The Glory of His Triumphal Entry

The Tears of Christ · AD 30

And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it.

Luke 19:41

Christ wept — not for Himself but for those who spurned Him in unbelief. Six days before the cross He came to Bethany, where Mary anointed Him for burial, and then rode humbly into Jerusalem on a donkey while the crowds cried “Hosanna!” Yet at the sight of the city He wept, for most of them still would not believe. In His tears and in His coming suffering we behold the strange glory of the cross — the Son of God glorified in laying down His life to draw all people to Himself.

Read: John 12:1–19; Luke 19:28–44; Mark 11:1–11; John 12:20–50

Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany

Six days before the Passover, Christ came from Jericho to Bethany and reunited with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. As Martha served the dinner, Mary took a flask of costly ointment she had kept for the right moment, anointed the feet of her Lord, and wiped them with her hair, filling the house with its fragrance. It was worship poured out without reserve.

But Judas Iscariot, who kept the moneybag and helped himself to it, protested that the ointment might have been sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor. He cared nothing for the poor; he was angry the expense was not in his hands to control. Christ rebuked him and defended her.

Word spread that Christ had come to Bethany, and crowds streamed out — many to see Lazarus, the man raised from the dead. So hardened were the chief priests that they now plotted to put Lazarus to death as well, willing to murder an innocent man to keep the people from believing.

Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

John 12:7–8

The Triumphal Entry

The next morning Christ set out for Jerusalem, sending two disciples ahead to the village of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. There they found a young donkey that had never been ridden, just as He had said, and brought it to Him. This was to fulfill the ancient prophecy of Zechariah.

The disciples threw their cloaks over the colt, and the Lord rode it down the Mount of Olives. The crowds spread their cloaks and palm branches on the road and rejoiced with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, crying, “Hosanna!” and “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”

The Pharisees, offended by such worship, told Him to rebuke His disciples. But the Lord, knowing He was the Son of David about to sit on His throne, answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zechariah 9:9

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Luke 19:38

He Weeps over Jerusalem

Yet Christ did not soak in the praise. As He descended the Mount of Olives and the city came into view, He wept. Though many on the road rejoiced, most still did not believe; their sins had blinded them. Because they could not weep for themselves, Christ wept for them — for the Judge of the universe does not delight in punishing the wicked.

Year after year He had called the children of Abraham to Himself, longing to gather them as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and year after year they refused. They had rejected the prophets; now they rejected God's own Son.

In great sorrow He pronounced judgment on the holy city: her enemies would set up a barricade around her, hem her in on every side, and tear her to the ground, not leaving one stone upon another — because she did not know the time of her visitation.

“Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.”

Luke 19:42

The Glory of the Cross

In the city some Greeks who had come for the Passover found Philip and said, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip and Andrew brought the request to the Lord. Rather than granting an audience, Christ answered with the meaning of His approaching death — for more than seeing Him with their eyes, they needed to hear the gospel with their ears.

His human heart recoiled from the darkness ahead — “Now is my soul troubled” — yet He would not ask to be saved from that hour, for it was the very purpose of His coming. Instead He prayed, “Father, glorify your name,” and a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” Some thought it was thunder; others said an angel had spoken. But the voice came for the people's sake, that they might believe.

By His death the ruler of this world would be cast out and the serpent's head crushed. Lifted up on the cross, Christ would draw people from every nation to Himself. Yet the Jews would not believe, fulfilling Isaiah's word that God had blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts. Even some rulers who believed would not confess Him, because they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. Having entered the temple and looked around at everything, Christ returned to Bethany for the night.

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

John 12:23–24

For Reflection

Down, down, down our Lord walked among us, and in His humility He wept for us. His sorrow over the city did not spring from wounded pride, for He was not thinking of Himself when He wept over Jerusalem. For years upon years He had reached out through the prophets, and now He stretched out His own arms to them. His love for the children of Abraham was genuine and His grief heartfelt — and His tears for His enemies were themselves a part of His suffering and His glory.