It takes guts to stage a demonstration.

Jesus didn’t need the donkey for transportation into Jerusalem. He’d walked there many times before, and everyone with him was walking. What he needed the donkey for was to make a loud, public statement about his identity. Jesus was riding the donkey to say “I am your king.” He was play-acting the prophesy from scripture, which said, “Your king will come to you… riding on a donkey’s colt.”

People came out in crowds to celebrate him! They recklessly threw their coats on the road to make a carpet. They yelled, “Hosanna!,” which means “God saves!”

It's hard to read this joyful passage without remembering that, within a week, public opinion would turn against Jesus. The crowds would retreat into fear and be scared of Roman oppression. They would forget that God’s love is the most powerful force in the universe. They would forget that God saves. They would be yelling “Crucify him!”

By Jane Hartwell from D365