Palm Sunday: Gospel, John 12:12-19                                   

John 12:12-19

Some 400 or so years before the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, one of his precursor-prophets came to the people of Israel speaking of Him. Dear old Zechariah in the ninth chapter of his prophecy wrote: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zech. 9:9).

Unlike modern movies and Hollywood, one sign of a Hebrew king was the fact that they rode, not a white stallion, but a donkey. Jesus follows suit. Not much comment today other than to point to the great detail that the Lord puts forth through His prophet. Jesus rides “a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

More important are two points: He brings salvation. And as Zechariah puts it, “Your King is coming to you.” It’s written as gospel promise. It was good news then. It is equally good now. 

Jesus the Messiah-King is FOR YOU.