In Matthew’s account of Jesus’ coming to Jerusalem, he has him arrive, coming from Jericho. Many conclude that this was his, so-called Triumphant Entry, but this simply isn’t so. If the reader doesn’t know already, we shall discover that Jesus’ Triumphant Entry didn’t occur until two days later, when Jesus approached Jerusalem from Bethany (John 12:1, Mark 11:12-15) not Jericho (cp. Matthew 20:29 and 21:1). The fact is that Jesus entered Jerusalem three times that week, once from Jericho (Matthew 21:1, 10-11); once from Bethany (Matthew 21:18-19; Mark 11:12-15; John 12:12-13); and once after staying the night on Mount Olives (Mark 11:20-21, 27; Luke 19:41-45). Upon arriving in Jerusalem, each time Jesus cleansed the Temple, and by the third entry, the Jewish authorities were livid. However, they were reluctant to seize him publicly, because the people were so eager to hear him, making a public arrest dangerous, and, considering the number of zealous pilgrims, they were concerned about riots (Matthew 26:5), so they sought to seize him privately, when he was away from the multitude that had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.
When Jesus and those with him arrived on Mount Olives, he sent two of his disciples to a nearby village, which was probably Bethany. He told them that they would find and ass and her colt tied to a post or tree. They were to free them and bring them to him on the mount, and if a man challenged them, simply tell him Jesus had need of them and the man would permit them to take the two animals (Matthew 21:1-3).
Some folks saw this as a hocus-pocus kind of thing that Jesus had a vision or simply knew the animals were there, but this isn’t so. What is implied is that Jesus knew his moment had come, and in a few days, he’d be crucified. If he was to remain in control of the events, some things had to be prearranged (Matthew 21:2-3). When Jesus sent for the two animals, the man would alert Martha that Jesus had come, and she could begin preparing the meal for the Lord, which they had planned to have ready for him when he arrived in Jerusalem prior to the Passover (cp. John 12:1-2). These things were prearranged so as not to alert the Jewish authorities of the time Jesus would come to celebrate the Passover (cp. John 11:45-54).
The ass and the colt were necessary for Jesus’ use in fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah (Matthew 21:4-5; cp. Zechariah 9:9). So, Jesus’ disciples did as he said and brought the ass and her colt to Jesus on the mount (Matthew 21:6-7). After they placed their clothes on both animals, they set Jesus on the colt. The multitude began casting the changes of clothing they brought with them to the feast on the ground before Jesus and the colt. Others cut down palm branches and laid them before Jesus as he descended the mount, and the disciples cried out “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest (Matthew 21:8-9).
By the time Jesus arrived at the East Gate of the city, the people inside the city were moved by the affair and asked, “Who is this?” We need to keep in mind that most of the city of Jerusalem was filled with pilgrims from around the world, so they couldn’t be expected to have met Jesus at any time (Matthew 21:10). So, Jesus’ disciples informed them that Jesus was the prophet of Nazareth in Galilee. The point is, the people didn’t know who Jesus was, and had to be introduced. If they didn’t know who Jesus was, they wouldn’t have come out to meet him! Therefore, how could Jesus’ coming from Jericho be the Triumphant Entry?
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