Passion Week ~ Sunday (continued)

In our last post, we examined the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. In this post, we walk with Yeshua as He returns to Yerushalayim for the final time.

Yeshua Enters Yerushalayim

³³ As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴, and they said, “Because the Lord needs it.” ³⁵ They brought it to Yeshua, and, throwing their robes on the colt, they put Yeshua on it. ³⁶ As he went along, people carpeted the road with their clothing; ³⁷ and as he came near Yerushalayim, where the road descends from the Mount of Olives, the entire band of talmidim began to sing and praise God at the top of their voices for all the powerful works they had seen:

³⁸ “Blessed is the King who is coming in the name of Adonai!” [1]
“Shalom in heaven!” and “Glory in the highest places!”

³⁹ Some of the P’rushim in the crowd said to him, “Rabbi! Reprimand your talmidim!” ⁴⁰ But he answered them, “I tell you that if they keep quiet, the stones will shout!” ^{[2] 8} Many people carpeted the road with their clothing, while others spread out green branches which they had cut in the fields. ^[3]

Carpeting the road with their clothing was a public declaration of political allegiance (compare 2 Kings 9:13). Yeshua enters Yerushalayim as its king, and the people accept Him as such.

Yeshua Foresees Destruction

⁴¹ When Yeshua had come closer and could see the city, He wept over it, ⁴² saying, “If you only knew today what is needed for shalom! But for now, it is hidden from your sight. ⁴³ For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will set up a barricade around you, encircle you, hem you in on every side,

This mode of punishment for Yerushalayim is spoken of in Isaiah 29:3, Jeremiah 6:6, and Ezekiel 4:2. The very explicit prophecy of this and the following verse was fulfilled in the Roman conquest of Yerushalayim, 66–70 CE.

⁴⁴ and dash you to the ground, you and your children within your walls, leaving not one stone standing on another—and all because you did not recognize your opportunity when God offered it!” ^[4]

Yeshua’s Popularity Recognized

¹⁰ When He entered Yerushalayim, the whole city was stirred. “Who is this?” they asked. ¹¹ And the crowds answered, “This is Yeshua, the prophet from Natzeret in the Galil.” ^{[5] 17} The group that had been with Him when he called El’azar out of the tomb and raised Him from the dead had been telling about it. ¹⁸ It was because of this, too, that the crowd came out to meet Him – they had heard that He had performed this miracle. ¹⁹ The P’rushim said to each other, “Look, you’re getting nowhere! Why the whole world has gone after Him!” ^[6]

Yeshua Returns to Beit-Anyah

¹¹ Yeshua entered Yerushalayim, went into the Temple courts, and took a good look at everything, but since it was now late, He went out with the Twelve to Beit-Anyah. ^[7]

In our next, we continue to follow Yeshua into Yerushalayim for His Crucifixion by the end of the week.

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[1] Psalm 118:26.
^[2] Luke 19:33–40.
^[3] Mark 11:8.
^[4] Luke 19:41–44.
^[5] Mattityahu 21:10–11.
^[6] Yochanan 12:17–19.
^[7] Mark 11:11.