Reading the Gospels Together The Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem – Part 3 In his gospel John also tells his readers of Jesus making a triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem and clearly he has this same scene in mind. The striking thing about John’s gospel is that in his storyline Jesus has been in or near Jerusalem for the past five months! This is not the first entry of Jesus into the city! But John also wants his readers to know that this is a symbolic action of Jesus in which Jesus want to convey that he is indeed entering Jerusalem as King Jesus. John reorders the story by telling his readers that Jesus’ disciples first gather branches to spread on his way as he enters the city and cry out Psalm 118. It is only after that, that Jesus finds a young donkey to ride upon. To make sure his readers understand, like Matthew, John quotes from Zephaniah – Jesus is the king who comes humbly riding upon a donkey! John tells his readers that Jesus’ disciples actually did not understand what they were doing at the time but came to understand later after the resurrection. And then we learn that at the heart of this whole matter, as far as the followers of Jesus were concerned, was a celebration of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. So, in the view of those who were with Jesus, this is more about Lazarus than about the triumphal entry of King Jesus. But for Jesus, and clearly for John’s readers, the point of the story is in fact such an entry. John also tells his readers that the Pharisees notice and they are dismayed since now the whole world is going after Jesus! Readers of John’s gospel already know that the religious leaders have already put Jesus on trial in absentia and decided that he must be put to death. They also know that they have also decided to kill Lazarus since he is a powerful witness to Jesus. The battle lines of the conflict have been drawn and all that awaits is the playing out of the action. John follows up the scene with two more actions. First, some Greeks come seeking Jesus and Jesus announces that his “hour” has now come. Readers of John’s gospel know that this hour is the hour of his crucifixion – his lifting up so that all might be drawn to him. Following the announcement of the arrival of the “hour” Jesus proceeds to struggle with what is coming. The scene sounds a lot like that at Gethsemane and we will look at it later when we get to that part of the story. Jesus decides that he must proceed to the end and laments the unbelief of so many people. It is at this point that John tells of the prophecy of Isaiah that many will have eyes but not see and ears but not hear and thus they will not turn and be healed. The passion of Jesus is on display in John’s gospel in a way that is unusual. And with this struggle and its resolution John will proceed to the Last Supper in Jerusalem. Readers of John’s gospel will notice that John does not tell the story of the cleansing of the Temple at this point in his story. He has already told that story way back at the beginning. We will look at that difference when we take up that part of the story.