After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” just say this: “The Lord needs it.” ’ So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’ Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,
‘Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!’
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’ (NRSV).
Throughout Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem he made his purpose clear – he goes to suffer, die, and to rise again.
Understandably, his hearers have sought – and struggled – to comprehend.
Our passage reminds us of this pilgrimage. Perhaps Luke saw this as necessary given the story he is about to recount. Jesus’ popularity as he enters David’s city does not appear to be under threat.
In fact this story emphasises that Jesus has a substantial following in the holy city. They are described as a ‘whole multitude’ of ‘disciples’ who sing of the arrival of their Messiah – praising God ‘…for all the deeds of power that they had seen’. Yes, there were people of faith in Jerusalem – eye witnesses to the miracles of the one who had finally arrived.
And so they sing and dance as they pave the road with the clothes off their back – partying as the humble rabbai rides through the city gates on a donkey owned by another. It would almost seem that Jesus is expected.
And so he should be. This lowly act fulfills the hope of the prophet Zechariah. This seer wrote of a time of great rejoicing in Jerusalem over the arrival of their victorious king. He would come in humility carried on a donkey’s colt. This arrival was associated with peace ‘from sea to sea’ and ‘to the ends of the earth.’
No wonder the people celebrated. They saw in this act the beginning of the end of Rome.
And so a people living in occupied land sing their song of a coming peace from heaven itself:
‘Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!’
Perhaps it is surprising to find such rejoicing accompanied by the Pharisees call for silence. These lovers of the law and prophets are not at all keen to see the day of which Zechariah dreamed – at least not in this way or by this one. Their’s is a request for an end to this spontaneous – unauthorised – festival.
Jesus response is telling: ‘…if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’
Although these religious leaders are a dominant force in Jerusalem; although this is their home turf; although they are players of power – they are up against more than they are prepared for. Much more.
As they stand before Jesus and his ecstatic followers they are not – as yet – aware that they are taking on all of creation. This crowd does not simply represent another misguided band of believers. They represent heaven itself.
Behind them stands a host of angels and every diverse form of a groaning creation that yearns for God’s promised renewal.
And heaven’s vantage point offers – as always – the most accurate perspective. Jesus’ resurrection will usher in a new beginning that will stretch way beyond the Roman empire. In only a few days the empty tomb and the appearance of the resurrected Jesus will invite all those who are willing to savour the very first-fruit of heaven’s new creation.
Indeed this glimpse of ‘Jesus renewed’ is a glimpse of God’s vision for the entire cosmos.