Jesus Arrives at Jerusalem

Six days before Passover, Jesus and His disciples arrive in Bethany where Mary and Martha lived - an also their brother Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead. The sisters and brother had prepared a dinner for Him and Martha was serving. But Mary had a pound of very expensive ointment of spikenard and anointed His feet and wiped them with her hair and the fragrance filled the house.

Judas Iscariot who was about to betray Jesus complained, "Why wasn't this ointment sold for three thousand dollars and the money given to the poor?" Judas was not concerned with the poor at all, he was in charge of the purse and was a thief.

But Jesus replied, "Don't bother her. She has done this to prepare for my burial. The poor you always have with you, but you won't have me with you much longer."

Large numbers of the people found out Jesus was there and gathered around, not only to see Jesus but to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the Chief Priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, because many people believed in Jesus because of Lazarus' resurrection and were turning away from the Priests and following Jesus.

The next morning, Jesus and His disciples went toward Jerusalem and as they neared Bethphage near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of the disciples ahead and told them, "Just as you enter the village you will find the colt of a donkey that has never been ridden tied. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone questions you say, "The Lord has need of it."

They found the colt just as Jesus had said and the owner asked why they were untying it. They told him, "The Lord has need of it." and he let them take it. When they brought it to Him they laid their cloaks over its back and he rode it into Jerusalem. This was to fulfill the prophesy in Zechariah 9:9, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King comes to you: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."

As He rode down toward Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives people threw their cloaks on the road in front of Him and others cut off Palm branches and put them on His path. Those who were going in front and following were rejoicing and praising God in loud voices, saying, "Hosanna! Blessed is the King, the Son of David, who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!"

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd were shocked and said, "Master, reprimand your disciples!"

But Jesus told them, "If these were silent the vary stones on the sides of the road would cry out."

Then as He neared the City He wept over it and said, "Oh, if you only knew, even at this last moment, what your peace depends on -- but it is concealed from you. The time is coming when your enemies will surround you and blockade you and starve you. And when they defeat you they will dash you and your children from the heights to the ground! They will destroy the city, not even leaving one stone upon another, all because you didn't know that God Himself was visiting you."

Then He went into the temple and looked around, but since it was already late, He and His disciples left and went back to Bethany.

The next morning as they were going back to Jerusalem, Jesus was hungry. He saw a fig tree along the way and hoped to get some fruit since it was in leaf and the fruit begins developing before the leaves appear. But when they got to it there was not even the developing fruit on it. Jesus said, "May this tree never bear fruit again."

When they reached the temple Jesus had to cast out those who sold animals for sacrifice and the money changers again, saying, "it has been written, 'my house shall be called an house of prayer for all people,' but you have made it a den of robbers and thieves!"

Then the blind and crippled came to Him and He healed them. When the chief priests and scribes saw the miracles and heard the children in the temple shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David." they were indignant and said to Him, "Do you hear what they're saying?"

And Jesus replied, "Yes! haven't you read, ' Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings have you established strength'?"

Then they went back to Bethany for the night.

Life of Christ Part Forty-Three - The Sabbath Before the Passover

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