12:12,13
This event is recorded in all four gospels, though John gives the fewest details. There was a large crowd at the feast. Josephus claims there were 2.7 million, while this may well be an exaggeration, the numbers were large. They had heard that Jesus would be coming to Jerusalem. Some of the crowds went out to meet Jesus on His way from Bethany and were waving palm branches. They proclaimed “Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the king of Israel”. These sorts of proclamations would upset the religious leaders all the more, as we read in Lk 19:39.
12:14,15
This is where the synoptic gospels give a lot more information, making it clear that this was all prearranged. The quote comes from Zech 9:9. They didn’t have chapter and verse numbers, so often a single verse or phrase quote would be a means of referencing a whole section. “Fear not” is not actually found in zech 9:9, it probably comes from Is 40:9. It was not unusual for Old Testament quotations to derive from two sources. Mark 1:2,3 is the most obvious example. This is actually a good practice, for all Scripture is God-breathed, and tells a consistent tale. So we have the good news of Jesus coming, the coming of the king, and He comes humbly riding on a donkey.
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