Jesus Christ
The Passion
The Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem & the Temple of God
by Rhawn Joseph, Ph.D.
Lazarus lived, and it was perhaps Lazarus, or an unnammed young priest, who appear to have played a major role in the events leading up to the crucification which would occur, as planned, during the Passover.
Likewise, it was presumably Lazarus, or one of the other secret disciples, who provided the "ass" and the "colt" upon which Jesus would make his triumphal ride, as the Messiah, into Jerusalem--as prophecied.
As retold in Matthew 21: "And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee."
Jesus had now taken the prophetic ride into Jerusalem, that would mark him as not just a "prophet" but the Messiah, the King of the Jews. And it was with this symbolic authority that Jesus directly challenged the Pharisees and the priests, as well as the Roman authorities.
As the crowds cheered in hysterical, jubilant excitement, Jesus dismounted and entered the Temple of Jerusulam--the Temple of God.
The Temple was in fact divided into parts, including the Court of the Gentiles which was accessible to one and all regardless of faith or national origin. It was within the Court that merchants, money changers and bankers set up shop, the merchants selling offerings, the bankers loaning money, and the money changers charging various fees to convert and change currencies such as those bearing or stamped with idolatrous images. The chief priests were basically in charge of all these operations, receiving a cut of the profits, and thus, it was to their advantage to allow commerical activity within this holy place.
Jesus strode into the Temple, in a heavenly rage, and began tossing out the money changers, and overthrowing their tables, "So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables, and and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." - John 2
The priests, the scribes, and the Pharisees were astounded but they dared not act, as Jesus was again surrounded by the cheering screaming people: "And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased."
The chief priests decided there and then that Jesus must die.
Jesus dared not stay in Jerusalem over night. His enemies would be afraid to arrest him when surrounded by the multidues. They would not be so reticent during the evening hours when the people were asleep in their beds.
Again, Jesus retreated to Bethany, and presumably to the home of Mary, Elizabeth, and Lazarus. Here he felt safe.
The next day, Jesus again entered the temple and began to preach. But as Jesus was surrounded by adoring crowds, his enemies challenged his teachings but dared not arrest or harm him.
"And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?"
Jesus, instead, answered with a parable, and mocked them: "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof...And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet." -Matthew 21.
Instead, the Pharisees and the priests sought to challenge and discredit him, to trick him into making rebellious statements against the authority of God, so that the people might turn away. And they sought to trick him into defying Rome and advocating treason--which would cause the Roman authorities to crucifify him.
"Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way." -Matthew 22.
But Jesus was not finished. Instead, he launched into a scathing attack on the Pharisees, and the elders, and the chief priests and on all the hypocrites so as to establish his authority and that of God, over their own: They were but gaves that appear not, Jesus declared. "They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Therefore you will be punished more severely."
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." -Matthew 23.
Jesus, speaking in parables, had now announced his own death to the multitudes, and had fortold the destruction of Jerusalem if they rejected him.
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