Read John 12:9-19
The morning after Mary anoints the feet of Jesus with the pint of pure nard at the dinner held in His honor, Jesus begins His final trek into Jerusalem. The crowd that had come to Bethany the night before (see 12:9) is now walking the mile and a half trip to Jerusalem with Jesus and His disciples. Along the way, others are joining the crowd spreading palm branches along the road.

The next day the great 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!” John 12:12-13 NIV

The term “Hosanna” literally means “save” showing these crowds viewed Jesus as a savior both militarily and politically. The crowds were also quoting Psalm 118:25-26 which was showered upon kings returning victorious from battle.

Note that the imagery here is in stark contrast to a conquering king returning with the spoils of victory. Instead of wearing glimmering armor, Jesus is dressed in the robes of a rabbi. Instead of a white war horse, Jesus comes humbly riding into Jerusalem on a donkey.

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 12:14-15 NIV

By riding in on a donkey, Jesus is intentionally fulfilling the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 which John quotes here.

This entire scene is an adventure in missing the point. I have always wondered what Jesus thought of all this fanfare as He rode towards His death on the cross. The people were looking for a Savior (a Messiah) who would free them from Roman oppression and reestablish the glory of the kingdom of Israel. Meanwhile, Jesus was riding in to free them from the power of sin, death, and the grave.

We shouldn’t vilify this crowd overly much as John shares that even the disciples didn’t quite put all the pieces together until later.

At 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. John 12:16 NIV

Nearing Jerusalem, the crowd continues to grow. Those who had been in Bethany with Jesus spread out through the crowd spreading the news about His identity and His power to raise Lazarus from the dead. As they entered into Jerusalem, the massive crowd sparks pure panic with the religious leaders who decide it is time to do something before the “whole world” follows Jesus.

So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!” John 12:19 NIV

Questions to consider:

Can you think of a time that you completely missed the point that God was trying to make in your life? Write about this in your journal.

Why do you think you were so unaware of what God was up to in your life at that time?

Ask God today to give you wisdom to understand His work in your life through His word and through the presence of the Holy Spirit.