I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Matthew 21-22.

    When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey He was making several statements. The first statement was that He was coming in peace. This aspect is something which the religious and political leaders of Jerusalem missed completely. I suspect that the Zealots, those who supported to violent opposition to Roman rule, did not miss this and that may have played a role in their apparent siding with the Pharisees at Jesus’ trial before Pilate. However, Jesus had another message which no one present seems to have gotten. Riding the donkey was a symbol that the war was over and the king had triumphed. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the donkey, He was declaring that the battle was over and that He was victorious.

    When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem he went straight to the Temple where He drove out those who profited by exploiting those who came to the Temple to worship. The fact that no one confronted Him about it until the following day suggests that these merchants were perceived as preying on their customers rather than as providing a service. The following day when the religious leaders did finally confront Jesus about His actions it is clear that they thought they had Him in a trap. They were confident that whatever answer He gave they could use against Him…and they were sure that this time He would have to answer them. I am going to take a slight detour here. I once heard a Christian apologist, I think someone from “Answers In Genesis”, say that when someone asks you for proof that God exists, ask them what they will accept as proof before you try to answer them, because if you do not they will just find a reason why your proof is not really proof. Jesus’ answer to the religious leaders was similar. He made it clear to everyone present that there was no answer which they would accept. No matter where He claimed His authority came from they were going to use it against Him.