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A great multitude had come to the feast. When they came near to Jerusalem… to Bethsphage and Bethany (at the Mount of Olives) …then Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying, “Go your way into the village that is opposite you and immediately (as you enter into it) you will find a young donkey and a colt tied… on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it to me. If anyone says anything to you like, ‘Why are you doing this?’ you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them’ …and immediately he will send them back here.” All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘behold, your King comes to you… humble, and riding on a donkey… on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
The disciples who were sent, went away and did just as Jesus commanded them… and found things just as he had told them… a young donkey tied at the door outside in the open street. And as they were untying the colt, its owners (with some of those who stood there) asked them, “What are you doing untying the young donkey?” They said to them just as Jesus had said, “The Lord needs it.” They let them go… brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, threw cloaks, brought the young donkey colt to Jesus, and Jesus sat on them. They heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.
As he went, a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. Others cut down the branches from the palm trees and went out to meet him… spreading them on the road. As he was getting near (at the descent of the Mount of Olives) the whole multitude of the disciples went in front of him, and those who followed began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen… crying out… kept shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” As it is written, “Don’t be afraid daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey’s colt.” His disciples didn’t understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified – then they remembered that these things were written about him, and that they had done these things to him.
Some of the Pharisees from the multitude said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” He answered them, “I tell you that if these were silent, the stones would cry out.” The multitude therefore (that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead), was testifying about it. For this cause also the multitude went and met him… because they heard that he had done this sign. When he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” The multitudes said, “This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”
Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast. These, therefore, came to Philip (who was from Bethsaida of Galilee) and asked him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” Philip came and told Andrew, and (in turn) Andrew came with Philip and they told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life (in this world) will keep it to eternal life. If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
“Now, my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time?’ But for this cause, I came to this time. Father, glorify your name!” Then there came a voice out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The multitude, therefore, (who stood by and heard it) said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.
The multitude answered him, “We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever. How do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up?’ Who is this Son of Man?” Jesus therefore said to them, “Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn’t overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn’t know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light.”
Jesus said these things, and he departed and hid himself from them. But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn’t believe in him that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, “Lord, who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” For this cause they couldn’t believe, for Isaiah said again, “He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart… lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and would turn… and I would heal them. Isaiah said these things when he saw his glory and spoke of him. Nevertheless, even of the rulers many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they didn’t confess it (so that they wouldn’t be put out of the synagogue). For they loved men’s praise more than God’s praise.
Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me. He who sees me, sees him who sent me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness. If anyone listens to my sayings (and doesn’t believe) I don’t judge him…for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me (and doesn’t receive my sayings) has one who judges him. The word that I spoke… the same will judge him in the last day. For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me… he gave me a commandment… what I should say and what I should speak. I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things, therefore, which I speak… even as the Father has said to me… so I speak.”
When he came near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you (even you) had known today the things which belong to your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come on you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, surround you, hem you in on every side, and will dash you and your children within you to the ground. They will not leave in you one stone on another, because you didn’t know the time of your visitation.” Jesus entered into the temple in Jerusalem. When he had looked around at everything (it being now evening) he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
SOURCE TEXT:__________________________________
- Matthew 21:1-11
- John 12:12-50
- Mark 11:1-11
- Luke 19:29-44
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