Palm Sunday 2018
The Strength of Praise (Luke 19:42 & Matt 21)
• During this time period the only way to atone for your sin was to make an animal sacrifice.
• We see all of that imagery here in this scene. Jesus the sacrificial lamb in on His way to Jerusalem.
Verse 30 Jesus’ knowledge about the animal’s availability, location, and condition, demonstrate his control.
• Jesus stating that the animal has never been ridden shows an element of purity.
• 1 Sam 6:7 required that an animal that had never been yoked or ridden be used to carry the Ark.
Verse 31 Jesus is looking forward toward the cross and yet he knows all the details that will take place.
Verse 32 The disciples show great faith and set out and find things just as Jesus said.
Verse 33-34 The word used here as “Lord” is master or sir and is a title of respect but would not have conveyed Lordship as we understand it. The obedience of the colt’s owners doesn’t come from the term.
Verse 35 The story now takes a regal turn and the disciples put their outer garments on the colt.
• He is actually a conquering king who is in control of every detail of his life and death.
o But the Kingdom He conquers is not an earthly kingdom, rather a spiritual Kingdom.
Verse 36 This was a common practice of the day to pay respect to people of high position and regal status.
o This incident is reminiscent of when Jehu was anointed king in 2 Kings 9:13.
• In Matt 21:8 is also says they cut palm branches and laid them on the ground.
Verse 37 The word for loud (loud voices) is actually the word mega.
o And the word translated in many English versions as “miracles” is the word power.
• Could be translated as “So they praised God with a mega voice for all the power they had seen.”
Verse 38 The first phrase is from Psalm 118:26 and alludes to a king leading pilgrims to the temple and receiving a greeting of welcome from the priests at the temple,
• The second phrase is very similar in wording to Lk 2:14 when the angels sang about Jesus’ birth.
• In this little song we Jesus’ birth remembered as well as king imagery.
Verse 39 Their objection is actually in the form of an imperative command. Stop this!
Verse 40 This verse also recalls Isaiah 55:12, where the mountains and hills “burst into song.”
Verse 41 It went from the crowd rejoicing over Jesus to Jesus weeping over those that have rejected Him.
• What is striking here is the word translated “wept” is strong, referring to full sobbing or wailing.
Verse 42 In the physical realm peace is the absence of certain things, in the spiritual realm it’s the presence of Jesus.
Matt 21:14 Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger. (NKJV)
• Matt 21:16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, `Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”
• Praise is our strength. Even infants and children have strength when they praise God.
• The context of the strength in Psalm 8 is to defeat the enemy through praise!
