1 00:00:11,100 --> 00:00:13,600 Hi everyone. Welcome back to logical Bible 2 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:17,500 study as always in this podcast. We take a look at the Gospel 3 00:00:17,500 --> 00:00:21,600 reading from today's mass and we want to give you the tools to 4 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:24,900 help you work out what the original author was trying to 5 00:00:24,900 --> 00:00:26,900 communicate to their original audience. 6 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:29,900 So we're going to attempt to provide an exit. 7 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,900 Jesus of the literal sense of the text. 8 00:00:34,300 --> 00:00:38,700 And today, we're looking at Matthew chapter 21 verse 12, 11. 9 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,400 Now this is the Palm Sunday reading and it's worth 10 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,500 emphasizing that it Palm Sunday. There's actually two gospel 11 00:00:45,500 --> 00:00:48,300 readings. There's one shorter Gospel 12 00:00:48,300 --> 00:00:51,500 reading during the entrance procession of the mass and 13 00:00:51,500 --> 00:00:53,100 that's the one we're going to look at. 14 00:00:53,100 --> 00:00:56,200 That's Matthew chapter 21. And then later in the mass, it's 15 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:59,600 that really long Passion of the Lord Gospel reading, where 16 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,800 there's people playing different parts, reading the gospel and 17 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,099 that goes on for quite a while. While that's a very long 18 00:01:05,099 --> 00:01:06,900 reading. So we're doing the shorter 19 00:01:06,900 --> 00:01:10,300 reading for Palm Sunday, from Matthew chapter 21. 20 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,000 When they drew near to Jerusalem and came to bethphage to the 21 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:23,100 Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples saying to them go into 22 00:01:23,100 --> 00:01:26,500 the village facing you and immediately, you will find an 23 00:01:26,700 --> 00:01:31,600 ass tied and a Colt with her, untie them and bring them to me. 24 00:01:32,500 --> 00:01:37,800 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, the Lord has need 25 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:41,000 of them and he will send them immediately. 26 00:01:42,300 --> 00:01:45,500 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet 27 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,500 saying. Tell the daughter of Zion 28 00:01:48,700 --> 00:01:52,500 behold, your king is coming to you humble and mounted on an 29 00:01:52,500 --> 00:01:55,200 ass. And on a Colt, the foal of an 30 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,200 ass. The disciples went and did as 31 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:03,700 Jesus had directed them, they brought the ass and the colt and 32 00:02:03,700 --> 00:02:06,800 put their garments on them and he sat thereon. 33 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,800 Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road and others 34 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:16,400 cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road and the 35 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:20,500 crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted. 36 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,800 Hosanna to the son of David blessed. 37 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:28,000 Is he who comes in the name of the Lord hosanna in the highest? 38 00:02:29,500 --> 00:02:34,400 And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city stirred saying, who 39 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:38,400 is this? And the crowd said, this is the 40 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,300 prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee. 41 00:02:45,100 --> 00:02:47,900 So quite a well-known reading and there's a lot going on 42 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:51,200 underneath the text here. So let's jump into it. 43 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:56,500 The context here, is it appears to be the Sunday before? 44 00:02:56,500 --> 00:02:59,400 What we know is Good, Friday, Jesus crucifixion day. 45 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,500 So it's five days before Good Friday. 46 00:03:04,300 --> 00:03:07,300 And since Scholars have been able to work out pretty much, 47 00:03:07,300 --> 00:03:10,300 we're pretty certain, we know the crucifixion date now which 48 00:03:10,300 --> 00:03:14,600 would be April third of 33 ad the date. 49 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:16,900 We're talking about here for Palm Sunday. 50 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:23,200 Was. Sunday, March 29th, a d-33. 51 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:26,300 So we have the date when this happened, and people have 52 00:03:26,300 --> 00:03:29,100 arrived to Jerusalem from all over Israel because they're all 53 00:03:29,100 --> 00:03:32,500 there to prepare for the Passover, which we know occurred 54 00:03:32,500 --> 00:03:36,800 on Good Friday, the law required that Jews must arrive in 55 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:40,700 Jerusalem, seven days before Passover in order to do ritual 56 00:03:40,700 --> 00:03:42,500 Washings. We've talked about that on the 57 00:03:42,500 --> 00:03:46,500 podcast before, so the pilgrims have all arrived seven days 58 00:03:46,500 --> 00:03:49,000 before the feast, they're all here on Palm Sunday. 59 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:52,700 So the Would be swelling with people as it does today at 60 00:03:52,700 --> 00:03:55,400 Passover. And probably a whole lot of the 61 00:03:55,408 --> 00:03:58,000 people in Jerusalem. Are anxiously waiting for Jesus 62 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,700 to come. We know from John's gospel that 63 00:04:00,700 --> 00:04:03,300 people are asking, I wonder if Jesus is going to come up for 64 00:04:03,300 --> 00:04:06,500 the feast. So the city is full, it's 65 00:04:06,500 --> 00:04:07,800 overflowing. And there's a lot of 66 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:13,000 anticipation. So, verse 1, when they drew near 67 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,300 to Jerusalem, so they're coming to Jerusalem from the area of 68 00:04:16,300 --> 00:04:20,800 Jericho that's where he just was, and that's about two days 69 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,400 journey away. So they make the two-day journey 70 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:28,000 to Jerusalem and came to bethphage. 71 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:31,700 Now, why does Matthew mention bethphage? 72 00:04:31,700 --> 00:04:34,500 He doesn't have to, but it's probably because of the meaning 73 00:04:34,500 --> 00:04:37,500 of the word. Bethphage bethphage is this 74 00:04:37,500 --> 00:04:42,500 small village nearby, and it means House of unripe figs House 75 00:04:42,500 --> 00:04:45,600 of unripe, figs and Matthew, probably mentions that to 76 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,800 prepare his readers for something that else is about to 77 00:04:49,808 --> 00:04:52,700 happen in this chapter, which is the parable of the unripe, 78 00:04:52,700 --> 00:04:54,600 sorry, the parable of the Fig Tree. 79 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,700 So Matthew is probably mentioned that deliberately and they come 80 00:04:58,700 --> 00:05:01,700 up to the Mount of Olives. So that's where bethphage is 81 00:05:01,700 --> 00:05:03,900 located. It's located on this big Mount 82 00:05:03,900 --> 00:05:06,400 of Olives, which is just east of Jerusalem. 83 00:05:06,700 --> 00:05:09,200 If you're on top of the Mount of Olives, you can look down and 84 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:11,900 see Jerusalem. It's quite an amazing view. 85 00:05:14,100 --> 00:05:17,300 So Matthew deliberately meant again, Matthew goes out of his 86 00:05:17,300 --> 00:05:22,100 way to mention certain things. About what Jesus is doing and 87 00:05:22,100 --> 00:05:26,500 where he is the, we might not see a significant, but certainly 88 00:05:26,500 --> 00:05:29,600 his Jewish audience would have. So here's mention the Mount of 89 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:32,900 Olives because by that time in history, the Mount of Olives 90 00:05:32,900 --> 00:05:35,100 have become associated with the Messiah. 91 00:05:36,100 --> 00:05:42,600 So Zechariah 14:4, 29, describes how God would one day on this 92 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:45,200 great. Day of the Messiah, he would 93 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:49,300 defend Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives and become king over 94 00:05:49,300 --> 00:05:50,100 all the Earth. Earth. 95 00:05:50,300 --> 00:05:53,400 So that's in reference to God, but it was sort of attached to 96 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:56,600 the Messiah as well. So the Mount of Olives was a 97 00:05:56,600 --> 00:06:01,100 significant prophetic location, so Jesus sends two disciples and 98 00:06:01,100 --> 00:06:04,400 he's going to give them a small task, he says go into the 99 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:08,300 village facing you. So we're talking here about we 100 00:06:08,300 --> 00:06:10,100 shouldn't imagine that they're going into Jerusalem. 101 00:06:10,100 --> 00:06:12,000 That's not where they get the ass from. 102 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:15,300 They going into a small village nearby, now that could be 103 00:06:15,300 --> 00:06:18,800 bethphage, the village that was just mentioned or it could be 104 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:22,200 another small unknown. Named Village some sort of small 105 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:24,900 village on the outskirts of Jerusalem, which could be seen 106 00:06:24,900 --> 00:06:27,300 from the mountain. Jesus points out the village in 107 00:06:27,300 --> 00:06:31,400 says, go there. Now, think about what's, there's 108 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:34,600 a lot of interesting stuff here in terms of Jesus, sending them 109 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,200 to get the ass. And the Colt, first thing to 110 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:42,500 notice is he's clearly using supernatural abilities here 111 00:06:42,500 --> 00:06:46,600 because he's able to describe to the disciples exactly what 112 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:48,600 they'll find when they enter the village. 113 00:06:50,100 --> 00:06:54,700 So probably God has provider providentially arranged for the 114 00:06:54,700 --> 00:06:56,800 Assam occult to be there. Ready for Jesus? 115 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:01,000 This is all been set up beforehand. so, Jesus says to 116 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:06,300 the two disciples immediately, you will find an ass tied. 117 00:07:06,300 --> 00:07:09,400 So, on asses a donkey and donkeys were often owned by 118 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:11,900 people in villages, they were quite useful for carrying 119 00:07:11,900 --> 00:07:15,400 things. And this one here is a female 120 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,900 mother donkey. Now the mention of the donkey 121 00:07:18,900 --> 00:07:24,600 again is significant because in second Samuel 15, David King 122 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,300 David. He got on an ass on the Mount of 123 00:07:28,300 --> 00:07:33,200 Olives when his fling Jerusalem. So there's a time when David has 124 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,100 to run away from Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives who gets on 125 00:07:36,100 --> 00:07:42,200 an ass and runs away and this the scholars Davies and Allison 126 00:07:42,900 --> 00:07:46,500 say this, if David went from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives 127 00:07:46,500 --> 00:07:50,800 amid cries of I'm in tation Jesus, the son of David goes 128 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:53,900 from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem amid shouts of 129 00:07:53,900 --> 00:07:56,800 Jubilation. So there probably is a parallel 130 00:07:56,800 --> 00:08:01,400 Here with Jesus getting on the ass on the Mount of Olives just 131 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:03,800 like David did except with the reverse. 132 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:08,100 It's a time of exotic exaltation and Jubilation not sadness. 133 00:08:09,900 --> 00:08:12,100 So Jesus continues. His instructions you'll also 134 00:08:12,100 --> 00:08:15,800 find a Colt with her. So a cult was a baby donkey 135 00:08:16,500 --> 00:08:18,900 often. What the question is, why is he 136 00:08:18,900 --> 00:08:21,900 asked for two animals because he only needs one, there's a couple 137 00:08:21,900 --> 00:08:26,800 of explanations. Firstly, the Colts baby donkeys 138 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:29,100 were often kept with their mothers while they're still 139 00:08:29,100 --> 00:08:31,500 being trained. So it could just be a matter of 140 00:08:31,500 --> 00:08:35,000 Jesus doesn't want to separate the mother from the child donkey 141 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,400 and that's certainly possible. But as some Scholars have 142 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:41,299 pointed out, there's a couple of prophecies in the Old Testament. 143 00:08:41,700 --> 00:08:44,500 Particularly this Zechariah one, the most famous one that we're 144 00:08:44,500 --> 00:08:48,600 look at shortly, but also in Genesis chapter 49 verse 10 to 145 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,400 11, which is a prophecy of the coming Messiah. 146 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:54,400 Both of these prophecies about the Messiah in the Old 147 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:59,400 Testament, mention both a mother donkey and ass, as well as a 148 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:01,200 cult. So it seems like these 149 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:03,900 prophecies have set up that the Messiah is going to be 150 00:09:03,900 --> 00:09:06,000 associated with both an ass and a Colt. 151 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:10,600 So Jesus is deliberately fulfilling that He says untie 152 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:14,400 them and bring them to me. Now, apparently, this isn't 153 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:19,700 stealing because it seems that in some way Jesus has a claim on 154 00:09:19,700 --> 00:09:22,300 these animals, which is quite striking. 155 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,000 Now, the fact that even the Jesus requests animals to ride 156 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,400 is pretty unusual because he hasn't actually written any 157 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,300 animals at all in his ministry as far as we know, up to this 158 00:09:33,300 --> 00:09:36,700 point and most pilgrims don't enter the city that way they 159 00:09:36,700 --> 00:09:40,700 just walk in by foot. So, Jesus clearly is doing 160 00:09:40,700 --> 00:09:43,600 something specific. He's setting this scene up in a 161 00:09:43,608 --> 00:09:48,400 very specific way, he's trying to do something with a specific 162 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,400 purpose. Verse 3. 163 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,700 He says, if anyone says anything to you, you shall say the Lord. 164 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,900 Lord has need of them and he will send them immediately. 165 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,000 So Jesus here is saying to the disciples. 166 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,500 If you go into the village and you try and take the donkey and 167 00:10:02,500 --> 00:10:06,300 people tell you why you taking them then say the Lord has need 168 00:10:06,300 --> 00:10:08,900 of them. Now, this could mean, one of two 169 00:10:08,900 --> 00:10:11,400 things because there's some ambiguity about the word, the 170 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:15,200 Lord, it could refer either to God or to Jesus. 171 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,500 So, if it refers to Jesus, then apparently the people in this 172 00:10:18,500 --> 00:10:21,900 Village all believe in Jesus. And so, when the disciples say 173 00:10:21,900 --> 00:10:25,000 the Lord has need of them. Say okay, that's fine. 174 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:29,900 Jesus can have them or maybe the Lord refers to God and so in 175 00:10:29,900 --> 00:10:32,600 that case the people in the village are faithful Jews and 176 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:34,900 they're happy to give their animals to God. 177 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:38,800 It's one of those too. Verse 4. 178 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:40,200 Now, we get to this really interesting. 179 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:44,200 Quite Matthew says, this took place to fulfill what was spoken 180 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,600 by the prophet. So here we clearly learned that 181 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:52,000 Jesus gets the animals deliberately in order to fulfill 182 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:57,000 a prophecy and the prophecy as will see is from Zechariah in 183 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,200 that prophecy, it declares that the Messiah would arrive on a 184 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:04,000 donkey. And in fact, on an ass and a 185 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,500 Colt, so Jesus could have entered Jerusalem. 186 00:11:06,500 --> 00:11:10,800 However, he likes, but he wants to ensure that he as the Messiah 187 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:13,800 is fulfilling all of the prophecies relating to the 188 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,100 Messiah. And this is one specific one 189 00:11:16,100 --> 00:11:20,800 that he has to make sure that he arranges and make sure that it 190 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:26,400 happens and this is the quote from the prophet Zechariah tell 191 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:29,300 the daughter of Zion behold. Your king is coming to you 192 00:11:29,300 --> 00:11:33,700 humble and mounted on an yes. And on a Colt, the foal of an 193 00:11:33,700 --> 00:11:38,200 ass. So that's from Zechariah 9:9 in 194 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:41,200 context of the original Zechariah book. 195 00:11:42,300 --> 00:11:45,000 It is a prophecy. It's a prophecy that one day, 196 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:48,600 Jerusalem would see their King arrived on an ass and a Colt. 197 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:51,200 That's what Zechariah is saying to the people of Jerusalem. 198 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,600 He doesn't say what king it is. He just says that one day, there 199 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:59,600 will be a king that does that And by the time of Jesus, it had 200 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:04,700 become quite recognized. Well, Solomon had entered 201 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:08,500 Jerusalem in a similar way on a donkey or those Zechariah of 202 00:12:08,500 --> 00:12:10,200 rights after the time of Solomon. 203 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:12,500 So Zechariah can't be thinking of Solomon. 204 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:16,400 So by the time of Jesus, people have worked out that it's 205 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,000 basically a prophecy of the coming Messiah. 206 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,000 The Messianic King. So, the Jews of the time of 207 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:27,300 Jesus expected the Messiah to enter Jerusalem in this way, So 208 00:12:27,300 --> 00:12:30,500 by Jesus, choosing to have to fulfill this prophecy. 209 00:12:30,700 --> 00:12:34,100 He can basically Proclaim himself to be the Messiah to be 210 00:12:34,100 --> 00:12:36,700 the king without saying a single word. 211 00:12:38,100 --> 00:12:42,100 At the same time, though notice in the prophecy, the king is 212 00:12:42,100 --> 00:12:46,600 coming in a humble way Meek and humble on a donkey, not on a 213 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:49,200 horse or a chariot. So a king could arrive on a 214 00:12:49,208 --> 00:12:53,000 horse or a chariot. And the fact that Jesus chooses 215 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:56,700 to go with that, that model of using a donkey, rather than 216 00:12:56,700 --> 00:13:00,400 something else indicates that Jesus is highlighting, that he 217 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:04,500 does not want to be seen as a powerful military leader, which 218 00:13:04,500 --> 00:13:06,800 is what some people expected the Messiah to be. 219 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,600 Verse 6, the disciples went and did, as Jesus directed them, 220 00:13:11,900 --> 00:13:15,100 they brought the s in the colt and put their garments on them. 221 00:13:16,100 --> 00:13:20,800 So, the disciples put the garments on the animals to make 222 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:22,400 the seat more comfortable for Jesus. 223 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:26,400 Basically, it's kind of like a saddle and Jesus sat thereon. 224 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:30,600 So Jesus is on the animals. He wants to look different from 225 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:33,300 his Apostles. It's the one time where he wants 226 00:13:33,300 --> 00:13:36,200 to stand out from the crowd. He's sitting on these animals 227 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,700 Now, there's some discussion about the translation here 228 00:13:40,700 --> 00:13:44,900 because it says he sat on them and some Scholars have wondered 229 00:13:44,900 --> 00:13:48,500 whether that means his writing, both the ass and the Colt. 230 00:13:48,500 --> 00:13:51,200 Which one is he writing? Well, he's almost certainly not 231 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:53,800 writing both at the same time because that's pretty hard to 232 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:56,400 do. It require a lot of flexibility 233 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:59,500 and a lot of balance to ride both of the same time, although 234 00:13:59,500 --> 00:14:02,500 that's possible. There will be quite unusual. 235 00:14:03,300 --> 00:14:08,300 Most likely the vehm. When it says Jesus rode them, 236 00:14:08,300 --> 00:14:11,500 his actually the them refers to the garments as in Jesus, is 237 00:14:11,500 --> 00:14:16,300 sitting on the garments plural. Or it's also possible that he 238 00:14:16,300 --> 00:14:20,400 did. Write each animal successively. 239 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,800 He got off one got on the other. So there's a few easy solutions 240 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:27,600 there. So the same nail ships to the 241 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:29,300 road between the village in Jerusalem. 242 00:14:29,300 --> 00:14:32,700 So he's on the donkey and he's going from the small village 243 00:14:32,700 --> 00:14:36,000 which every village it is to the rode into Jerusalem. 244 00:14:37,100 --> 00:14:39,400 Verse 8, we now introduced to the crowd. 245 00:14:39,700 --> 00:14:43,600 So this crowd is the crowd of believing disciples that have 246 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:45,600 been following Jesus up to Jerusalem. 247 00:14:45,700 --> 00:14:48,100 It's Jesus large crowd of disciples. 248 00:14:49,300 --> 00:14:52,200 They're about to make a royal procession for Jesus, because 249 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:57,300 this crowd recognizes that he is the Messiah, but keep in mind, 250 00:14:57,300 --> 00:15:00,700 though that even his faithful followers, hear the crowds, they 251 00:15:00,700 --> 00:15:03,700 believe him to be a political Messiah, who is going to save 252 00:15:03,700 --> 00:15:06,900 them from the Romans? They don't really understand the 253 00:15:06,900 --> 00:15:09,600 nature of the Messiah. And that's why, when Jesus is 254 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:13,200 captured later, they all flee because they weren't expecting 255 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:14,900 the Messiah to be captured like that. 256 00:15:15,700 --> 00:15:18,200 So he's believing crowd is here that all very excited, that 257 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:20,900 Jesus is. Coming in as King, which is 258 00:15:20,900 --> 00:15:23,500 correct. It's just that they think that 259 00:15:23,500 --> 00:15:26,900 is also proclaiming himself to be a military missile, which is 260 00:15:26,900 --> 00:15:31,100 not correct. So they spread their garments on 261 00:15:31,100 --> 00:15:34,100 the road and this is basically like spreading out a royal 262 00:15:34,100 --> 00:15:36,900 carpet, which we know they did do in the ancient world. 263 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:39,600 It's an ancient custom for honoring Kings. 264 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:43,400 We see this happening in Second Kings, 9 chapter 13. 265 00:15:43,700 --> 00:15:45,300 That's how the Jewish people welcomed. 266 00:15:45,300 --> 00:15:48,600 Their new King in second Kings. Chapter 9, they literally put 267 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:49,900 their guard. On the road. 268 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:53,800 So it's a clear indication that they're recognizing this man as 269 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:57,100 their King. And that they recognize that 270 00:15:57,100 --> 00:15:59,500 he's fulfilling The Prophecy of the Messiah King. 271 00:16:00,300 --> 00:16:03,300 So some people spread their garments on the road and others 272 00:16:03,300 --> 00:16:06,300 cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 273 00:16:07,100 --> 00:16:11,000 Now, this is an interesting one, it's a reference to some 118 274 00:16:11,300 --> 00:16:18,700 verse 27, In that Psalm. It's a Psalm about going up to 275 00:16:18,700 --> 00:16:21,600 the temple, and it's like a festive procession that. 276 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:25,000 It's a festive song. Psalm 118 that people would sing 277 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:29,300 as they went up to the temple. And in that some verse 27, it 278 00:16:29,300 --> 00:16:32,600 says that we will take branches and we will put them on the road 279 00:16:33,300 --> 00:16:38,400 in honor of the festive procession Now, the crowd is 280 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:41,400 then going to go on to recite more of some 118. 281 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:45,200 And we'll look at that shortly. So, this some 118 is right in 282 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:51,100 the crowds mind as they see Jesus coming in now, we learn 283 00:16:51,100 --> 00:16:53,300 from the other gospels that the kind of tree branches that they 284 00:16:53,300 --> 00:16:56,000 cut down our palm branches, hence, why it's called Palm 285 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,600 Sunday. It appears that there's nothing 286 00:16:58,700 --> 00:17:01,400 particularly significant about palm branches in and of 287 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,599 themself. It's just that they grew a lot 288 00:17:04,599 --> 00:17:06,200 in that area. And there the branches that 289 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:09,099 happened to be nearby. So, people cut down the palm 290 00:17:09,099 --> 00:17:11,400 branches because those were the branches that were available. 291 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:15,800 But both actions putting the garments on the road and putting 292 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:19,800 the Palms on the road representations that they are. 293 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:24,300 Welcome the spreading out, this Royal carpet for the king. 294 00:17:24,300 --> 00:17:28,800 They're recognizing Jesus is the king verse 9, the crowds went 295 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:31,800 before him and and they followed shouting. 296 00:17:32,300 --> 00:17:35,400 So they're deliberately forming this Royal procession before him 297 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,700 and behind him. So that the city will take 298 00:17:38,700 --> 00:17:41,500 notice, they want people to notice the king coming in. 299 00:17:41,500 --> 00:17:46,900 They're forming a large loud. Royal procession now, some 300 00:17:46,900 --> 00:17:50,900 hundred eighteen verse 25 to 26. Remember, this is a Psalm that 301 00:17:50,900 --> 00:17:54,600 people would sing as they go up to the temple for major feasts. 302 00:17:54,800 --> 00:18:00,600 Here's what those verses say in Psalm 118 save us, we beseech 303 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:05,700 thee, O Lord O Lord we beseech thee, give us success Blessed, 304 00:18:05,700 --> 00:18:08,200 Be he who enters in the name of the Lord. 305 00:18:08,300 --> 00:18:10,400 We bless you from the house of the Lord. 306 00:18:11,100 --> 00:18:15,500 So keep that verse that passage in mind as we explore the rest 307 00:18:15,500 --> 00:18:17,100 of the end. The Jerusalem here. 308 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:21,100 So now the crowd shouts. This out, Hosanna to the son of 309 00:18:21,100 --> 00:18:25,500 David. The word Hosanna just means save 310 00:18:25,500 --> 00:18:28,200 us so that comes straight out of what we just heard from. 311 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:34,700 Psalm 118, remember the some 118 verse 25 says save us we beseech 312 00:18:34,700 --> 00:18:38,300 thee, O Lord, and that carries over as a transliteration, it 313 00:18:38,300 --> 00:18:41,100 becomes Hosanna. So the people here are shouting 314 00:18:41,100 --> 00:18:45,700 Hosanna, And by that time, it would become an expression of 315 00:18:45,700 --> 00:18:49,200 Praise of God to say. Hosanna was praising God. 316 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,100 Basically, in connection with liturgical worship? 317 00:18:52,100 --> 00:18:54,200 You would say hosanna during the Liturgy. 318 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:59,400 So what's the crowd doing here? The saying, Hosanna to the son 319 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:02,500 of David. Or in other words, save us to 320 00:19:02,500 --> 00:19:05,000 the son of David. The crowd is doing two things 321 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:06,300 here. They're praising God. 322 00:19:06,700 --> 00:19:11,100 And they're asking God to save us through the son of David. 323 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:13,300 And they're thinking here of political salvation. 324 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:17,200 They're basically praying to God, and saying to God, please 325 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:19,700 save us through your Messiah. Please set us free. 326 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:23,100 That's what Hosanna to the son of David means save us through 327 00:19:23,100 --> 00:19:28,500 your Messiah, Now, the phrase, son of David, as we've talked 328 00:19:28,500 --> 00:19:30,100 about a lot. When we look at the gospel of 329 00:19:30,108 --> 00:19:34,200 Matthew, it's a title wizard for the Messiah, son of David means 330 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:36,400 Messiah. All the Jews knew that the 331 00:19:36,408 --> 00:19:39,700 coming Messiah King would be descended from David because 332 00:19:39,700 --> 00:19:42,300 that's what the Old Testament says and so they look forward to 333 00:19:42,300 --> 00:19:47,200 the coming of the son of David. So here the believing crowd when 334 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,400 they call. Jesus is the son of David, 335 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:53,400 they're calling him the Messiah, the long-awaited one, and Jesus 336 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:55,500 allows it for the first time in other places. 337 00:19:55,500 --> 00:19:59,200 Jesus says, don't say anything or he tries to run away when 338 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:02,400 people call him Messiah. Here he welcomes it, he welcomes 339 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:06,800 the title. And The Crowd Goes On. 340 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:08,500 So they've said Hosanna to the son of David. 341 00:20:08,500 --> 00:20:11,800 Now they say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord? 342 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:15,300 And that is very similar again to Psalm 118. 343 00:20:15,300 --> 00:20:18,600 Which says Blessed Be he who enters in the name of the Lord. 344 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:22,900 In the psalm, the blessing is invoked on pilgrims coming into 345 00:20:22,900 --> 00:20:25,100 the temple as in entering the temple. 346 00:20:25,100 --> 00:20:28,900 But here the crowd uses it to talk about Jesus, they're 347 00:20:28,900 --> 00:20:31,700 claiming that Jesus is the ultimate one who is literally 348 00:20:31,700 --> 00:20:35,300 coming in the name of the Lord as in his the messenger sent 349 00:20:35,300 --> 00:20:40,300 from The Lord acting on his behalf in the name of the Lord. 350 00:20:40,700 --> 00:20:44,800 Jesus, you know, Jesus has been sent as the messenger and that's 351 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,000 what the crowd is. Proclaiming, here is our 352 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:50,100 Messiah. The one who is sent on behalf of 353 00:20:50,100 --> 00:20:54,300 God, and then they finish by saying, hosanna in the highest 354 00:20:55,300 --> 00:20:58,900 and essentially, that means they're invoking, God's highest 355 00:20:58,900 --> 00:21:02,300 blessings Heavens, highest blessings and they invoking or 356 00:21:02,300 --> 00:21:06,100 praying for the Salvation that the Messiah is about, Bring 357 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:10,000 hosanna in the highest. Save us in the highest. 358 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,100 So those words that we've just heard that the crowd yells out 359 00:21:14,100 --> 00:21:18,300 as Jesus comes in hosanna in the highest and blessed. 360 00:21:18,300 --> 00:21:20,900 Is he who comes in the name of the Lord, they come out of 361 00:21:20,900 --> 00:21:24,100 Summer, some 118. And they're also things are 362 00:21:24,100 --> 00:21:26,600 crowd, shouts here. They should be familiar to you. 363 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:29,100 Because they're things that we say is part of the Eucharistic 364 00:21:29,100 --> 00:21:33,500 prayers during mass hosanna in the highest blessed, is he who 365 00:21:33,500 --> 00:21:36,400 comes in the name of the Lord. And this is yet another example 366 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:40,800 of how our Catholic mass is very similar and it's based heavily 367 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:47,300 on On the Jewish liturgy. Verse 10 and when he entered 368 00:21:47,300 --> 00:21:50,900 Jerusalem, there's only a few main entrances to Jerusalem. 369 00:21:50,900 --> 00:21:53,600 So the Royal procession everyone would have seen him coming into 370 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:56,100 one of these Gates and it would have attracted a lot of 371 00:21:56,108 --> 00:21:59,000 attention. So, all the city was stirred 372 00:21:59,100 --> 00:22:01,900 saying, who is this? So, the people of Jerusalem can 373 00:22:01,900 --> 00:22:06,100 see this loud, Royal procession coming in, they want to know who 374 00:22:06,100 --> 00:22:07,400 it is. The sitting on the animals. 375 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:09,000 Who is this guy that they're proclaiming? 376 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:11,100 His King? Remember that? 377 00:22:11,100 --> 00:22:13,600 At this time the people in Jerusalem or from all over 378 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:17,100 Israel there's all these pills. Is there some people recognize 379 00:22:17,100 --> 00:22:18,700 Jesus? Probably some people don't? 380 00:22:18,700 --> 00:22:20,800 They have never seen him before in their life. 381 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:24,000 So they have a legitimate question. 382 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:27,700 Who is this? Now, this is a fairly similar 383 00:22:27,700 --> 00:22:31,300 reaction to earlier in Matthew. So Matthew Chapter 2, when the 384 00:22:31,300 --> 00:22:35,100 wise men arise in Jerusalem, arrived in Jerusalem, and they 385 00:22:35,100 --> 00:22:37,500 announced that the king of the Jews has been born. 386 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:41,900 It's a similar reaction. Matthew says, all of Jerusalem 387 00:22:41,900 --> 00:22:45,100 was Disturbed at the news of the wise men, and it's a fairly 388 00:22:45,100 --> 00:22:48,100 similar reaction here. All of Jerusalem is Disturbed at 389 00:22:48,100 --> 00:22:50,800 the news of the king. So there's probably a parallel 390 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:52,800 here that Matthew is deliberately highlighting. 391 00:22:54,700 --> 00:22:57,600 So the whole city is troubled, apparently or stirred is the 392 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:01,400 word that's used here, the Romans would be troubled, as any 393 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:05,100 rival King, which is what Jesus apparently was being pronounced, 394 00:23:05,100 --> 00:23:07,700 as would be considered to be a threat to Caesar. 395 00:23:08,100 --> 00:23:11,000 So, the Romans would be worried, the Jewish leaders and the 396 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,800 Pharisees and the Sanhedrin, they're probably troubled as 397 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:15,800 well. Perhaps, they felt that their 398 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,200 own leadership positions were under threat. 399 00:23:18,300 --> 00:23:21,900 Because if the Messiah or the king is truly here, here might 400 00:23:21,900 --> 00:23:26,700 depose them And we also we know that the Sanhedrin has been 401 00:23:26,700 --> 00:23:29,400 waiting for Jesus to arrive so that they can arrest him. 402 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:32,800 So everyone is very tense in Jerusalem as he arrives. 403 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:37,100 And so the crowd answers, they say this is the prophet Jesus 404 00:23:37,100 --> 00:23:40,700 from Nazareth of Galilee. So this crowd, his crowded 405 00:23:40,700 --> 00:23:43,800 believing disciples is more than happy to tell the people of 406 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,900 Jerusalem who it is. Now, that's the end of our 407 00:23:47,900 --> 00:23:49,600 passage. If you read on in Matthew 408 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:52,100 chapter 21, the very next thing Jesus does. 409 00:23:52,100 --> 00:23:55,700 Is he cleanses the temple? He overturns the tables in the 410 00:23:55,708 --> 00:23:58,600 temple, which is not what they expected the Messiah to do. 411 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:05,000 Now, where does this passage from Palm Sunday appear in the 412 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:07,300 catechism. There's one particular 413 00:24:07,300 --> 00:24:10,800 paragraph, which is basically a description, a commentary on 414 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:14,500 what Palm Sunday is. So paragraph. 559 is in the 415 00:24:14,500 --> 00:24:18,000 section about Jesus, Messianic entrance into Jerusalem. 416 00:24:18,900 --> 00:24:23,400 Here's what it says, how will Jerusalem welcome her Messiah or 417 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:25,600 though? Jesus had always refused popular 418 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:30,200 attempts to make him King he now chooses the time and prepares 419 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,300 the details. For his Messianic entry into the 420 00:24:33,300 --> 00:24:37,500 city of his father, David acclaimed as son of David as the 421 00:24:37,500 --> 00:24:43,200 one who brings salvation Hosanna means save or give salvation the 422 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,200 king of glory enters. His City riding on an ass. 423 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,800 Jesus conquers, the daughter of Zion, a figure of his church 424 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:55,500 neither by ruse nor by violence, but by the humility, the Bears 425 00:24:55,500 --> 00:24:59,100 witness to the truth. And so the subjects of his 426 00:24:59,100 --> 00:25:03,100 kingdom on that day, our children and God's poor who are 427 00:25:03,100 --> 00:25:06,300 claimed him as the Angels had when they announce him to the 428 00:25:06,300 --> 00:25:10,500 shepherd's there acclamation. Blessed, Be he who comes in the 429 00:25:10,508 --> 00:25:14,100 name of the Lord is taken up by the church, in the Sanctus of 430 00:25:14,100 --> 00:25:17,600 the Eucharistic liturgy that introduces, the memorial of the 431 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:21,300 Lord's Passover. So there's a lot in that 432 00:25:21,300 --> 00:25:22,900 passage. And from that, we learn that the 433 00:25:22,900 --> 00:25:25,600 Catholic Church teaches this was a real event. 434 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:27,900 It did happen. This is how Jesus rode into 435 00:25:27,900 --> 00:25:30,800 Jerusalem. What the crowd said. 436 00:25:31,100 --> 00:25:35,300 Informs us about a Eucharistic liturgy and Jesus choosing to 437 00:25:35,300 --> 00:25:38,000 ride in on an ass. Tells us about his humility and 438 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:42,100 his character, he is not a political Messiah and also that 439 00:25:42,100 --> 00:25:45,100 this is foreordained. Jesus deliberately sets up the 440 00:25:45,100 --> 00:25:47,400 details of his entrance to Jerusalem. 441 00:25:48,700 --> 00:25:52,300 And then in paragraph, 4 39, in the section about Christ we have 442 00:25:52,300 --> 00:25:55,200 a brief discussion about how the people at the time, understood 443 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:59,500 the word Messiah or Christ, it says many Jews and even certain 444 00:25:59,500 --> 00:26:03,800 Gentiles who shared their hope recognized in Jesus, the 445 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:08,500 fundamental attributes of the Messianic, son of David promised 446 00:26:08,500 --> 00:26:12,400 by God to Israel. Jesus accepted the rightful 447 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:15,900 title of Messiah, though, with some Reserve, because it was 448 00:26:15,900 --> 00:26:19,600 understood by some of his contemporaries. into human 449 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:24,500 assets as essentially political And we certainly see that 450 00:26:24,500 --> 00:26:27,300 amongst the crowd in Matthew chapter 21 here. 451 00:26:27,300 --> 00:26:30,900 They think he's a political Messiah, as we've talked about a 452 00:26:30,908 --> 00:26:34,800 lot in this podcast, so that's our passage for today. 453 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:36,800 A really interesting one, I'm sure you'd agree. 454 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:39,500 There's a lot going on behind the text particularly in terms 455 00:26:39,500 --> 00:26:43,100 of the prophecies about the donkey and some 118. 456 00:26:43,100 --> 00:26:45,900 It all comes together. Here is Jesus enters Jerusalem. 457 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:50,300 Thanks for listening. If you've enjoyed this podcast, 458 00:26:50,300 --> 00:26:53,300 and you think others would benefit, please share it. 459 00:26:53,500 --> 00:26:56,600 Leave a rating on iTunes, subscribe on YouTube. 460 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:58,600 Get this out to as many people as possible. 461 00:26:58,900 --> 00:27:03,600 Let's spread the word about the good news of Jesus and about how 462 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:06,600 we can approach the Bible in this academic literal way. 463 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:09,500 Thanks for listening. We'll see you again tomorrow.