Jesus was planning to enter Jerusalem for the last time.

The triumphal entry is that of Jesus coming into Jerusalem on what we know as Palm Sunday, the
Sunday before the crucifixion (John 12:1, 12). The story of the triumphal entry is one of the few
incidents in the life of Jesus which appears in all four Gospel accounts (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-
11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19). Putting the four accounts together, it becomes clear that the
triumphal entry was a significant event, not only to the people of Jesus’ day, but to Christians
throughout history. We celebrate Palm Sunday to remember that momentous occasion.

On that day, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a borrowed donkey’s colt, one that had never
been ridden before. The disciples spread their cloaks on the donkey for Jesus to sit on, and the
multitudes came out to welcome Him, laying before Him their cloaks and the branches of palm trees.
The people hailed and praised Him as the “King who comes in the name of the Lord” as He rode to the
temple, where He taught the people, healed them, and drove out the money-changers and merchants
who had made His Father’s house a “den of robbers” (Mark 11:17).

Jesus’ purpose in riding into Jerusalem was to make public His claim to be their Messiah and King of
Israel in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Matthew says that the King coming on the foal of a

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