“He resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.” This is an important verse that cannot be skipped over. It would be easy to read this verse and not allow its important meaning to be revealed to our mind.
Jerusalem was the destination to which He was oriented. It would be here that He would come to die in atonement for the sins of the world. As the Lord comes to state of the importance of this holy city, “it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.” By entering into the holy of Jerusalem Jesus comes makes clear His divine claim to kingship.
This journey to Jerusalem is not only arrival of the holy city, but the trip that is made in order to get there. The village of Bethpage is one of the last villages that exists from the path from Jericho to Jerusalem. This village is located on the Mount of Olives. It is the prophet Zechariah who states that this would be where God’s kingship over the whole world would be revealed.
As Jesus further journeys into this holy city it is noted that He rides upon a donkey. This symbolizes to the world His kingship as a king of peace, simplicity, and humility. This is so because the prophet Zechariah notes that peace, simplicity, and humility will be found with the king who enters the city upon the donkey.
As further enters into this city He is greeted with joy by those who are waving palm branches. This takes us back to 2 Kings and 1 Maccabees where palm branches were waves because the “great enemy of Israel had been crushed.” It is the Lord who we welcome in for what He does for us upon the cross crushes the cursed serpent.
By resolutely determining to journey to the holy city of Jerusalem He puts all the events of His Passion into effect. When His mind had been made up to journey to this city there was no turning back. He came to this city out of love in order to lay down His life for us. With the bigger picture of salvation in His mind He was willing to make this journey that would cost His earthly life in order that we may be saved.
We too receive an invitation to join with the Lord upon this journey. Our Gospel adds, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.” Through His sacrifice upon the cross we have been given a great gift. Now the question is what do we do with this gift? Hopefully we set our sight upon Him and His coming Kingdom and don’t look back. It is easy to long for another life than what the Gospels challenge us towards through the many temptations that come at us within this life.
We must each reflect upon the great love that Christ shows for us upon the cross. We should reflect upon the sacrifice that is being asked of us within this life that we should offer out of love. Embrace these sacrifices by coming to strive to imitate the Lord and the firm determination that He had as He journeyed towards Jerusalem.
