Hosanna to the Son of David

The journey to Jerusalem was almost completed. It was from the top of the transfiguration mount that the Lord turned His steps toward Jerusalem for the final time. With the assurance of heaven’s interest in His decease clearly impressed on His heart, the Saviour set His face toward the city that He knew would reject Him; the appointed hour was drawing near.

Yet the nation must be given one more opportunity to acknowledge that the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee was indeed the promised One, the King of Zechariah’s prophecy, ‘just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass’, Zech. 9. 9. The cry of the ‘very great multitude’ echoed from the city walls, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord’: words taken from Psalm 118, that great Hallel psalm of praise. The Lord would later quote from this psalm to emphasize that His rejection was the subject of prophetic scripture, Matt. 21. 42, and some have suggested that the hymn sung by the Lord and His disciples before leaving the upper room was this same psalm. If that is so, then the words, ‘bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar’, Ps. 118. 27, would strike a very poignant chord in the heart of the Saviour.

The initial acclaim of the multitude soon faded however, and with the temple cleansed, the innocent tribute of the children heard in the courts soon incurred the displeasure of the authorities. Significantly, we read, ‘he left them’, and journeyed to Bethany, where He knew a welcome would await Him.

As He returned to Jerusalem the fruitlessness of the nation, epitomized by the barren fig tree, occasioned the only judgemental miracle by the Lord Jesus; nevertheless, He used it to teach His disciples a lesson in faith and prayer.

On entering the temple, the chief priests and elders seized the opportunity to question His authority, no doubt as a result of His action in removing the market traders the previous day. But, with the wisdom of omniscience, the Lord Jesus countered their question with one of His own, rendering them confused and speechless! So putting to silence the ignorance of foolish men.