Luke Bible Study, Day 31
Today’s passage: Luke 19:28–48
Focus verse: The whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. (Luke 19:37)
As Jesus and his disciples head toward Jerusalem, he sends two of them on ahead with a curious instruction.
“Go into the village,” he says, “and there you’ll find a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it to me. If anyone tries to stop you, just say, ‘It’s for the Lord.’”
Note that there’s no promise of returning the animal. It’s like they’re stealing it. A modern equivalent might be snatching a car. Would you steal a car for Jesus? Would the police believe your explanation?
Yet the disciples do what Jesus says. The people who question their actions accept their story.
The two disciples bring the colt to Jesus, throw their coats on the animal as a makeshift saddle, and then set Jesus upon him. They head off to Jerusalem.
As they go, people stand aside and throw their coats on the road. The whole crowd yells out their praise to God. “Hail the king who comes in God’s name,” they cheer. “Heavenly peace and great glory,” they exclaim.
They receive him like we would celebrate a rock star.
It must seem to the disciples as the culmination of three years of preparation. Finally, Jesus receives the acclaim he deserves. He rides into Jerusalem as a king.
Surely, he’s going to kick out the Romans, take over the nation, and rule Israel instead of their foreign occupiers. As a direct descendant of David, Jesus will continue the royal line, and everything will be as it should.
At least that’s how most Jews interpret the words of the prophets.
For their part, the Pharisees in the crowd are aghast. They tell Jesus to shush his raucous followers. But Jesus won’t. He says that even if he did, the stones would erupt in praise.
The people proclaim Jesus, they celebrate his ride into Jerusalem, and they expect earth-shattering things will happen. Historic things will indeed occur. But it’s not what the people assume.
It even surprises the twelve disciples.
Questions:
- Does Jesus always live up to our expectations?
- How do we react when he doesn’t?
[Discover more about this event in John 12:13–16.]
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Read more about the book of Luke in Dear Theophilus: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke, now available in ebook, paperback, and hardcover.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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