Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is one of the most memorable accounts of Easter week. He enters the city riding a colt -to the cheers and delight of the massive crowds. People are waving palm branches and throwing their coats on the ground. It is a moment filled with awe and expectation. Curiously, it is only Luke who records that Jesus wept as he entered the city.
We can see the faces, imagine the crowd, and hear the shouts: ‘Hosannah, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
But have you ever thought, ‘What is really going on?’ ‘What is the story behind the story?’ It turns out that what Jesus is doing has been done before!
Alexander the Great’s death in 323BC brought chaos to the Greek Empire. He didn’t leave a successor and the Empire eventually split into four territories. One faction was the Seleucid Dynasty which ruled most of the Middle East. The Seleucids propagated the Hellenization of their territories -to the dismay and disgust of the Jewish people.
The Seleucids Dynasty filled Israel with altars to the Greek gods and levied taxes to support their worship. They banned the Torah and even placed an idol of Zeus in the Jewish Temple.
Finally the Jewish people wouldn’t take it anymore. A priest by the name of Mattathias led a revolt in 167 BC. He died while fighting the Seleucids and his son Judah took up the cause. Judah Maccabee use guerilla warfare tactics to eventually overthrow the Seleucids from Israel. The festival of Hanukkah -(the Festival of Lights) originates from this time period. You can read more about this account in the book of 1 Maccabees.
With victory assured Judah did two things in rapid succession. First he entered the city of Jerusalem -to the cheers and praises of its inhabitants. Once in the city he went immediately to the Temple and cleared out all the idols.
Flash forward 190 years. The Greek-leaning Seleucid Dynasty is long gone. The Maccabean rule lasted until the Roman General Pompey captured Jerusalem in 67BC. Once again Israel finds itself under occupation.
When a Roman General -fresh from victory in battle- would enter a capital city, he followed a specific plan. The plan called for the general to wear garments signifying his deity. He would ride either a chariot or a war-horse and was followed by those captured in battle. The general would immediately proceed to the temple and offer a sacrifice. This victory procession -spelled out in Roman Law- is called a ‘Triumph!’
Pause for a moment and think of Jesus entering Jerusalem in preparation for his final Passover Meal. He knows the history and the culture of his people. He undoubtedly knows that less than 200 years earlier Judah Maccabees followed this same plan (entry into Jerusalem and clearing out the Temple). He undoubtedly knows that the Romans had a similar triumphal entry and that -more than likely- Pilate himself had just days before entered Jerusalem in his own modified Triumph!
Now comes Jesus. He uses the history and culture of his day and replaces it with his own twist. He doesn’t ride on a war horse like Judah Maccabees or the Roman Generals; he rides a colt. He doesn’t carry a sword, but rather speaks the Word of God. He doesn’t wear the garments of a victorious general, but rather of a humble worker. He doesn’t come to offer political freedom, but rather spiritual freedom. He doesn’t come to free Israel from the oppression of other nations; rather he comes to liberate all people from the oppression of sin!
The story behind the story shows us that when we dig into God’s Word we are continually rewarded with deep and profound Truths. Jesus replaces and fulfills the cultural expectations of his time and uses them to show how God is doing something new! During this Holy Week, why don’t you read through the accounts of Jesus’ triumphal entry and send in your comments...
On Sunday May 6th, the New York Times, published an Op-Ed piece on the 2012 elections. T.M. Luhrmann, professor of anthropology at Stanford, delivers a written roadmap for Democrats and Secular Liberals to reach out and connect with Evangelicals, especially in light of the upcoming 2012 US presidential election.
Welles Crowther, a 34 year old financial analyst, was working in the South Tower on September 11th, 2001.
Fire breathing prophets, two Olive Trees, The Beast that arises from the abyss, and a global dance party... wow, what else can we find in Revelation Chapter 11?! No wonder scholars declare this chapter to be one of the most important and complex chapters in Revelations!
Many scholars consider Revelation Chapter 11 one of the most challenging sections in the Book of Revelation. It is packed not only with Old Testament images and allusions, but with people and actions that require the reader to make clear interpretative positions.
In preparing for a future sermon series on relationships, I came across this article in the New York Times. The author presents a range of recent sociological data about the inherent dangers of cohabitation. Read the article here. 
The Apostle Paul appears before Mars Hill in Acts 17. He speaks to this venerable intellectual institution and presents to them the story of Christ. Paul preached the usual content, but presented it in a unique way! Paul quotes from Greek philosophy and uses the local cultural awareness of spirituality -to point towards Christ. 
I always loved the story of Thomas, probably because I wrestle with doubt. Thomas was one of Jesus’ original 12 followers. While he makes few appearances, his most notable comes after Jesus rose from the dead. About a week after his resurrection, Jesus’ followers are all huddled together -hiding out in fear. The political situation, the rumors of Jesus coming back to life, the Priest’s anger -are still conspiring against those closest to Jesus. While most of Jesus’ followers had seen him; Thomas had not yet.
For those who have seen ‘The Passion of the Christ,’ -imagine Jesus standing before Pilate- beaten, bloodied, wearing the crown of thorns. It's early on Friday morning and Jesus has just endured three different religious trials. Pilate now sits on the judgment seat, conflicted and disturbed. He knows that Jesus is innocent and perceptively assess the situation before him as an internal Jewish argument. He senses he is in an intractable political situation and knows he can’t win.
Powerful scenes fill Jesus’ final week: riding into Jerusalem on a colt, cleansing the Temple, cursing the fig tree, the Last Supper, etc... The event that stands out to me the most is found in John 13; where Jesus washes His disciple’s feet.
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is one of the most memorable accounts of Easter week. He enters the city riding a colt -to the cheers and delight of the massive crowds. People are waving palm branches and throwing their coats on the ground. It is a moment filled with awe and expectation. Curiously, it is only Luke who records that Jesus wept as he entered the city.
Britain's Got Talent 2012 competition is not something that I usually follow. This recent clip features two high school-age students who sing to the delight of not only the audience, but also the judges. 
With a blog called Coffee Shop Pastor, what else did you expect?