Faces Surrounding Calvary: The Jerusalem Crowd

The people of Jerusalem are an interesting group. They had seen Jesus on several occasions, and had come to believe that He was from God. They believed that He was the Messiah, for as He entered the city, the people crowded the streets chanting, “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:9). They had been subject to evil authorities for too long, and now, Jesus would arm the people to fight and free them from oppression. The people believed Jesus came to fight a physical war and to sit on a physical throne.

Jesus taught otherwise. He taught of a heavenly, spiritual kingdom. Some of the people may have understood, but if there were any, they were few. They could not comprehend the victory over and freedom from oppression would be found in humility and obedience. He was a man of God in their eyes, but now, He was a mere criminal. What happened? In a matter of minutes, the Jewish leaders had convinced the people that He was a fraud.

We are not very different from these people in Jerusalem. If we are not careful, we can fall to the same fate as they. The Pharisees had an agenda of their own, and thus they led the people in that direction. Never should our trust be so wrapped in men that we would deny the One sent from God! The Jerusalem crowd’s trust went to the scribes and Pharisees! Jesus said, “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matthew 15:14).

Adapted from William Stewart

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