John 12:11-15

 

John 12:11 (KJB)

Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

 

Many times Jesus had spoken that the miracles which He did had confirmed who He was and the relationship He has with His Father. The leaders had feared that everyone will believe on Him because of the miracle He did in raising Lazarus from the dead. This verse tells us that many believed on Jesus because when they saw Lazarus alive, it confirmed everything they had heard. The fact that many believed on Jesus was what the leaders had feared.

 

John 12:12 (KJB)

On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

 

This verse begins the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This was the group of people who had asked the question in 11:56 as to whether Jesus was going to come to the feast or not. However, their question was answered when they heard that Jesus would be attending the Passover. According to some historians, this Passover was one of the largest ever and maybe that is what gave rise to the fear that Pilate had from the crowd.

 

John 12:13 (KJB)

Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

 

This was Sunday when Jesus made the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This is where the tradition of Palm Sunday originated when the people took palm branches and went to meet Jesus and this was the time that many thought that Jesus would now take His rightful place as King of Israel and then throw the yoke of Rome off of them. The word Hosanna means “save now” and is taken from Psalm 118:25. The rest of the verse is taken from Psalm 118:26. (Psa 118:25-26 KJV) Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. {26} Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. “Save” in the Hebrew comes from the word “yasha” which means to save or deliver and is inflected as “hoshiah” in the text. With the raising of Lazarus and feeding of the five thousand, they thought surely the time of Israel’s deliverance was at hand.

 

John 12:14 (KJB)

And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,

 

Those who were of noble rank were the ones who rode on donkeys. (Judg 10:4 KJV) And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead. Here Jesus is fulfilling another prophecy by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey.

 

John 12:15 (KJB)

Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

 

The prophecy which Jesus fulfilled was from Zechariah 9:9. (Zec 9:9 KJV) Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. The people would have known about this prophecy since they did much searching for the Messiah and here they were partaking in the fulfillment of that prophecy. The term “daughter of Zion” is a synonym for the true believers or the eternal church. The word “daughter” is singular so the prophecy would be about a single group which would be the body of believers. (Psa 9:14 KJV) That I may show forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation. Here salvation is linked with the “daughter of Zion” and the only place true salvation is found is in Christ and when we are in Christ, we are then in the body of believers. The King that comes to Jerusalem is also coming as King of the body of believers. (Psa 2:6 KJV) Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. God has chosen Jesus to be King of the holy Hill of Zion which is another name for the kingdom of God which contains the entire body of believers.

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