An Odd Inaugural Parade

Text: Luke 19:28-40

There is much upon which to comment in even the most well known biblical accounts. The scene from what we remember as Palm Sunday is like that. We can focus, for example, on the continuity from the previous verses; we can look at the following of instructions by the disciples, weird as they must have seemed; we could speculate about the owner of the animal confiscated by the two disciples; or look at the start of the parade, the exclamations of the crowd, the protesting by some Pharisees, etc.

Today, let us think about what odd juxtapositions were laid before the watching world as Jesus came into Jerusalem. A colt which had never been ridden; a 30-something civilian perched on the back of the colt; people spreading their coats on the ground for this almost comical figure; others dancing and singing some words about miracles. Then a chant about this man being a king. It's small wonder that the leaders asked him to stop the proceedings.

Kings do not make entries like this. Their enthronement is a grand, orchestrated affair, with the finest of stallions upon which to ride, the most impressive armor dressing the body, with lesser but important aides to his regime preparing the way. Many of our Bibles have the heading "Triumphal Entry" prior to this passage; but it really doesn't seem all that triumphal--where were the defeated foes, the prisoners of war such a designation would generally entail?

On the other hand, maybe the designation does make sense once we remove from our thinking that triumph means conquest and the vanquishing of foes who could be seen and identified. And his "courtiers" were indeed with him--the disciples and others among the crowd; and his subjects were praising him, even if with incomplete comprehension of his current purpose. All of this illustrates yet again that when we come to Jesus we must often leave preconceptions behind, particularly when it comes to what power looks like and how it is displayed. The way of Jesus--King of Kings and Lord of Lords--is the way of self-giving service, humility, and truth which will show its power over all foes in the days ahead now that he had arrived in Jerusalem. Lord, forgive us for seeking any other kind of power.