 The Royal Arrival of Our King
Matthew 21:1-11
Rev. Zachary Keele
Introduction
What was the last parade that you went to? Well, whenever it
was, we go to parades because they are fun times, despite the
difficulty of finding parking. There are crowds of people lining
the streets, marching bands, fancy cars, elaborate floats, and
plenty of that junk food we love so much. Not only this, but
parades tend to mark some festive occasion. Parades celebrate
some event or holiday, be it the Rose Bowl parade, Thanksgiving
Day parades, or some small town festival.
Well, parade type celebrations are not new or unique to our time
or culture. No, you can find parades throughout history in
nearly every culture and society. In fact, parade type
celebrations were particularly common when a king would return
to his city after a victory in battle or right before a prince
was crowned king and took his throne. Yes, a triumphant arrival
of a king to his city was a time of celebration and rejoicing
where the people lined the streets singing and shouting, “Long
Live the King.” Amidst such loud acclaims the king would enter
in his pomp and glory.
Well, this type of celebration is very much the backdrop for the
text before us today in Matthew’s gospel. Indeed, our Lord Jesus
intentionally designs and performs a royal arrival as he enters
Jerusalem, thereby announcing himself as the true and rightful
King of Israel. However, in his arrival Jesus reveals himself to
be a very different type of King, one who comes not to lord his
authority over others, but to serve by laying down his life.
I: Setting:
Now, last week at the end of chapter 20, we saw how
Jesus publicly answered to and accepted the Messianic and Kingly
title Son of David as he left Jericho on his way up to
Jerusalem. Well, now Jesus and his disciples reach the outskirts
of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives and the excitement of the
crowds only seems to have grown since Jericho.
• DIVINE PLAN: At first, Jesus’ open acceptance of the Messianic
title seems kind of odd to us for since the beginning of the
First Gospel, Jesus has not openly declared himself to be the
Messiah. In fact, he has even told the people who called him Son
of David to keep quiet so as not to spread it around. Jesus has
been somewhat secretive about his Messianic identity. He has
talked about it openly only with the disciples. Thus we might be
tempted here to think that things got away from Jesus. The loud
cries of the blind men about Jesus being the Son of David got
the crowd all ecstatic and now it is getting out of hand.
However, this is not the case. For Jesus purposefully answered
the cries of the blind men and he intentionally let the
excitement of the crowd grow and spread. Jesus has a definite
plan and way in which we must enter Jerusalem. He is acting
according to God’s will and he is deliberately fulfilling OT
Scripture. Indeed, Jesus lets the crowds get excited and he has
his disciples get these donkeys so that he can fulfill
Scripture. His entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey amidst an
ecstatic crowd is an intentional symbolic act. He does it so
that he can reveal something very specific about his Messianic
identity. He does it to accomplish the purposes of God.
II: Our Lord’s Royal Parousia:
However, it is necessary for us
to note here that Jesus plans and sets up his entry into
Jerusalem in light of a very deliberate backdrop, a backdrop
that the crowds and the people of Jerusalem would have been very
familiar with, that is the celebration of a royal arrival, or
more particularly an enthronement procession.
• ROYAL ARRIVAL MOTIF: Now when we go to a parade more than
likely we are able to determine the occasion of a parade by the
first float (If the first float is covered with green, it is
probably a St. Patrick’s Day parade, so also with others). So
also these royal arrivals had a relatively common or unified
structure or pattern, which people knew about. They have several
parts. First, there was the approach and entrance of the king
with his entourage. This approach would be very symbolic in
meaning.
Secondly, there was the public celebration. The people would
line the streets calling out with shouts like: “Long Live the
King” and/or “God be Praised for the King.” Third, the king
would first go to the temple and be involved in some sort of
cultic activity including: anointing if enthronement ceremony,
cleansing temple of some cultic impurity/defilement, and
offering sacrifices. The king could do all or only one of these.
Lastly, the king would go to his palace. This is where he would
go through a ceremony of being crowned, given a covenant/decree
by the chief god confirming his rule, and finally sitting down
on the throne. To sit on the throne meant that he was the
reigning king. Now this basic practice or pattern had different
variations depending on the culture and the time, but overall it
was quite an ancient practice.
This basic practice is seen in ancient Egypt and it is basically
what we find in the OT. As we read from 1 Kings 1, this pattern
is how Solomon was coronated. King David had Solomon ride his
donkey first going to the spring of Gihon (which was were the
tabernacle was set up at that time) where the high priest
anointed him king. Then amidst the shouts of the people, so loud
that the earth split, Solomon rode into the city, up to the
palace to sit on the royal throne.
Thus, this practice is reflected through the Psalms and it is in
view in Zech. 9, which Matthew quotes as the Scripture that
Jesus is most particularly fulfilling. In fact, this royal motif
becomes the basic structure for the rest of Matthew’s gospel.
Here Jesus enters the city with the praise of the crowds. Then
he goes directly to the temple to cleanse it. However, Jesus’
cultic activity continues until his death. And then it is in his
resurrection and ascension that Jesus receives all authority and
a seat at the right hand of God.
III: Type of King:
This passage, therefore, gives the first few
parts of the royal arrival pattern: the approach and entrance of
the king and the public celebration. But there is a particular
reason why Jesus deliberately enters Jerusalem in this fashion
and why Matthew records it for us. The reason is that the
approach of the king was highly symbolic in order to reveal the
nature of the king and his kingdom. The entrance is testimony to
the king’s identity.
• TYPICAL ARRIVAL: Now, we can imagine the symbolism of a
typical royal advent, especially after a military victory. The
king would ride forth with his army decked in the spoil of war
and clothed in their military best. The King would be mounted
upon a great warhorse, sword at his side. The pomp and glory of
the king vividly displayed for all to see. This is basically how
Alexander the Great rode into Jerusalem, on a great white stead
and with great splendor displayed.
This manner of entrance, then, symbolized the military power and
might of the king. It showed his glory and how he accomplished
domination over the enemies. It symbolically established the
king’s reign as one with power and authority over the people.
The King was great and powerful and deserved the people’s
praise, tribute and allegiance.
• FOAL OF A DONKEY: However, contrast this typical royal entry
with that of Jesus. He does not ride in on a warhorse. Instead,
just as he told them, the disciples go and get Jesus two
donkeys: a mother with a young male foal. Then Jesus rides into
the city mounted on the young male donkey with the mother by
their side. What a difference!
Now donkeys were linked with royalty. After all, Solomon rode
into Jerusalem on David’s donkey and we know other kings rode
them as well. Nevertheless, this is a very different royal
image/symbol for donkeys were the proverbial beast of burden.
They were highly valued for their ability to work for/serve
their master. Thus, this is an image of peace.
Jesus riding on a donkey is a royal image of peace. It is a
royal image devoid of any aspects of military power or political
domination. Where a mighty horse depicts the king’s recent
domination in battle and the power to do it again if anyone gets
out of line, a donkey displays the peace that the king brings,
how he is concerned for the people. Jesus riding on the donkey,
then, is a reversal of “the power imagery associated with a
king’s rule.” He is not coming with a sword or with military
intentions.
• CROWD: Well, the crowds wound up by the healing of the blind
men and other reports of miracles grasp the basic image that
Jesus is displaying. How do they respond? They lay down tree
branches and their cloaks on the rode for Jesus to ride over.
This is like rolling out the red carpet for someone; it is sign
of honor, tribute and praise. Then they sing and shout for joy.
Using words from Ps. 118, they praise Jesus with kingly titles:
Son of David, and the one who comes. They decry Hosanna, which
means ‘save us/please’ but being a acclamation of praise with
the meaning of help the King; synonym with ‘long live.’ Thus,
the crowds honor Jesus as the coming king and they praise God of
the king. Even though these praises of the crowd misunderstand
fully Jesus and his purpose for in v. 11 they call him merely a
prophet, the loud shouts still testify that Jesus is the
promised king to come. Their hosannas witness to the entire city
that Jesus is the Coming One, promised of old, and he has
arrived in Jerusalem.
• SACRIFICIAL ASS: Yet, there is more to this symbolic act of
our Lord’s, more to this donkey image which both the disciples
and the crowds miss. As Matthew made clear, Jesus designed this
royal entry to fulfill a particular OT passage, which we read
earlier of Zech. 9:9. And Zech. 9 was very concerned with the
manner of the king’s coming, particularly the donkey.
First of all, the king came humble, meaning lowly and not
gathering power to himself. In Zech., this humility might even
include the notion of being afflicted. Secondly, the king comes
riding on a donkey, on a foal of a donkey. And Zechariah is
quite concerned with this donkey; he seems to have a particular
type of donkey in mind. And we have evidence that the type of
donkey is one that was used to ratify treaties or covenants;
that is it was killed/sacrificed as the rite of covenant making.
Moreover, in Zech. 9:11, the prophet speaks about the blood of
the covenant as the foundation for the Lord setting the people
free from the waterless pit, an image of the prison house of
death. Thus, in Zech. 9, the humble king riding on a sacrificial
donkey plays some role in ratifying a covenant for the freedom
of God’s people.
So Matthew and Jesus intend this aspect of the donkey image and
the Zechariah passage. Jesus as the coming King comes to make a
covenant for the people, which will deliver them from the prison
of death. As Jesus said in 20:28, he came not to be served, but
to serve and to lay down his life as a ransom for many.
However, as Jesus makes this covenant by the shedding of blood,
it is not the donkey’s blood that is shed nor is it any other
animal that dies. Instead, as Jesus says in 26:28 at the Last
Supper, it is his blood that is the blood of the covenant. His
death ratifies God’s covenant with the people. The laying down
his life is what frees God’s people from that waterless pit.
Indeed, this is our king; this is how he comes. He comes truly
as humble king for he comes to serve his people by his own
death. This is the sacrifice he must make before he can sit on
his throne.
• THE OBJECT OF FAITH: Beloved Saints, in v. 5, Matthew adds to
the Zech. 9 quote this phrase, ‘Say to the Daughter of Zion.’ He
adds this phrase for it assumes a response. Thus, just as Jesus
rode into Jerusalem calling his people to respond to him, so
also the Spirit still calls us to respond to our Lord’s royal
arrival. He calls us to confess and put our faith in Jesus as
the humble and lowly king who came riding on a donkey to lay
down his life for us. He calls us not to be offended by the
lowliness, nor to misunderstand it.
What is your response? The crowds were only interested in Jesus
for his glory: to overthrow Rome, miraculously take away
illness, deformity and hunger. Do not let Christ be to you only
a matter of glory: to make life easier, to promote a political
agenda, to relieve any and all hardship, or as a means for
personal glory. Gospel calls us to put our faith in the low and
offense kingship of Jesus who came riding on a donkey.
For Jesus will come again, but his second coming will be very
different from his first.
Listen to Rev. 19:11-16—“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a
white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True,
and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like
a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a
name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a
robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The
Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen,
white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his
mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations,
and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the
winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his
robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and
Lord of lords.”
We must not be offended by the lowliness of our Savior and King.
We must not stumble over the gospel. For all who are found
outside of Christ, who stumble over him, they will experience
his sword and rod of iron on that Last Day. Instead, dear
saints, may you rest and take comfort in the lowliness of our
King Jesus, who came to serve us by dying on the cross. He came
to shed his blood as the blood of the covenant for us. This
entrance of our Lord Jesus is a wonderful picture of the gospel.
Listen to what Luther says about this passage, “The Gospel wants
to entice us to faith, above all else. But no one can accept
this gracious Christ unless he believes that he is a Man and
adopts the opinion of him that the evangelist gives. He is
presented as sheer grace, humility, and goodness, and whoever
believes that of him is blessed. Look to Him! He rides no
stallion, which is a war animal, and he comes not with fearful
pomp and power, but sits on a donkey, which is no war animal but
which is ready for burdens of work that will help human beings.
Thereby he shows that he does not come to terrify people, to
drive or oppress them, but to help them, to carry their burdens
and take them on himself.”
Yes, it is only in Jesus, our donkey mounted king, that we find
redemption and freedom from the pit of death, the prison of sin
and the curse. The covenant ratified by his blood brings us even
to everlasting life. Let us rejoice in our king! Hosanna in the
highest for our King Jesus came to save us from our sins.
Amen.
Rev. Zachary Keele
Escondido Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Escondido, CA
Disclaimer:
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