New Salem Baptist Church

The Crucifixion

March 24, 2024

Read Matthew 21:1-11.

Beginning here at chapter 21 and through to the end of the book, Matthew chronicles the last week of the life of our Lord. Whereas the first twenty chapters cover about three and a half years, the last eight cover only one week, the Passover week.

This passage records the triumphal entry by Jesus into Jerusalem and is the origin of “Palm Sunday.” Verse 8 records that the crowd that accompanied him into Jerusalem both laid their garments on the road and put palm branches there, too.

How did Jesus know that there would be a donkey and a colt at a certain house and that the owner would allow them to be taken? It is possible that he exercised his omniscience. But then he would also have to exercise some kind of supernatural influence from afar in order to ensure that the owner would release the animals. Just considering a few facts gives us our answer. Although Matthew does not record the visits of Jesus to Jerusalem and surrounding area prior to this final one, John records several visits by Jesus. Jesus had close friends with whom he stayed in Bethany. Bethany and Bethphage were in close proximity to each other (Luke 19:29), just outside of Jerusalem near the Mount of Olives. Also, donkeys were expensive in that day. It took about a year’s (average) wages to purchase one. A stranger would hardly give his donkeys to people he doesn’t know. Thus, Jesus likely arranged for the animals to be used, from a friend in Bethphage, on a previous visit. Finally, the disciples were to say certain word ,” The Lord needs them,” which was a password phrase.

As he nears the city gates, our Lord is welcomed by a crowd that spread their garments on the road along with palm branches. Hence, this day is known as Palm Sunday. This is the same crowd that has been travelling with him since Jericho (20:29). They are going to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, as all faithful Jews were instructed to do. They were mostly Galileans, since that is where Jesus carried on his ministry.  The Jerusalem crowd will reject him (27:15-25) as the Jewish leaders already had. As soon as he enters Jerusalem, the inhabitants do not know who he is:

And when He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?”^[1]

The Galilean crowd that accompanied him had to tell them who he was. This is now our calling. We are like Galileans. Many do not know who Jesus is. They may think that he is just a prophet or just a teacher that was exalted by his followers. We must tell them that he is the eternal Son of God and their only hope of salvation from the lake of fire.

As Jesus is approaching the city on a donkey, Matthew ascribes this as a fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9.  This is a messianic passage.  Verse 10 makes this clear:

And He will speak peace to the nations;

And His dominion will be from sea to sea,

And from the River to the ends of the earth.^[2]

Thus, Matthew again shows that Jesus is the promised Messiah.

Verse 5 of Matthew 21 is the citation of Zechariah 9:9 and says that he is ‘mounted on a donkey, and on a colt.” This doesn’t mean that he was riding both animals at the same time. It was a common practice to have a young donkey be accompanied by its mother until it became accustomed to carrying people. So, our Lord was riding the colt and the adult donkey came along.

And the crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were crying out, saying

“Hosanna to the Son of David;

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord;

Hosanna in the highest!”^[3]

Hosanna is the Greek transliteration of the Aramaic (which is nearly the same as the Hebrew), meaning “Save us now.” The word began as a prayer but then became a word of praise. “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD” is a quote from Psalm 118:26. The latter portion of 118 (verses 22 through 29) is also messianic. But this time it is the crowd who is quoting it, not Matthew. They recognized Jesus as the Messiah! Isn’t this interesting? The Jewish crowd from Galilee could quote Scripture!

These were simple folk from a rustic province. Yet, they memorized Scripture.

Jesus memorized. Paul memorized. Peter memorized. These Galileans memorized. If we believe the Bible are the very words of God, why would we not memorize?

Some will say that they cannot memorize. This is not true. Those who use this excuse can usually say the Pledge of Allegiance. They usually have their own phone number memorized or the phone number of their spouse. They usually have their social security number memorized. So, if followers of Christ can memorize all this other data then they can memorize God’s words, too.

The keys to memorize are simply frequent exposure and practice. The truth is that some will not invest the time. While it is true that some can memorize more easily than others, all can do it. For some, they may only need to hear and recite a verse five times before they have it memorized. Others may need to read and recite a verse fifty times before they memorize it. But, all can.

Why should we memorize? The most obvious reason is to fill our minds with the thoughts of God. Are not his thoughts better than our thoughts? His thoughts are revealed in Scripture.

Why should we memorize?  It helps us from falling into sin:

How can a young man keep his way pure?

By guarding it according to your word.

¹⁰    With my whole heart I seek you;

let me not wander from your commandments!

¹¹    I have stored up your word in my heart,

that I might not sin against you. ^[4]

Storing God’s word in one’s heart is nothing less than memorization!

Why should we memorize? It will make us prosperous:

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.^[5]

When we make God’s word a part of our thinking then we make wise decisions and success in our endeavors will follow.

So, our Lord’s fellow Galileans honored our Lord as he entered Jerusalem. Contrast this with how the populace of Jerusalem, the holy city, treated our Lord when he was put on trial before Pilate. We read this in chapter 27.

Read Matthew 27:11-25.

Verse 19 is so interesting.

¹⁹ While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”^[6]

Why did got create a woman to begin with? He created a woman to be a helper to the man. If this is one of her purposes, then God has endowed women with the ability to help her husband.[7]

Pontius Pilate’s wife was given a dream wherein she understood that her husband was not to have anything to do with Jesus whom she called “that righteous man.” Pilate should have listened to his wife. If he had listened to his wife he would not have incurred the guilt of condemning Jesus. Maybe if he listened to his wife he would not have been dismissed from being governor.[8] If he listened to his wife he may have not committed suicide (according to the church historian Eusebius).

I am convinced the Lord has given women many insights and practical wisdom that are lacking in many men. If women are designed to be man’s helper and our complement (remember that it is man and woman together that are made in the image of God), then husbands ought to listen to their wives and take their counsel. They will avoid failures and embarrassments if they do.

But this fact about Pilate’s wife’s dream is incidental. In chapter 27 we see that Pilate offers the crowd a release of a prisoner. It seems that he was hoping they would ask for the release of Jesus, since it was evident that Jesus was not guilty of any crime and certainly not worthy of death. Instead the crowd wanted him to release Barabbas, a robber, insurrectionist, and murderer (John 18:14; Mark 15:7).

Just a few days before this, Jesus entered with the accolades of his followers, with garments and palm leaves making the path before him into Jerusalem.  And now they chose a murderer to be freed instead.

²² Pilate asked them, “What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?”

They all answered, “Crucify Him!”  ⁿ

²³ Then he said, “Why? What has He done wrong?”

But they kept shouting, “Crucify Him!” all the more. ^[9]

The crowd revealed not only the sentiments of their leaders (27:18), but their own sentiments. Not only their sentiments, but the sentiments of all people because all people have antipathy towards God and towards Jesus until the Spirit softens their heart through supernatural grace.

The sentiments of the crowd are our own sentiments! We are that crowd!

[Have congregation yell out “Crucify him!” after being asked the questions of Pilate in verses 22 and 23.]

Not only are we that crowd. We are Barabbas.

“Wait a minute, Pastor. You said Barabbas was a robber and a murderer. I haven’t robbed anyone. I haven’t murdered anyone. I’m not as bad as Barabbas.”

We are more like Barabbas than we think. Have you ever taken something that didn’t belong to you? Have you reported all your income to the federal government? (Because if you have not, you are stealing from the government.)

“Well, I haven’t murdered anyone.”

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. ^[10]

Jesus said that is we are angry then we are guilty of violating the sixth commandment. We may not be guilty of physically killing someone, but we have been guilty of murder in our hearts. We are Barabbas because we have the heart of Barabbas.

Yet, for those who place their faith in Christ, we become like Barabbas in another way. Barabbas was guilty and should have been executed. But he was set free because Jesus went to be executed instead.

Would you like to be set free from your sin, your shame, and from the punishment for your sins? Then you must trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and what he accomplished at the cross.

Palm Sunday is a day to remember Christ’s sacrifice of Himself upon the cross to free us from sin! If you are ready to trust in the Lord Jesus then speak to me or to Brian today. Do not delay such an important decision for Christ is the only means to have forgiveness of sins!

For those who are already followers of the Lord Jesus, tell someone today, or this week, about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and his subsequent rejection by his own people. This is the story of our redemption! Share the news!