This document provides commentary on Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as described in Luke 19:28-40. It begins by contrasting Jesus' humble entry riding a donkey with a Roman leader entering on a war horse, showing Jesus fulfilled prophecy as a peaceful king. It then contrasts seeing this event as either delusional political posturing or prophetic political theater. Finally, it contrasts seeing Jesus' victory as national restoration or cosmic renewal, the latter reflecting his true identity as king of all nations and ruler to the ends of the earth. The commentary argues Jesus came not just for political victory but cosmic renewal through his death and resurrection.

1. A Prayer For The People of God
Giver of light,
your steadfast love endures forever.
Open our hearts to the Blessed One
who comes so humbly, on a borrowed colt.
Open before us the gates of your justice,
that we may enter,
confessing in heaven and on earth
that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Amen.

3. Luke 19:28-40
a TRANSFORMATION of IMAGINATION

5. Jesus’ “southern oikos”
with Mary, Martha and
Lazarus; where he raised
Lazarus from the dead…
BETHANY

6. JERUSALEM Just over Mount of Olives from Bethany…

7. DOMINUS FLEVIT (Jesus Wept)
Where Jesus
wept/prayed
over Jerusalem
before His
triumphal entry…
Mount of Olives

8. Mount of
OlivesJerusalem
Bethany
Kidron
Valley

9. THEPROCESSION
JohnAugustSwanson(1990)

10. As they came close (to Jerusalem),
near Bethany and Bethphage,
at a place called the Mount of Olives,
he sent two of the disciples on ahead.
“Go into the village over there,” he said,
“and as you arrive you’ll find a colt
tied up, one that nobody has
ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
If anyone says to you,
‘Why are you untying it?’
you should say, ‘Because
the Master needs it.’
LUKE
19:29-31
(KNT)

11. The two who were sent went off
and found it as Jesus had said to them.
They untied the colt, and its owners
said to them, “Why are you untying
the colt?” “Because the Master needs it,”
they replied. They brought it to Jesus,
threw their cloaks on the colt and
mounted Jesus on it. As he was
going along, people kept
spreading their cloaks
on the road.
LUKE
19:32-36
(KNT)

12. When he came to the descent
of the Mount of Olives,
the whole crowd of disciples
began to celebrate and
praise God at the top
of their voices for all the
powerful deeds they had seen.
“Welcome, welcome, welcome
with a blessing,” they sang,
“Welcome to the king in the
name of the Lord! Peace in
heaven, and glory on high!”
LUKE
19:37-38
(KNT)

13. Some of the Pharisees
from the crowd
said to Jesus,
“Teacher, tell your
disciples to stop that.”
“Let me tell you,”
replied Jesus,
“if they stayed silent,
the stones would be
shouting out.”
LUKE
19:39-40
(KNT)

14. Luke 19:28-40
a TRANSFORMATION of IMAGINATION

15. FROM
a TRANSFORMATION of IMAGINATION
TO
Delusional
political posturing
Prophetic
political theater

16. CAESAR’SMILITARY
ArtistUnknown
Delusional political posturing

17. THEPROCESSION
JohnAugustSwanson(1990)
Prophetic political theater

18. FROM
a TRANSFORMATION of IMAGINATION
TO
Delusional
political posturing
Prophetic
political theater
A shadow-king who
rules on a war horse
The True King who
leads on a donkey

19. “On what we now call Palm Sunday
Jesus arrived in Jerusalem as the
long-awaited Messiah and King of
All Nations. Unlike Pilate who entered
the city from the west riding a
warhorse, Jesus entered the city
from the east riding a lowly donkey
in a deliberate embrace of
Zechariah’s prophecy about
a humble king who would come
to teach peace to the nations.”
Brian Zahnd

20. Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea and
from the River to the ends of the earth.
ZECHARIAH
9:9-10
(NIV)

21. FROM
a TRANSFORMATION of IMAGINATION
TO
Delusional
political posturing
Prophetic
political theater
Victory as
national restoration
Victory as
cosmic renewal
A shadow-king who
rules on a war horse
The True King who
leads on a donkey

22. Victory as national restoration

23. Victory as national restoration

24. FIRST EVER IMAGE of a BLACK HOLE
This is from a galaxy 53 million light years away;
1 light year = 5.9 trillion miles; so…
a trillion billion miles away (21 zeros)
Victory as cosmic renewal

25. FIRST EVER IMAGE of a BLACK HOLE
Comparison of the
size of this black
hole relative to the
size of our solar
system; Pluto is @
2.99 billion miles
from earth;
Voyager 1 is @
11.7 billion miles
from earth…
Victory as cosmic renewal

26. Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea and
from the River to the ends of the earth.
ZECHARIAH
9:9-10
(NIV)

27. FROM
a TRANSFORMATION of IMAGINATION
TO
Delusional
political posturing
Prophetic
political theater
Victory as
national restoration
Victory as
cosmic renewal
A shadow-king who
rules on a war horse
The True King who
leads on a donkey

28. Luke 19:28-40
a TRANSFORMATION of IMAGINATION

29. “Are we going along for the trip
in the hope that Jesus will fulfill
some of our hopes and desires?
Are we ready to sing a psalm
of praise, but only as long as
Jesus seems to be doing what
we want? Are we ready not only
to spread our cloaks on the road
in front of him, to do the showy
and flamboyant thing, but also
now to follow him into trouble,
controversy, trial and death?”

30. Benediction
Almighty God, it is right to praise you for the acts of love
by which you have redeemed us through your son Jesus.
On this day he entered Jerusalem in triumph,
and was proclaimed as King of kings.
As palm branches were laid before him then,
may these branches be signs for us of his victory,
and grant that we who bear them in his name
may ever hail him as King, and follow him
in the way that leads to eternal life.
Amen.