Continuing on in chapter twelve of John, we read that “The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem” (12:12). Part of this great crowd, of course, consisted of those that were causing great consternation amongst the chief priests and Pharisees---specifically, those that “were going away and believing in Jesus” (12:11b). By way of reminder, they were believing in Jesus in these great numbers because of the knowledge that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. This belief was foundational in the growing movement towards that which was going to show forth God’s glory. This crowd “took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him. They began to shout, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is the One Who comes in the Name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!’” (12:13) This was a large-scale messianic confession. This was a widespread identification with Jesus’ kingdom movement. This was being done openly, before both Jewish leaders and Roman officials.
As if that was not enough, “Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, ‘Do not be afraid, people of Zion; look, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt!’” (12:14-15) Why is it significant that this was being done in front of both Jewish leaders and Roman officials? Well, in chapter eleven, following Lazarus’ raising, in acknowledgement that Jesus was “performing many miraculous signs (11:47b), the Jewish council had already said, “If we allow Him to go on in this way, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary and our nation” (11:48). This reminds us that there had been other messianic claimants that had risen up, movements that had gained some small measure of popular support, and had been put down by the Romans.
These had obviously been localized uprisings, dealt with rather easily, without widespread impact for the whole of the country. Clearly, at this point, Jesus had gained country-wide support and popularity, at a level far beyond what had been realized by messianic claimants that had come before Him. This had to have much to do with Jesus’ inclusive practices, inviting all and sundry to join with Him. Because of this, a response by Rome commensurate with the breadth of the movement would have to be far more severe. Rather than Jesus being dealt with locally, in the way that Rome had dealt with those had come before, Rome’s inevitable response to this far more popular rival to Caesar would be to “come and take away our sanctuary and our nation” (11:48b).
Additionally, the Romans were not unaware of the history of the peoples that they ruled. Jesus was not the first to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey, accompanied by shouts of “Hosanna.” This was a re-enactment of Solomon’s crowning. This is also something that had occurred again within the last two hundred years, as a great Jewish military hero was feted in such a way. The Roman’s would have known this, and therefore, when coupled together with the larger-than-usual population of Jerusalem due to Passover and the possibility of igniting the passion for exodus and deliverance from oppressors that could easily be sparked by Passover celebrations, they would have been on even higher alert than usual.
The author adds a parenthetical statement after writing about the king’s coming on a donkey’s colt, attuning us to the subject matter of God’s glory. He writes, “His disciples did not understand these things when they first happened, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that these things had happened to Him” (12:16). Continuing to connect Lazarus’ raising with God’s glory, though not in the way that we are inclined to consider it, we go on to read that “the crowd who had been with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead were continuing to testify about it” (12:17). Obviously, the testimony of the witnesses continued to produce an ever-growing number of believers, enlarging the size of the crowd that “went out to meet Him” (12:18b), welcoming the One they were coming to regard as their Messiah King. Moving us closer to understanding where God’s glory in all of these things is truly to be found, the Pharisees’ response to the entirety of this situation that had been greatly spurred on by the situation with Lazarus, was “Look, the world has run off after Him!” (12:19b)
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