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Author: Stephen Weller
752 words, 4 minutes read time

Jesus Seen As King

Scripture: Matthew 21:4-5; Luke 19:36-37; John 12:12, 15

We ended the previous lesson with Jesus seated on the colt ready to ride into Jerusalem. In this lesson we will travel with him as he comes down from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem.

^{Mt 21:4} This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, ⁵ “Say to the daughter of Zion, ^{Jn 12:15} ‘Fear not. ^{Mt 21:5} Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

What Jesus was doing by riding on a colt into Jerusalem was, according to Matthew, fulfilling a prophecy made in Zechariah 9:9. Many would know this prophecy and by what Jesus was doing, he was declaring that he was the righteous Davidic Messiah, as the prophecy stated, “O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9 ESV).

This coming king is declared to be righteous and humble, somewhat unique as a king. Psalm 72:1 – 2 speaks of a coming king of justice and righteousness. This is the righteous king spoken of here in Matthew. This future king will first come to humble himself on a cross by dying in our place to bring to us salvation. This coming king is declared to be humble. Jesus in Matthew 11:29 (ESV) says: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” This King first comes as a sacrificial lamb to provide a way for us to become part of his kingdom. When he returns with his kingdom, he comes as a lion. Jesus is this lamb and lion, who as King is spoken of as mounted on a donkey and as Savior is spoken of as humble, mounted on a colt.

^{Jn 12:12} The large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. ^{Lk 19:36} [So] as he rode along, ^{Mt 21:8} most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

Word had gone ahead of Jesus to Jerusalem, to inform the large crowd that had come to the feast that Jesus was on his way, riding on a colt. Hearing this they gathered along the route he would be taking. As Jesus rode along, most of those in the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, symbolizing their submission to Jesus as their king. This practice is seen in 2 Kings 9:13 ESV: “Then in haste every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, “Jehu is king.”’ Others in the crowd “cut branches (palms) from the trees and spread them on the road” which symbolized Jewish nationalism and victory.

^{Lk 19:37} As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen.

Try to imagine all the thoughts and feeling at this time. Most in the crowd would have heard of Jesus and the signs he performed. The multitude of his disciples, who traveled with him, heard him teach and then back up his teaching with signs, were probably trying to figure out what might happen in Jerusalem. No one, not even his own disciples were thinking that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem to die for their sin before he would come as their king. In all of their minds they saw Jesus as their coming king and based on the power he demonstrated by his signs they began to rejoice and praise God.

Conclusion

If you were in the crowd that lined the road into Jerusalem and saw Jesus riding along the road on a colt, what would be your thoughts if you lived there at that time? Do you think there were any at that time that understood what was going to happen in just a short time in Jerusalem as Jesus entered the temple? What do people think today about Jesus?