Day 40 - The King comes – riding on a donkey

Human nature is interesting to speculate about. However, rarely is the contrast between God and humans more evident than in the Gospel accounts of Jesus entering Jerusalem. It’s well worth thinking about this contrast.

Very similarly to the historical account of Jesus’ ministry, our times are shot through with ambition and self-aggrandisement. Not only do the self-proclaimed social and political ‘leaders’ look for recognition, but also a comparable motivation is clear within churches.

On the occasion of the Triumphal Entry, recorded in all four Gospels, Jesus was at His most popular with the general population, but the religious people resented Him. John makes this point very plain in John 12:19. “Look the whole world has gone after Him.”.

Jesus could have exploited this popularity, claimed wealth, titles and power from His supporters. He did not, and very shortly afterwards, crowds, probably including those who had cheered His arrival, were baying for His Crucifixion, Matthew 27:23 for example.

What flipped the popular vote away from the Son of God towards the religious powerbrokers?

That’s something that each follower of Jesus the Christ really ought to seriously and prayerfully consider. That’s because it will tell you about yourself and your human nature. What would you have done? What do you do now?

I would probably have been a lot like Judas. I would have recognised the Godliness of Jesus and been impatient for Him to show His power. I want to do away with poverty and injustice. To instruct the ordinary people about how to be holy. To bring about The Kingdom – NOW. When Jesus didn’t do as I wanted, I would have done something treacherous to precipitate Him acting. Not because I want it for me so much, but because I want to see action to right wrongs.

Both Judas [Mtth.26:6-16] and I would be badly mistaken because we would be confusing human nature with Godliness. God did not have to become human to show power, after all He did create everything. He became human to show what being a Godly human looks like.

So, when Jesus was angry with the money-makers in the Temple, the children were still able to see God [Mtth.21:12-17], because unlike the religious leaders, the children had not yet become conscious of wealth and power.

Jesus chose to enter Jerusalem humbly, and He expressed dismay that people thought that money and titles would impress God. That’s why the popularity turned to outrage. Human nature is attracted to human constructions of importance. We think that God ‘ought’ to act according to our preferences.

Jesus showed that He was aware of Judas’ plans [Mtth.21:21-25]. He could have prevented Judas’ betrayal, but then you and I would not have the allegory of that betrayal to help us to understand why our natural inclinations may not be God’s.

“Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord” [Mtth.21:9].

John Cartwright