Seek First: The Rocks Cry Out, The Strength of Praise
Luke 19:28-29 During this time period the only way to atone for your sin was to make an animal sacrifice.
• Take an animal and head to the Jerusalem, or buy the animal in Jerusalem.
• We see all of that imagery here in this scene. Jesus the sacrificial lamb is on His way to Jerusalem.
Verse 30 Jesus’ knowledge about the animal’s availability, location, and condition, demonstrate his control over and knowledge of these events.
• Jesus stating that the animal has never been ridden shows an element of purity
• In 1 Sam 6:7 it was required that an animal that had never been yoked or ridden be used to carry the Ark of the Covenant. How appropriate here since the colt is now carrying the New Covenant in the person of Jesus.
Verse 31 Jesus again shows total control of the situation,
Verse 32 His disciples show great faith and set out and find things just as Jesus said.
Verse 35 The story now takes a regal turn and the disciples put their outer garments on the colt.
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 the parallel account in Matt 21:8 it says some laid out palm branches, again a regal symbol.
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.
• “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, probably on the occasion of a major victory.
• The second phrase is very similar in wording to Lk 2:14 when the angels sang about Jesus’ birth.
Verse 39 Their objections are 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” and the trees of the field “clap their hands,” rejoicing at God’s deliverance.
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.
Matt 21:14 This is a continuation of the Palm Sunday scene.
• Jesus responds to their complaint by quoting Psalm 8
• In Psalm 8 it says, “you have ordained strength,” which is what it says in the Hebrew.
o But in Matt 21:16 Jesus says “You have perfected praise”
• Praise is our strength. Even the infants and children have strength when they praise God.
• The context of the strength in Psalm 8 is to defeat the enemy.
o Jesus explains this and says that the strength needed to defeat the enemy comes from praise.
• And this comment is directed at those who are trying to stop the people from praising Jesus.
• So even when we are feeling defeated or weak, our strength is in praise.
Seek First: The Rocks Cry Out
