John 12:12-15 - Hosanna

12:12,13

Now the crowds are out to greet Jesus, having heard He was on His way to Jerusalem. They shouted Hosanna. According to Josephus there could be as many as 2.7 million in Jerusalem at this time, though that looks like something of an exaggeration. Palm branches were used at the Feasts of Tabernacles and Dedication, and were more generally a symbol of victory. Earlier Jesus had been reluctant to receive any acclamation, but now was happy to do so. Why the difference? Before the people wanted a military messiah, someone to set them free from the Romans. They may still have wanted the same, but it would all too quickly become obvious that this was not the kind of Messiah they were going to get. The quotes are from Psalm 118:25,26. It is interesting that the preceding verses in that psalm speak of the stone the builders rejected becoming the cornerstone.

12:14,15

Verse 15 is a quote from Zechariah 9:9. Jesus did not need to ride on a donkey, but did so to emphasise what His mission was about. He was coming as a king, but no earthly king. The people wanted to be set free from Roman oppression. We need to realise that the things we want, the things we think we need, are often not the most important things, or may even be completely the wrong to be wanting. In Scotland there are many who think our “salvation” lies in being made “free” from the English and we had a referendum on this last year. Now there are serious arguments that can be made for independence for Scotland (though the Yes campaign failed to make any of them), but if you honestly think that it will bring “salvation” you are a poor deluded fool. Equally if you think getting out of the EU will bring “salvation” you are equally deluded (almost as deluded as those who think staying in the EU is a wonderful thing :-)).

Jesus came to bring a much deeper salvation. The heart of the problem lies within our hearts, it is the sin that is rooted deep in our souls. That is what we need to be set free from. We react against this, we don’t want to face up to it, but that does not change where the problem lies.