(Matthew 21:6-17)
6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, 7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their cloaks on them; and He sat on the cloaks. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Now the crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting,“Hosanna to the Son of David;
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord;
Hosanna in the highest!”
10 When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds were saying, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.”
12 And Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying on the temple grounds, and He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.”
14 And those who were blind and those who limped came to Him in the temple area, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant, 16 and they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?” 17 And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.
TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:
The mob-mentality is very persuasive, whether good or bad, because most people prefer to go with the flow, and can easily get caught up in emotional frenzies. At this moment, people were cheering because Jesus was healing people, and there was this hope that He would rid their land of the Romans. Yet soon after, the mob would be shouting "crucify Him!" Quite the contrary of sentiments! Irrational behaviors are easily provoked with radical propaganda, fear and hatred. What helps is to take a step back, pray, ask for wisdom, seek out truth in God's word, look at the facts...
"Hosanna" translates to "oh save", therefore the words that the people were shouting were very correct, although many would not have fully understood or believed what they were shouting. Because notice in verse 11, that when asked, the people from the crowds only described Jesus as a prophet, completely forgetting and/or too afraid to say that Jesus is the Son of David... their Messiah (Christ), the Son of God! In fact, they added that He was a prophet FROM Nazareth in Galilee, which was a dig at Jesus, since those in Judea were divided against those in Galilee.
After Jesus had cleansed the temple, and as He was healing those who came to Him, it was the children who continued shouting out the truth that Jesus is their Messiah who will save! This is just one reason why Jesus tells us that we must become like children... who trust in the truth, and haven't "learned fear" yet about how society will reject and persecute us if and when we disagree with them, especially when those in authority are also against the truth.
Like Jeremiah’s smashing the pot in the temple centuries before (Jeremiah 19), Jesus’ demonstration of righteous (and controlled) anger was a prophetic act inviting repentance and warning of the temple’s imminent destruction. People were allowed to sell animals for sacrifice, but not for exaggerated profits, and not inside the temple... not even in the Outer Court, also called the Court of the Gentiles, as the temple was to be for the Gentiles as well! And there were other says that the spiritual leaders had desecrated the temple, besides leading the people astray.
As Jesus healed people and the children shouted praises, the power-hungry Sadducean priests were indignant because they did not appreciate Jesus coming and challenging their power. At the very least, they had expected the Messiah to have come to them first to seek an alliance with them. In their arrogant thinking, to seek followers from among the weak was dishonorable and a foolish way to try to establish a kingdom. So, because this "Galilean prophet" had challenged their honor and insulted them, they sought to avenge themselves and put Him to death.
Therefore, in their pride, greed and selfishness, these spiritual leaders were going to lead the people deeper into sin. Their intentions were to put an end to Jesus and His kingdom, but their evil actions would be used by God to further His kingdom and bring about victory over death and freedom from one's pride, greed and selfishness.
To be saved, one only needs to humble their hearts before the Lord, understanding that they are sinners in need of saving. In repenting of our sins, Jesus cleanses us, forgiving us of all our sins (past, present and future). Then, covering us with His righteousness, we are not only able to enter into His presence, but we become a temple of the Lord, since we have been given His indwelling Holy Spirit, who will lead us in selfless love, truth, peace and eternal life.
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