When He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?" So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee"

 Now when they drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethpage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her.  Loose them and bring them to Me.  And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."  All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

"Tell the daughter of Zion,
'Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.' "

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.  They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.  And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

"Hosanna to the Son of David!
'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'
Hosanna in the highest!"

And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"  So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

- Matthew 21:1-11

On Saturday, we read that as Jesus and the disciples went out of Jericho (on their way toward Jerusalem), a great multitude followed Him.  And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"  Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"  So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."  So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes.  And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

 Now when they drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethpage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her.  Loose them and bring them to Me.  And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."  All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:  "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, / Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, / A colt, the foal of a donkey.' "  So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.  They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.  And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:  "Hosanna to the Son of David!  'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'  Hosanna in the highest!"  And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"  So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."   Today's reading is the story of Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, which is celebrated in the Church on Palm Sunday.  By Jesus' time, my study bible tells us, Jewish nationalism had led to the expectation of a political Messiah, one who would deliver them from Roman control and to reestablish the kingdom of David.  In humility, we observe, Jesus shows that He has not come to establish an earthly kingdom.  He doesn't use the power and might of a worldly kingdom of the time.  He does not ride on a horse nor in a chariot.  Rather, He quite deliberately instructs the disciples to fetch a donkey and her colt.  A donkey is a sign of humility and peace -- see Zechariah 9:9, from which the crowds quote.  We notice that Jesus comes into Jerusalem from the East, from the Mount of Olives, as was prophesied of the Messiah.  This entrance into the Holy City declares the establishment of the Kingdom of God.  This is also a promise of Christ's final entrance into the heavenly Jerusalem with all believers and of His accepting the New Jerusalem as His pure Bride (Revelation 21:2).    We may take a closer look at the fact that Matthew reports a colt as well as a donkey.  A patristic interpretation is that the two animals represent the faithful Jews and also the Gentiles who are brought together in the Kingdom.  A Palm Sunday Vespers hymn in the Orthodox Church is sung, "Your riding on a foal prefigured how the untamed and uninstructed Gentiles would pass from unbelief to faith."  We observe also that the people spread their clothes before Jesus.  This is a way of paying reverence to a King.  It is also spiritually interpreted as our own need to lay down our flesh -- even our lives, for Christ.

Today's reading reflects clearly on expectations.  The people of Israel await a deliverer, the Messiah who will reestablish the kingdom of David, and throw off the Roman Empire.  At that time, expectations of the advent of the Messiah were very high.  Jesus enters Jerusalem from the East, as was expected of the Messiah.  He is greeted as a king is greeted, with the people spreading their clothing before him.  The people quote from Zechariah's prophecy to welcome Him:  "Tell the daughter of Zion,'Behold, your King is coming to you.' "    The multitudes welcome Jesus with words reflecting the highest expectation: "Hosanna to the Son of David!  'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'  Hosanna in the highest!"  All the expectations are seemingly set in place as Jesus is welcomed into Jerusalem.  All the city wants to know who He is, and the multitudes answer, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."   Expectation are one thing.  What Jesus has prophesied about what is to come in Jerusalem is another.   The disciples have acknowledged themselves that Jesus is the Christ, and not just a prophet (see this reading).  We might well try to imagine how the disciples are feeling as they watch this scene unfold.  But at this time they might be used to multitudes who follow Jesus, and come to hear Him, or ask for healings.  Jesus is "the news" right now in Jerusalem, and everybody -- all the city, we're told -- wants to know, "Who is this?"  None of them can understand yet the fullness of His message, of His life, of the sacrifice and suffering He will endure, of the cup and baptism He will bring to all of us, of the true Deliverer and Redeemer that He is.  His life will bring us life and His death will defeat death.  Let us imagine this great undertaking, with so much more to it than anyone can see and know, even that the Christ is so much more than the expected Messiah.  His Kingdom shall have no end.  It lives in us.  It is just as He said it would be.