The Offer

When we think of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, just days before the crucifixion, we are faced with a startling reality. There were two views of what was happening. The first was by the majority of the people present. It included His friends and enemies, Jews and Gentiles, Disciples and Pharisees, learned and unlearned. Most of the people felt that now was the time God was going to restore the Kingdom of Israel. This was what the mother of James and John felt when she came to ask in Matt. 20:21 that her two sons might sit on the right and left hand of Jesus in His Kingdom. It was a triumphal time. The other view was by Christ and possibly a couple of others. We don't know of any specifically mentioned, but I won't assume that no one understood. Nicodemus had been told in John 3 that the “Son of Man” would be lifted up. He had followed the teaching of Christ and had started to stand for him. The gentile who came to Christ in John 12 had also been told that “The hour has come… unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone...” Christ certainly knew. We see that here in Luke 19:41-44. He was going to His death. Let's look at this offer that the Jews were going to reject.