Start of the passion week

(One Perfect Life Chapters 144-147) In this portion of the Gospel we reach the ultimate purpose for which Jesus came. He came to share the message of salvation and the kingdom of God. He came to perform miracles to affirm Him and His message. Now He is about to be sacrificed as “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). Jesus understood the pain and suffering that He must endure — but He willingly accepted it, “for this purpose, I came to this hour” (John 12:27). Mary, the sister of Lazarus anoints Jesus with a costly perfume in preparation for His burial (Mark 14:8).

Jesus returns to Bethany, to the home of Lazarus whom He raised from the dead. He sends His disciples to retrieve a colt for Him to ride into Jerusalem. This was done to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. “Behold your King is coming to you, lowly and sitting on a donkey, a colt the foal of a donkey.” A conquering monarch would ride into a city on a war horse. A King that was coming to bring peace would ride in on a donkey. Jesus is coming to reconcile mankind to God through His death and resurrection. He is coming to make peace between God and man.

The religious leaders of Jesus day are offended by Him, and response of the people that embrace Him. Adults and children cry out “Hosanna to the son of David” in fulfillment of prophecy (Psalm 8:2, Matthew 21:16) as He makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The leaders worried about how the people were “astonished at His teaching” (Mark 11:18)

Jesus mourns over their rejecting Him. He also mourns over their ignorance of scripture. In Daniel 9:25, the precise day that the Messiah would present Himself to the people is foretold. Throughout the Gospels Jesus repeatedly said the time had not yet come to announce that He was Messiah. Now is that time. Please see https://www.khouse.org/articles/2004/552/ for an overview of this prophecy and its fulfillment.

Next Jesus reaches the temple where for the second time in His ministry He drives out the money changers (Luke 19: 45-46). This action further offended the religious officials who profited from the commerce — again they resolve to kill Him.

Finally Jesus predicts His death saying that He will be “lifted up” i.e. crucified (John12:20-36). In Numbers 21:6-9 the people were afflicted by venomous snakes as punishment for sinning against God. The bites of the snakes were lethal. The people were delivered if they looked at a bronze serpent (a symbol of sin punished) raised up on a pole. This was a foreshadowing of Jesus on the cross – a symbol of the punishment for our sins. They were delivered by looking in faith to the symbol of their forgiveness. Likewise we are saved by grace through faith when we look to Jesus death on the cross as providing for the forgiveness of our sins. His resurrection showed His victory over sin and death.