One of the things that’s often missed in studying Jesus is the way he frequently acted out his message in the style of Old Testament prophets. 

The prophet Hosea in the 700s BC married an adulterous woman to demonstrate God’s own marriage to unfaithful Israel. 

The prophet Jeremiah in the 500s BC wore a wooden yoke around his neck to symbolise how the rebellious people of God would become slaves of another empire. 

And the prophet Ezekiel, in Babylon, made a clay image of the city of Jerusalem and erected siege works against it, in public, like a boy playing toy soldiers, to demonstrate the fate that awaited God’s once-holiest city. 

In the lead-up to his crucifixion, the first Easter, Jesus offered similar pieces of ‘theatre’ to drive a point home.

He chooses twelve apostles – his ‘sent ones’ – to mirror the twelve patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. They would be the new leaders of a renewed Israel. He also welcomed sinners to his dinner table – completely against the scruples of the day – to indicate the invitation God was offering the unworthy. He washed the feet of his disciples, demonstrating the position of humility they should take on. And in the famous ‘Last Supper’, he broke bread and gave his disciples wine as an enacted parable of his body and blood given up for others. 

Things ultimately climaxed, though, with Palm Sunday – Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. Here’s what the Old Testament prophet Zerchariah said, 500 years before Jesus:

“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. 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.”

Jesus, upon arriving in Jerusalem for the Passover Festival (the most important festival of the Jewish calendar), uses this moment to finally confirm to the masses his kingly status.

Here’s the moment, described in the Gospel of Matthew.

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” This took place to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet:

“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. – Matthew, chapter 21

The triumphal entry into Jerusalem, depicted in the hit TV show The Chosen.

Jesus’ entry into the city of Jerusalem is a major piece of prophetic theatre — recalling a very specific Old Testament hope. 

The crowds know what’s going on, and that’s why they explode. 

This is the moment that Jesus goes public. He is declaring himself as the king of the eternal kingdom promised by King David a thousand years earlier. Jesus doesn’t need to say anything. He doesn’t say, “I’m the great king you’ve been waiting for.” That’s not how ancient Jewish communication worked. Prophetic theatre is enough – and the crowds get it

Legally speaking, this was also one of the grounds of the Roman charge brought against Jesus before the governor, Pontius Pilate:

“We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be the Messiah, a king.” – Luke, chapter 23

The great Jewish expert on Jesus, Paula Fredriksen of Boston University, says:

“A straight line connects the Triumphal Entry and the Crucifixion. A pilgrim crowd noisily proclaiming the coming of the Kingdom, not to mention the coming of their King, would certainly provoke Pilate’s attention and concern: With much less provocation, he had swung into bloody action before.” 

Jesus’ actions on Palm Sunday (and his later clearing of the Temple) are well-known, but not often cited as reasons for His crucifixion. 

But the plan all along was for Jesus to die in Jerusalem.

Like all the signs leading up to it, his death – and alleged resurrection – was the ultimate fulfilment of what must have been, until then, one of the most mysterious pieces of prophetic theatre in the Old Testament.

But he was pierced for our transgressions;
He was crushed for our iniquities.
Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
And with his wounds, we are healed.

– Isaiah, chapter 53

It was the supposed fulfilment of this bit of prophetic literature that motivated Jesus’ followers to go out into the world procliaming His kingdom – and the world has never been the same since.

Adapted by Alasdair Belling from Undeceptions episode 173, ‘Good Friday’. You can listen to the full episode here.

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