From Palms to Nails
Matthew 21 shares the powerful account of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem the week before His crucifixion. It's often described as "triumphal" because the people give Him a victor's welcome and receive Him with excitement:
The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed shouted,
"Hosanna to the Son of David!"
"Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Hosanna in the highest Heaven!"
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is thos?"
The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee. — Matthew 21:9-11
The people following Jesus were so jubilant that the entire city began to wonder who everyone was so excited about. People adored Jesus, celebrated Jesus, and honored Jesus — until they didn't. Not long after, Jesus was taken prisoner and brought before Pontius Pilate:
At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, 'Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?' — Matthew 27:16-17
Mark 15:7 describes Barabbas as a murderer who was justly imprisoned and sentenced to death. Pilate offered the crowd two options, but the
…chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. — Matthew 27:20
The Jewish leaders successfully turned the hearts of the crowd against Jesus Christ. The same people who had laid palm branches at His feet only a few days earlier. When Pilate asked them what he should do with Jesus, the same mouths that had sung, "Hosanna in the highest Heaven!" responded with, "Crucify Him!"
How is it possible that someone who had a triumphal entry into the gates of Jerusalem would find Himself hanging from a wooden cross just outside the gates five days later?
How is it possible that many of the same hands that laid palm branches at Jesus's feet would be the same hands raised to vote "aye" in nailing Him to the cross?
How is it possible that the very people who accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior could be the same people to reject Him as a criminal?
- People's acceptance is fickle.
One day, they think you're the best thing since sliced bread. The next day, they want to cut you like sliced bread. Things get especially complicated when someone is offended by others' acceptance of you.
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