Who is Jesus?

This week we read John’s record of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem before his final Passover celebration with the disciples. All four gospels contain this event; you might want to compare and contrast the accounts to better envision this scene in Jesus’ earthly ministry. Many scholars have written about the four gospels, considered separately or alongside one another. Two books about the gospels on my shelf appeared too technical for our purposes. Our study companion, Zodhiates’s The Word Study New Testament (AMG Publishers, 1991), provided a brief introduction to each gospel author.

Matthew¹

• a tax collector, who left his trade to follow Jesus
• based on the large number of Old Testament quotations included, mostly likely written to a Jewish audience
• focus: Jesus is the Messiah, the long-awaited King of the kingdom of God

(John) Mark²

• related to Barnabas, possibly a Levite, traveled with Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey
• probably written to those living outside Palestine
• focus: Jesus’ supernatural power as displayed through actions and miracles to show Jesus as divine and fully God

Luke³

• “beloved physician” who provided a more complete history
• written to Theophilus and more generally a Greek public
• focus: Jesus as Messiah, Savior of all mankind

John⁴

• a son of Zebedee, the disciple “whom Jesus loved”
• focus: to present miracles Jesus performed so readers will believe Jesus is the Son of God.

Read John 12:12-15.

• News spreads fast in a crowd mentality. Somehow, a rumor began that Jesus was the king Israel expected. The people greeted him as if he was the political ruler they longed for who would free them from oppression.

“the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor’” (Luke 4:17-19).

• Palm branches symbolized victory; as the people waved these branches, they proclaimed what they stated.⁵ 
• The people met Jesus specifically for the purpose⁶ of proclamation.
  

  Marguerite Beckford, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, “Foolproof Palm Care: Phoenix spp.” Accessed October 15, 2026.
  https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/citrusco/2023/02/24/foolproof-palm-care-phoenix-spp/

• They called out to Jesus for him to “save and prosper” [them].⁷
• They sang a psalm of praise to Jesus.

“Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success!

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 118:25-26a).

• They proclaimed Jesus “blessed,” one who has experienced God’s blessing, having agreement with and from God the Father”⁸

*How was Jesus blessed?

*Again (for the third time), did the people realize what they said, or did they see beyond their knowing?

Read John 12:16-19.

• Jesus fulfilled a prophecy, although no one recognized or understood.
• John dutifully recorded the disciples’ lack of understanding.
• When Jesus was glorified, they then realized the truth about him.
• This mention of Jesus being glorified refers to the “time of the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ when He proved His words about Himself.”⁹
• It all started with Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, his seventh and final miracle.
• Lazarus walked out from his tomb, alive.
• Those who were there bore witness concerning Jesus, Lazarus, and what happened.
• The people went out to meet Jesus, fueling the Pharisees’ grumbling about Jesus’ popularity with the people.
• The Pharisees had quite a conversation amongst themselves. They said to one another,
• Look closely and observe the details about what’s happening to see how useful it might be for our purposes. These events are no help at all; the multitudes, all the people, have openly followed this man.
• Multitudes went to meet Jesus, and John doesn’t mention whether they were believers.

*Why did the Pharisees even consider, more than once, whether Jesus’ ministry might be helpful for them?

*Why did all the people openly follow Jesus, even though at the beginning of this scene, they sought freedom from oppression (which implied they felt the need for victory)?

*Why is John’s account of this event so brief, considering his themes of light, life, and faith and belief?

*What do you wish John had added to his description?

 

1. Spiros Zodhiates Th.D., The Complete Word Study New Testament, King James Version (AMG Publishers, 1991), 1.
2. Zodhiates, 113.
3. Zodhiates, 182.
4. Zodhiates, 298.
5. Spiros Zodhiates Th.D., The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament (AMG Publishers, 1992), 1451.
6. Zodhiates, Word Study Dictionary, 1410.
7. Zochiates, 1503.
8. Zodhiates, 678.
9. Zodhiates, 482.