The Triumphal Entry

Order of Service

• Scripture Reading — Matthew 21:1-11
• Sermon
• Closing Prayer

---

Sermon Title: The Triumphal Entry

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

I. The Scene of the Triumphal Entry

A. This event marks a decisive turning point in Matthew's gospel and in Jesus's ministry

1. Jesus had announced his coming death and resurrection in Matthew 16:21 and now carries it out
2. Immediately after, Jesus cleanses the temple, escalating conflict with religious leaders
3. The events of Matthew 21 through the beginning of chapter 28 cover roughly one week but fill seven to eight chapters

B. Key observations from the passage

1. Matthew's characteristic fulfillment formula: "This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet"
2. Dramatic public excitement and acclamation from the crowds
3. The fickle nature of the crowd — the same people who praise Jesus will cry "Crucify him" within days
4. Jesus deliberately orchestrates the entry, knowing its messianic significance

II. The Old Testament Background: Zechariah 9

A. Matthew draws on three Old Testament passages: Zechariah 9:9-13, Isaiah 62:11, and Psalm 118:25-26

1. The opening line of Matthew's composite quote ("Say to the daughter of Zion") comes from Isaiah 62:11
2. The remainder is drawn directly from Zechariah 9:9

B. The significance of riding on a donkey

1. The donkey carries messianic symbolism rooted in the Old Testament — David and Solomon rode donkeys as royal figures (cf. 2 Samuel 16)
2. Jesus rides on a young colt never before ridden; the mother donkey accompanies it
3. The donkey is a beast of burden, not a war horse — it signals a humble king

C. Key phrases Matthew omits from Zechariah 9:9 and what they mean

1. "Righteous and having salvation is he" — he is just, and he is one who delivers and triumphs
2. "Humble" — in Hebrew, the word carries the sense of poor or afflicted, evoking Isaiah's suffering servant
3. Matthew's first audience could fill in the omitted phrases from memory

D. The expansive promise of Zechariah 9:10

1. Chariots and war horses cut off; peace spoken to the nations
2. His rule shall be from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the earth
3. Prisoners set free from the waterless pit
4. The Jewish crowd understood this passage and expected Jesus to overthrow Rome; Jesus's conquest is far greater and still awaits its full eschatological fulfillment

III. The Crowd's Cry and Its Meaning

A. The crowds quote Psalm 118:25-26: "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

1. "Hosanna" originally meant "God, save us" — a cry for deliverance that became a shout of praise
2. Shouting "Son of David" carries deep messianic expectation, though the crowd does not fully grasp what they are saying

B. The city asks, "Who is this?" — the crowds answer, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee"

1. The crowds identify him as a prophet, not yet fully as king and Savior
2. The full significance of the entry surpasses what any observer, or even the disciples, understood at the time

IV. Was It a Triumphal Entry?

A. The question: one scholar argues this is better called an a-triumphal entry — a triumph turned on its head B. Jesus does accomplish genuine triumph, but not in the way the crowd expected

1. He does not overthrow Rome
2. He goes to the cross as the despised and afflicted Savior
3. On the cross he defeats the true enemies: sin, death, and the devil

C. The fulfillment is both inaugurated and future

1. The defeat of the enemy begins at the cross and resurrection
2. Full and complete eschatological fulfillment — his rule from sea to sea — awaits his return

D. Application: See the Savior who rides in on the donkey

1. He is righteous, powerful to save, and humble — gentle and lowly (cf. Matthew 11:29)
2. He is worthy of trust and hope precisely because he conquers through suffering
3. Root faith in the Scriptures, which announce the gospel beforehand and record its fulfillment in history