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When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, saying, "Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you loosing it?' thus you shall say to him, 'Because the Lord has need of it.'" So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, "Why are you loosing the colt?" And they said, "The Lord has need of him." Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothing on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: "'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!' Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."
- Luke 19:28-40
In yesterday's reading, Jesus told to His disciples a parable. This was because they were near Jerusalem, and the disciples believed that the kingdom of God would appear immediately. Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.' But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.' And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas.' And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.' And the second came, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned five minas.' Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities.' Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.' And he said to him, 'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?' And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.' (But they said to him, 'Master he has ten minas.') 'For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.' "
When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, saying, "Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you loosing it?' thus you shall say to him, 'Because the Lord has need of it.'" So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, "Why are you loosing the colt?" And they said, "The Lord has need of him." In some sense, in this passage, Luke's gospel gives us the assurance that Jesus knows all that is about to happen to Him. Indeed, He's warned the disciples about what is to come in Jerusalem, although they were simply unable to take in the information about His Passion, death and Resurrection. (See the first verses in Tuesday's reading.) Here, Jesus plans His entrance into Jerusalem, known as the Triumphal Entry. We note His careful and deliberate choice of a colt. He is a King of Peace, not war. He does not enter into Jerusalem in a chariot as a conqueror, but as the humble Son of Man.
Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothing on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: "'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!' Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" My study bible says of today's passage, "The Triumphal Entry marks a public, messianic acclamation of Jesus, which He accepts as His mission draws toward its climax. The people hail Him as King, but His kingship is not as they think." The people are quoting from Psalm 118. If we look at the last several verses of the psalm, we will recognize other quotations Jesus has also used about Himself, especially "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone," which we will find in the next chapter of Luke.
And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out." It's intriguing how we find references to stones in the New Testament. St. Peter speaks of "living stones" in an Epistle, calling all those who build up the Church the same, and quoting from this psalm. We also recall Peter himself given his name of "Stone" by Christ upon Peter's confession of faith. Jesus told him, "I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." In today's passage, Jesus gives a powerful image back to the Pharisees. The joy in the people is so great -- what might be silenced in them will then be heard from the stones. It's an image that gives us a sense that all of Jerusalem is profoundly filled with joy and recognition and welcome.
Have you ever been so powerfully filled with a truth that you just felt you couldn't help but shout out? Have you been in a crowd that couldn't control its exuberance for something that seemed overwhelmingly true? We may think of a lot of examples, but in today's story in Luke's gospel, we have a tremendous spiritual truth being shouted out in Jerusalem. It's a truth that is as true as all Scripture, but one that yet remains hidden to those without faith -- eyes to see and ears to hear of a spiritual nature, and in the heart. As my study bible has routinely pointed out, the crowds are rarely right in the Gospels. Here, His followers tell the truth, although this is a King of a different sort and not a worldly king. The expectations of the disciples will all be disappointed; this tremendous spiritual Kingdom will not manifest immediately as they believe. Jesus has told them, warned them, of what is to come in Jerusalem, but they could not understand. Now the crowd welcomes Him, but yet another crowd will demand His death. And yet, on this day, the very stones would cry out if this crowd was silenced. The Pharisees seem to think it unseemly; perhaps they also fear the Romans. But the people, here, will not be silenced. And He is the King. Through faith, we understand this. And in the paradox of the Gospels, we are to understand this. It is the secret that even the stones would cry out. And it invites us in to ask, how are we to be those living stones? How are we to welcome into our lives that which is "hidden in plain sight," the power of this King, of the Holy Spirit, to work in us and help us build His Kingdom here in this world, even as we await His Return? The unfolding events will teach us that this Kingdom is in hearts and lived out through our lives and our choices. He has already told us that it is "within us" and doesn't come from observation.
