“Knowing Christ is the best thing that has ever happened to me, although winning the US Open was a pretty good second.”

Alison Nicholas

Jesus’ Triumphant Entry

As we move through John’s narrative of the last weeks of Jesus’ life, we follow the raising of Lazarus and the Sanhedrin (Jewish Council’s) desire to kill him with Jesus riding on a donkey.

John sees in this incident a fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophesy
“Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem.
Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.”

What the passage also conveys is that Jesus has chosen a donkey rather than a white horse to enter with humility. The other gospels make it clear that Jesus had planned and arranged to enter Jerusalem on a donkey. The modern world – and the world of sport – rarely displays humility. It is much more about: “Look at me. Look what I have achieved. I am the greatest”.

This is the second time that John records a crowd proclaiming Jesus as King - see also John 6: 14, 15. But on this occasion, Jesus virtually announces his Kingship by publicly enacting Zechariah’s prophecy and accepting the adulation of the crowds.

We may ask to what extent Jesus is orchestrating events, exacerbating the danger from both the Jewish religious establishment and the Romans that result in his arrest and execution. If you have time read the whole incident John 12:12-19

Questions to reflect on:

1. Why did the raising of Lazarus have such a big impact on the people? “The world has gone after him!”v19

2. What fresh insights does this story give you into the character and personality of Jesus?

3. Why are people today so disinterested in reports of the resurrection of Jesus?

PS Questions and the inspiration for this series are from my friend, Marlene Ewart.

Weekly sports email