Jesus Dramatically Proclaims His Messiahship

Matthew 21:1-16

GOLDEN TEXT: “Behold, thy King cometh unto thee.”—Matthew 21:5

THE events recorded in this lesson occurred near the close of Jesus’ earthly ministry. While it was not in the divine plan that the Messianic Kingdom should be established at that time, yet it was incumbent upon the Master that He offer Himself as King to God’s chosen people Israel. Israel, as a nation, was designated by God as being a royal nation and Jehovah’s representative in the earth. It was said of Solomon, for example, that he “sat upon the throne of the Lord, instead of David his father.”

But Israel had for a long time been without a king; in fact, since the overthrow of Zedekiah in the year 606 B.C. When the crown and royal diadem were removed from this wicked king, it was prophesied that it would be “no more until He come whose right it is.” (Ezek. 21:27) While Jesus was the one who possessed this right, yet His first advent was not the due time for Him to exercise that right and establish His Kingdom. Nevertheless, this did not preclude Him from offering Himself as King to His own people in order that there might be given a further demonstration of the official rejection of His by the leaders of the Jewish polity.

“He came unto His own, but His own received Him not,” John writes. (John. 1:11) True, many of the common people heard Him gladly, and all marveled at the gracious words that He spoke. These common people, indeed, enthusiastically hailed Him as King when He made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. But, the scribes and Pharisees were not pleased, and they having great influence over the people, succeeded a few days later in eliciting from many of these same humble folk the cry, “crucify Him, crucify Him,” offering the explanation, “We have no king but Caesar.”

It had been prophesied of Jesus that He would present Himself in Meekness; and as one very lowly, “riding upon a colt, the foal of an ass.” (Matt 21:5) This was not the way kings possessing great power and glory presented themselves to their subjects. Had He ridden into Jerusalem in a chariot of war, followed by a large and well trained army, it would have been different. Then there might have been some hope in the minds of the Pharisees that such an one could, possibly, deliver Israel from the Roman yoke. But this unarmed King, supported by a small group of humble, unarmed followers, from the Pharisees’ standpoint, could accomplish nothing.

After the “triumphal entry” into the city Jesus went to the Temple. There He upbraided those who had converted this house of prayer into a den of thieves and He drove out the money-changers. This, in a sense, was an exercise of authority that might be expected on the part of a king. Perhaps it was this act that helped to stir up the animosity of the Pharisees against Him. Perhaps these hypocritical leaders of the people had some financial understanding with the money-changers. If so, it is obvious why they should resent any interference with their business.

How all of this must have pained the righteous soul of Jesus! Later we find Him on the Mount of Olives, weeping over Jerusalem, and crying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, … how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” (Matt. 23:37,38) Thus was forecast the down-fall of the city into which, so short a time before, He had entered as King, and had been enthusiastically thus acknowledged by the common people who met Him at the gate.

Students not understanding the divine plan might be inclined to over-emphasize Jesus’ “triumphal entry,” failing to realize that His real triumph as King comes at His second advent, and not at the first. At His first advent Jesus healed a few sick and raised a few dead; but merely as illustrative of the world-wide Work of healing and life-giving to be ushered in under the administration of His Kingdom following the second advent. Just so, He offered Himself as King back there, and was thus accepted by a few; not with the thought of actually, undertaking to begin His thousand-year reign at that time, but as a witness to Israel, and as a reminder to His church of the ultimate purpose of His ministry.

Jesus is a King, a real King. Following His resurrection He said, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.” But He did not use that power to establish a Kingdom immediately upon receiving it. Not until the end of the “times of the Gentiles,” could the Master take unto Himself “His great power and reign.” We believe that the due time for this great event was in 1914. The Revelator foretold that when this occurred the evidence of it would be in the fact that the “nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come.” (Rev. 11:18) The increasing anger of the nations since 1914 is becoming more and more apparent to all.

The chief purpose of Jesus’ first advent was the giving of Himself to be man’s Redeemer. He also at that time laid the foundation for the building of His church. While there were occasions when he experienced a measure of popularity, yet for the most part His life was one of sacrifice and suffering. The glory of His triumphal entry was short lived. In the five days following we see Him hurried from one trial to another, ending with Gethsemane, the judgment hall, the scourging, the crown of thorns, and the cross.

But the Master was still a King, proclaiming to Pilate, “To this end was I born, and for this cause carne I into the world”; explaining, however, that His Kingdom was not of this world. Let us rejoice that the new world in which Jesus will exercise His Kingship, is now so near at hand.

QUESTIONS:

Did Jesus expect that the whole nation of Israel would hail Him as King upon His entry into Jerusalem upon an ass? If not, what was the purpose of his so doing?

Did the final outcome of the Master’s “triumphal entry” shake His faith in the fact that He really was a King?

When will Jesus be acknowledged as the King of Israel and of the whole world?

What relationship did His suffering and death have to this final outcome of the divine plan?

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