Psalm 31:9-16; Isaiah 40:4-8; John 12:12-16 (read online ⧉)
Jesus the wandering teacher comes to Jerusalem. The crowds are building around Jerusalem with Passover coming. Foreigners, wanderers, believers, and scoffers make for a very busy time in Jerusalem. What’s one more?
This one more has a crowd following him. This one more has a crowd in front of him. The crowd in front makes a scene and a mess. Palm branches thrown on the ground. Clothes tossed on the ground (a precious thing to those who had few).
Hosanna is a word used for praise. Yet its Aramaic root was, “save us”! While this is praise and adoration, it is also the call for the descendent of David to take his rightful place.
Restore us!
The Jesus crowd talked about Lazarus. I’m sure the blind man told his story. Stories and gossip were flowing! Maybe this really is the Messiah! The Pharisees even seemed to have become fatalistic (momentarily), knowing there was nothing they could do.
Yet, Jesus still had teaching to do. Setting his face like flint? In other words, he would teach as the Father told him regardless of the conditions, whether the praise and adoration of now or the scorn soon to come.
- When the flush/rush of first being saved went away, how did you respond? Did you set your face like flint?
- Do you think there is a difference between, “save us,” and “restore us”? Which describes your Christian life/walk better?