Matthew tells us that there was a “donkey tied, and a colt with her” (Matthew 21:2). The owners of the donkey and the colt were disciples of the Lord and had everything ready for Him. The plan was executed quietly because the Jewish leaders had let it be known that anyone confessing Christ would be excommunicated (John 9:22). The fact that the rulers planned to kill Jesus made it even more important that the owners be protected (John 7:1, 19, 25; 8:37; 11:47–57). 

While the crowd was rejoicing, Jesus was weeping! This is the second occasion on which our Lord wept openly, the first being at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35). There He wept quietly, but here He uttered a loud lamentation like one mourning over the dead. In this, He was like the prophet Jeremiah, who wept bitterly over the destruction of Jerusalem (Jeremih 9:1; see also the Book of Lamentations). Jonah looked on Nineveh and hoped it would be destroyed (Jonah 4), while Jesus looked at Jerusalem and wept because it had destroyed itself.

Luke 19, The Message

God’s Personal Visit

^28-31 After saying these things, Jesus headed straight up to Jerusalem. When he got near Bethphage and Bethany at the mountain called Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: “Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you’ll find a colt tethered, one that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says anything, asks, ‘What are you doing?’ say, ‘His Master needs him.’”

^32-33 The two left and found it just as he said. As they were untying the colt, its owners said, “What are you doing untying the colt?”

³⁴ They said, “His Master needs him.”

^35-36 They brought the colt to Jesus. Then, throwing their coats on its back, they helped Jesus get on. As he rode, the people gave him a grand welcome, throwing their coats on the street.

^37-38 Right at the crest, where Mount Olives begins its descent, the whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise over all the mighty works they had witnessed:

Blessed is he who comes,
    the king in God’s name!
All’s well in heaven!
    Glory in the high places!

³⁹ Some Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, get your disciples under control!”

⁴⁰ But he said, “If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise.”

^41-44 When the city came into view, he wept over it. “If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you! But now it’s too late. In the days ahead your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side. They’ll smash you and your babies on the pavement. Not one stone will be left intact. All this because you didn’t recognize and welcome God’s personal visit.”

^45-46 Going into the Temple he began to throw out everyone who had set up shop, selling everything and anything. He said, “It’s written in Scripture,

My house is a house of prayer;
You have turned it into a religious bazaar.”

^47-48 From then on he taught each day in the Temple. The high priests, religion scholars, and the leaders of the people were trying their best to find a way to get rid of him. But with the people hanging on every word he spoke, they couldn’t come up with anything.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO RESPOND?

With tears running down our Savior’s cheeks, mourning over unbelievers who will die to sin, He mounts a new, never been ridden colt, and enters the city of Jerusalem.  God told us through the prophets exactly how His plan would unfold and now His Son is fulfilling every detail of what God said so that all who believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

The clearing of the temple was a dramatic event that both captured the attention of the people and aroused the anger of the religious establishment.  Only Jesus had the authority to do this as the Son of God who reminded the people why God provided the temple as a place of humbled prayer from the beginning.  Turning the Temple and grounds around it into circus of carnival people bilking visitors with “must haves” needed for sacrifices to offer as they visited was abominable to God.

Our bodies are His Temple in which His Holy Spirit resides.  (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).  Pray now for Jesus to clear His temple of our being of all that does not belong there and is not of God.

Jesus remained in the temple and used it as a gathering place for those who needed help. He healed many who were sick and afflicted, and He taught the people the Word of God. The hypocritical religious leaders tried to destroy Him, but His hour had not yet come and they could not touch Him. In the days that followed, they argued with Him and tried to catch Him in His words, but they failed. When His hour came, He would surrender to them and they would crucify Him.  Jesus willingly laid down his life for our lives.  We deserve punishment for all the sins we have done. But because God chose to love us beyond what we deserve, He gave His One and Only Son to take our punishment for us.  This is amazing grace.  This is love beyond our thinking. This is mercy given to us at a high price—Jesus.

Yes, Jesus paid it the price so that all the sins of everyone in the world could be removed and remembered no more.  The moment we believe, repent with humbled hearts, and decide to follow Jesus—we are redeemed, paid with a price, and set free!

Our response?  Believe, confess our sins, and be saved for eternity with help for today until that Day when He comes back again.  In the meantime, welcome Jesus to “remain” in His temple of our being and teach us.

Lord,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for saving my soul and setting me free to love like you love me.  Thank you for renewing my mind daily as I come to listen to your wisdom. Thank you for new mercies fresh each morning as I commune with you in the quiet of this first hour of a new day.

Thank you for the joy of your salvation that is embedded in my being as you work within me to transform my behaviors in ways that come closer to your character.  Thank you for peace that exponentially expands as my trust in you grows deeper each day. 

Thank you for showing the emotion of tears over the lost.  I was lost but now I’m found.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

In Jesus Name, Amen