Reading: John 12:12-19
Speaker: Tommy Pratt
Thoughts on Palm Sunday
What did they know? What had the crowd seen or heard of Jesus to make them flock to coronate a new king as He rode into Jerusalem? Only John gives us the answer.
The synoptic gospels show Jesus as a miracle worker and a powerful preacher. A man who spoke like no other. A man who, despite humble origins, still amazed the Jews from the very start of His ministry. “For He taught with real authority – quite unlike their teachers of religious law” (Matthew 7:28). Yes, Jesus was a man of authority, but the power that drew the multitude to His triumphal entry is clarified by John and John alone.
“Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus – the man he had raised from the dead” (John 12:1). Raised from the dead? Yes indeed. And while this was not the first time Christ had raised someone back to life (Luke 7:11-17), Lazarus had raised the most eyebrows by far. It was the sign that lit the fuse on Jesus’ spontaneous coronation. Well, spontaneous by man’s reckoning but expected by God’s divine timetable.
John goes on to say: “Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. That was the reason so many went out to meet him – because they had heard about this miraculous sign” (John 12:17-18). John goes to great lengths to make himself clear. It was the sudden death and public raising of Lazarus, Jesus’ friend, that put Christ over the top.
I love the little glimpse that John then gives of the religious leaders reacting to Lazarus’ rising and Christ’s coronation: “The Pharisees said to each other, ‘There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!’” (John 12:19). This was fear. Plain and simple. They were terrified of being overthrown. The true king, the true powerhouse of Israel was now in town, and God only knew what Jesus was about to do…
Again, the synoptic gospel tell us that Jesus arrived at the Temple and cased the joint. He saw how His Father’s house was being misused and “left because it was late in the afternoon. Then He returned to Bethany with the twelve disciples” (Mark 11:11). We all know how Jesus returned the next day, cursed the fig tree and cleansed the Temple, driving out merchants and moneychangers. But yet again, John gives a different angle.
Only in John does Jesus ride into Jerusalem to cheers and blessings, then meet Greeks who seek Him and talk about His crucifixion, glorification, and offer of eternal life. This is the vision of Christ that I cling to this week. The one where the king arrives but does not sugarcoat reality to the clambering crowd.
Jesus knew His fate but He wanted others to accept it, to see its power, and to place their faith in Him. Only through death and resurrection would He gain the true crown of glory, and it is that same crown that Jesus shares with all those who call on His name.