Never trust a crowd. They can turn on a dime. One minute they can be praising you. In another minute they can be cursing you. Jesus knew this.
But when he went into Jerusalem, he received their worship. He went into Jerusalem riding on a donkey as people waved palm branches and shouted, “Hosanna!”
This was in fulfillment of Scripture, that the king would come riding on a donkey. For us, it is familiar. But for the hearers of Scripture, it was absurd. Kings don’t come riding on donkeys. They come dressed in royal robes and riding on stallions. What kind of king comes riding on a donkey? They are stubborn, strong-willed and a common man’s ride. Not that of a conquering, powerful king.
But Jesus did come riding on a donkey. Because he was a humble servant. He had no wealth, nor riches. No titles or acclaim. And no great army. He was just a humble servant.
Then some people came to him and wanted to see him. By this time it seemed there was so much activity that there needed to be a string of command. Greeks –> Phillip–>Phillip and Andres–>Jesus. Likely it was because everyone was wanting Jesus’ teaching and his disciples needed to do a form of crowd control.
Jesus responded in a very unusual way to the request to be seen. We don’t read of his response. Instead we read that he realizes the hour has come for him to die.
Perhaps it was because of his rising popularity. Maybe it was the crowds. But Jesus knew soon he was going to be crucified. How did he respond?
“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” (v, 27-28).
He knew his purpose. To come and die for the sins of humanity. It still was not easy. It was still a temptation to be delivered from this hour. But instead he asked of the Lord that He would glorify his name.
The Jews continued to disbelieve. This was no surprise as Isaiah said it would happen. But then it says something very interest.
Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him (v. 41).
In what way did Isaiah see Jesus? Did he have a vision? DId he just see his glory? Did Jesus meet him? We don’t know. But it is very interesting.
But there were some believers. Secret believers. Some of the leaders actually put their faith in Jesus. But they did not say anything because they did not want to be cast out of the synagogue.
for they loved human praise more than praise from God (v. 43)
They wanted both worlds. They wanted salvation from God and praise from men.
You don’t get both.
You can either live for the praise of men, or for the praise of God. When you live for the praise of God, man’s opinions will come and go. Just like Jesus was experiencing with the crowds.
——
John 12:12-50
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna![a]”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[b]
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”[c]
16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”
Jesus Predicts His Death
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up[d] from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”
35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews
37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:
“Lord, who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”[e]
39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
40 “He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn—and I would heal them.”[f]
41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”