Lesson 1 – The Triumphal Entry

The multitudes called out “Hosanna!” – Save us! – to their King. We, too, cry out “Hosanna!” to Jesus, our King, who entered Jerusalem to save us and all people by triumphing over sin.

Opening

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The ancient Romans celebrated a general's victory with an elaborate triumphal procession. It's said the triumph for Pompey lasted two days.

Watch the video that shows what the triumphal procession for Julius Caesar may have been like: "Rome - Julius Caesar".

What people or things celebrated this victory? Soldiers; trumpets;  banners with national symbols; cheering people; a general in full military regalia with a red-painted face, riding in a gold chariot pulled by four horses.

Roman generals often paraded their captives. They made sacrifices to the Roman gods and proudly accepted accolades. Consider these elements of triumph as we explore Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. A large, excited crowd announced Jesus' arrival because He raised Lazarus back to life, a great victory (John 12:18).

Prayer: Jesus, King of kings, open our hearts and minds so that we can hear and understand Your Word. Give us insight. Grow our faith. Show us how to follow You with joy. In Your name we pray. Amen.

God Speaks

After Jesus raised Lazarus, He went to Ephraim, a town northwest of Jericho, to stay away from conspirators planning to kill Him (John 11:45-54). Heading to Jerusalem for Passover, Jesus passed through Jericho and met Zacchaeus (Lesson 1). Then He went on to Jerusalem.

Follow the directions on the Student Page at the end of the lesson except read BOTH the Mark and Luke accounts. Then answer the questions.

Read Mark 11:1-10 and Luke 19:28-40

The villages of Bethphage and Bethany sat a few miles away from Jerusalem, along the road ascending to the capital city. How do you think Jesus knew about the colt and the situation the disciples would find? Jesus is God and He knows all things.

Why is it important that the Messiah (king) enter on a young, unridden donkey? Read Zechariah 9:9 (on the Student Page). In these actions, Jesus fulfilled the messianic prophecy of Zechariah and proclaimed Himself as Messiah.

What other information about the Messiah did Zechariah 9:9 prophesy?  How did Jesus fulfill these? Jesus did not proudly enter Jerusalem in a gold military chariot with four white horses. Instead, He humbly entered on the foal of a donkey. Righteous, He brought salvation and completed His redemptive work for us in the days that followed.

Where did the crowd come from? Luke identifies them as a multitude of Jesus' disciples traveling with Him. Mark does not explicitly say.

How did the crowd announce Jesus' arrival to the city? They shouted and walked in front of and behind Jesus, who was on the donkey (Luke). Mark mentions leafy branches, but Luke does not. (John 12:13 identifies the branches as palms. Matthew 21:8 says branches.)

Mark says the crowd cried "Hosanna" (save us), blessed "He who comes in the name of the Lord" and announced the coming of David's kingdom (vv. 9-10).

Luke says the crowd blessed "the King who comes in the name of the Lord" and proclaimed peace in heaven and glory in the highest (v. 38). All these things were surely said and probably more. Authors chose which words to include in their accounts.

What do their words say the crowd thought about Jesus? He is the Messiah. Yet, they still expected Him to be a physical king taking victory over Rome and restoring the Jewish nation. They did not yet understand His true mission as the Christ, the Son of God. 

The leafy branches (Mark 11:8) were palms (John 12:13). Palms symbolized victory and triumph in the ancient Mediterranean world.  Since victory ends conflict, palms became a sign of peace and eternal life. Laying down cloaks paid respect to royalty. How are these fitting visuals for this triumphal procession? Jesus defeated and proclaimed victory over sin, death, and the devil in His sinless life, suffering, death, and resurrection from the dead. He gives eternal life and peace to all who believe in Him. Jesus is our true victor King, the Messiah, the King of kings.

How is this King and His victory different? Jesus, sinless and humble, is true God. He gave His life on the cross to pay for our sin and set us free. He rose from the dead, as no other king ever did. His victory won freedom from the slavery of sin and eternal life for others, all who believe in Him. His victory gives eternal rewards, not temporary, earthly ones.

List things on a piece of paper that identify this as a victory procession.

A victorious king in a procession of excited and grateful supporters; palms  (Mark only); a crowd of cheering and shouting people .

Mark Passage Questions

 Read Mark 11:11. Where did Jesus go after entering the city? Into the temple

Where did Jesus and the disciples go that evening? They went to Bethany, which means they went in and out of Jerusalem every day of this week.

We don't know with whom they stayed, but who lived there? Read Matthew 26:6 and John 11:1 (Student Page). Simon the leper, whom Jesus healed; siblings Lazarus, Mary, and Martha

Luke Passage Questions

What did the Pharisees tell Jesus to do, and why? To silence His disciples because they rejected Jesus as the fulfillment of the messianic promises.

Jews called Gentiles stones as a metaphor to point out their difficulty in hearing and seeing the true God. What did Jesus' answer really mean? If Jesus' followers were silenced, even the stones (Gentiles) would speak. Jesus warned the religious establishment that if they rejected Him and prevented others from receiving Him, God would cause the Gentiles to take the job of announcing His presence.

Debriefing

How is Jesus' victory procession different from a Roman triumph? (1) It was spontaneous and joyful, not lavish, expensive, and suffocating. (2) The hero King was humble. (3) This triumph happened before the victory that Christ achieved in His death and resurrection. (4) The hero King sacrificed Himself on the cross to free His people rather than make sacrifices to idols and parade captives.

How does Jesus show His love for us? Read 1 John 3:16 (on the Student Page). Jesus laid down His life for us. Our hero King did not stay behind the troops and plan strategy. On the front lines, Christ died to pay for our sins and rose from the dead to give us new life, today and forever.

 

We Live

 Victory in Christ

Paul, a Pharisee, was a Roman citizen by birth (Acts 22:28). Paul often wove Roman references into his writing. 

Read 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 and 1 Corinthians 15:54, 57 (on the Student Page).

What do you think Paul meant when He said Christ always leads us in a triumphal procession? Christ gives us victory over sin, death, and the devil. He leads us in a triumphal procession that proclaims Him to the world in every way we can.

The Roman Empire won many military victories, in which many people died. How has God given us victory through the death of one man?  Christ Jesus died for our sins and rose victorious from the dead. His victory swallows death and takes away our fear of it. For Christians, death is a transition from this life to eternal life with Christ.

We participate vicariously in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection through Baptism. Because Christ rose bodily, we will receive a bodily resurrection, too, on the Last Day. Those who believe in Jesus will live with God forever.

How is the knowledge of Christ a wonderful fragrance to some? The appealing smell of the knowledge of Christ draws people and delivers wonderful promises to those who believe in Jesus and are being saved.

How is the knowledge of Christ a fragrance of death to some? As He was for the Pharisees in our account who rejected Christ, He is the fragrance of death to those who reject Him and perish.

Closing

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being our Savior and victor. Lead us in Your victory procession and help us proclaim Your death and resurrection until You return. In Your name we pray. Amen.