Hosanna
(Matthew 21:1-3 NKJV)
Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives,
then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you,
and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and
bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord
has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
The disciples knew the sciptures.
Jesus walked most places.
Riding a colt into the city was a public declaration that He was a King.
It was a fulfillment of prophecy.
All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet,
saying: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly,
and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” (Matthew 21:4-5 NKJV)
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold,
your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on
a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9 NKJV)
Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy in Zechariah.
In times of war conquerors would ride in chariots or upon prancing stallions.
But in times of peace, the king would ride a colt to symbolize that peace
prevailed. So, for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem upon a colt is to declare that He
is a King proclaiming peace.
So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey
and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. (Matthew 21:6-7
NKJV)
But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you
loosing the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of him.” Then they brought
him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on
him. (Luke 19:33-35 NKJV)
Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
“Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9 NKJV)
Hosanna to the Son of David.” “Hosanna” is from the Hebrew hôsi‘âh nā’, “Savedeliver (us), we pray” [taken from Psalm 118:25]. It was an acknowledgment of
power as well as petition. It was a prayer for deliverance though their thinking
was probably from the Romans instead of from their slavery to sin.
Jesus is also called “the Son of David” identifying him as of the royal line,
recognized Him as the Messiah who was to inherit the Davidic Covenant and reign
on an eternal throne forever and ever (1:1; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30–31; 12:3;
22:41–46; 2 Sam 7:8, 12–16).
Another messianic title is “the one who comes” (3:11; 11:3; 23:39; Ps 118:26) in
the name of the Lord’, quoting Psalm 118:26, a Psalm chanted at all the main
festivals and carrying an implicit identification of Him as Messiah and that He
comes as Yahweh representative.
“Hosanna in the Highest” references the One whom angels on high acknowledge or
call upon. They are asking that heaven joins them in praising God for sending
Jesus. All these designations reference that Jesus is Yahweh’s representative,
His Messiah or Christ.
Luke records Jesus as saying that the power of His entrance was so moving that if
the people had not responded in praise that the very stones themselves kwould cry
out (Lk. 19:39-40).
While the crowd didn’t fully understand the significance of this event, they
seemed to be acknowledging that this One is the promised descendant of David who
had come to grant them salvation. Both their actions and words bestowed honor on
this kOne coming into Zion, at last presenting Himself publicly as their King.
[Walvoord, John & Zuck, Roy. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the
Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983, S. 67.]
And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is
this?” So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of
Galilee.” (Matthew 21:10-11 NKJV)
When Jesus entered Jerusalem the whole city wildly erupted with excitement. The
Greek word translated “moved” or stirred - is seio from which we get our word
“seismic.” It is rendered 'quake' in Matthew 27:51, 28:4, 'shaken' in Rev. 6:13.
It holds connotations of an earthquake! In other words, the whole city was
“quaking”—not physically, but mentally and emotionally— when Jesus made His
entry. His coming shook the city mentally and morally as an earthquake might
shake a city physically.
As Jesus entered Jerusalem, the entire city was moved and asked, Who is this?
Since Jesus had usually avoided the city, its inhabitants did not know Him. This
was a very delicate moment. The city was building to its great celebration of
Passover and the extent of Jesus’ influence is spreading.
But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers
for saying things like that!” He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along
the road would burst into cheers!” (Luke 19:39-40 NLT)
Jesus Weeps
But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.
(Luke 19:41 NLT)
This was a joyous and exciting occasion to all except Jesus.
“How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But
now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long your enemies
will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from
every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your
enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it
when God visited you. ” (Luke 19:42-44 NLT)
Some versions say when salvation or visitation came.
They did not recognize their savior because they were only looking for a physical
deliverance. We must understand that our deliverance, just as theirs did begins
in the spiritual and brings manifested change to the physical.
They missed the visitation of God and the Holy Spirit.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s
messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen
protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. And now, look,
your house is abandoned and desolate. For I tell you this, you will never see me
again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ”
(Matthew 23:37-39 NLT)
When Jesus returns evryone will shout Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord!
Passover
Jesus and his disciples were coming to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.
As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in
pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is
my body.” And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to
them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms
the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to
forgive the sins of many. (Matthew 26:26-28 NLT)