The Gospel of John | A Triumphal Entry For All People – John 12:12-36
Jesus Christ came as King over all and for all people to rule through His death.
By going to Lazarus, Jesus set in motion the events of His finals days leading up to His crucifixion. Now, as Israel prepared for the Passover, it was time for Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. News of the Lazarus’ resurrection had spread from among the people who greeted Him as He entered into the city. Furthermore, Jesus’ radical teachings had spurred the anger of the Pharisees as their attempts to kill Jesus had failed. Now, as Jesus entered into the city to the shout of praise from the people and the silent jeers of the religious leaders, the tensions remained high. The people, thinking Jesus to be the rightful King of Israel, brought Palm Branches as Jesus rode in on a donkey, proclaiming Him as the one who would remove Herod, Pilate, Ceasar, and the oppressive thumb of Rome from out of Israel.
Beneath the layers of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, the meaning behind the events of today would not be lost on those experiencing the event. Jesus came to be the King of the God’s people. Yet, this would go beyond the walls of Israel and extend to the gentiles as well. Furthermore, Jesus asserted His rightful role as King as He entered into Jerusalem. Yet, the people did not fully understand the scope of the reign of Christ. Where many would have entered in with the fanfare of a King to rule by dominion, Christ came as a King who would die for the sake of His people. Followers of Jesus Christ at the time only understood the fullness of the works of Christ after His resurrection and ascension but we today have the advantage of knowing the full story. To walk in step with Jesus Christ means we continue to die to our old self so that we might life with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection.
The Scope of A King
As Jesus entered into Jerusalem, the people waved palm branches. This symbol of Palm Branches went back to the Maccabean times when the palm branch had been employed as a symbol of Israel and removing the foreign powers from out of God’s chosen land. As the people waved palm branches, their actions symbolized that they understood this man, this great teacher, this prophet who rose people from the dead, to be the one who would remove the Roman threat from their country. Furthermore, while our modern culture considers the donkey to be a beast of burden, during that time, this animal would have been considered an animal of great honor. To ride in on a donkey asserted an image of Kingship. While it may have been a beast of burden, it was a beast that only royalty would have had access to. By Jesus riding upon it, He made claim to His Kingship. Furthermore, that Jesus did not rebuke them showed that He understood the meaning of the symbolism and agreed that He is the rightful King. Worshipping Christ as King would be appropriate for the believer.
The scope of Christ’s reign, however, had been lost on the Israelites of that day. They only asserted that Jesus would come to take His rule in Israel. John makes it clear in his Gospel that Jesus’ rule extends far beyond the walls of Israel and includes people from all races, nationalities, and backgrounds. At first, the inclusion of the Greeks looking to meet Jesus would seem like an obscure inclusion. Yet, when viewed against the mission of Christ in the world, it makes sense. Jesus came to save Israel but also came to save the Gentiles as well. This inclusion of the Greek persons looking to meet Jesus set the tone that as the word of God spread, more than Israelites would be welcomed into the people of God. Furthermore, the rule of Christ would not be limited to the Roman occupation of Israel. Instead, Jesus came to defeat the true enemy and the real plague of sin that had festered in the hearts of mankind. The scope of His reign would far exceed anything anyone could have imagined. Jesus Christ is the God of the universe, not limited to one area but who will rule and reign through all time in all ways. We cannot attempt to limit the scope of Christ’s reign to keep Him to ourselves nor can we attempt to fit the works of Christ into the mold that we have set for Him. The Christian must submit to and follow Jesus Christ in His life, burial, and resurrection rather than attempting to make Him fit into our expectations. We must welcome others into the family of God regardless of their background, extending grace to those who come to Him. Our true enemy is not one another but the sin that ensnared the hearts of mankind.
- How does the inclusion of the Greek persons looking to hear from Jesus Christ demonstrate about the inclusion of Gentile people in the church?
Life Through Death
Jesus discussed the time for the Son of Man, a term often denoting Jesus Christ, to be glorified. In context, it would seem strange to say this as He approached His own impending crucifixion and death, but ultimately this is the culmination of His work on earth. By taking the penalty and the cost of sin upon Himself, God would be glorified as the one who upheld justice while extending grace to invite His people to return in right relationship with the God of all creation. While Jesus entered into Jerusalem with the symbolism of a King, He did so knowing that His rule would be cemented through His death. “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” (John 12:25-26, ESV) Christ’s victory comes in death. Jesus willfully entered into Jerusalem knowing what would come for him in five short days. The weight of the sins of all humanity would be laid upon His head. Instead of a regal crown, a crown of thorns. Instead of a royal cape, He would be stripped and chastised as blood ran down His back. Yet, in this death, victory over all sin for all who would come to Him would be granted.
Our life is rooted in the death of ourselves. The old self craves sin and everything that sought to distance us from right relationship from the Father. Furthermore, we did not even desire to return. Our actions condemned us to die as we spiraled further and deeper into sin. Yet, Jesus Christ moved first to be the King of our lives and awaken our dead soul to come alive with Him by dying to our old self. The new self finds its identity founded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just as death could not defeat the true King, as we remain in Him, death will miss us as well. As we attempt to hold on to our old selves we hold the seed of grain, never fully blooming into the full potential of life that God has set for us. When we learn to let go of our old self, become buried and rise anew in Jesus Christ, we experience a fullness of life that can only be achieved by the abiding in the source of life itself. The old self will only continue to kill us as we indulge in the sin of the flesh. The Christian should wage war on that sin knowing that our victory in Jesus Christ is secured through His enduring work on the cross. Ours victory is not in whether we will win or not, but our joy is in fighting agains the flesh for the glory of God.
- How do you explain the notion of the seed being buried in the ground, dying, and coming to life? How does this connect with our relationship with Jesus Christ?
Discussion Questions
- Name some of the elements of Kingship you see in Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. In what ways does Jesus respond when He is presented with the assertions that He is King?
- What does it mean to die to the old self? How do we come alive to the new self?
- What is the difference in a person who is fully submitted to Jesus Christ as King and one who attempts to control the vision and scope of Christ’s mission?
- How does one submit to Jesus Christ fully as King? What are some of the hinderances we have in the assertions of Christ as King?
About The Author
Daniel Burton is the founder of The Gospel Outpost. He is passionate about discipleship and seeing people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about him, check out his Author Page.
