From Matthew 21:14-17 / Hosanna!

Note first: As others point out, vss. 14 & 15 are unique to Matthew. There is no question then that he is drawing our attention to something very significant.

As we know, Matthew is bound and determined to prove to his readers who Jesus is in the light of the Old Testament. He has been conquered by the love of the King. Once a “tax-collector” himself, Matthew wants us to know what a forgiving, gracious, merciful Savior Jesus is to the worst of humanity. No one is too wicked for Jesus Christ to save. Sin may have abounded, but in Christ Jesus, grace has abounded infinitely more.

No less than 12 times Matthew tells us that Jesus directly fulfilled Scripture prophecies. Jesus’ lineage establishes Him as a rightful heir to David’s throne. His fulfillment of Scripture establishes Him as the promised Messiah. His resurrection, is to His enthronement.

This Gospel, is all about His kingdom. Matthew exposes us to Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom more than any the Gospel writer. The charge against Him will finally be “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” And so here, as the crowds cry out “Hosanna!” He is appealed to as God’s Messiah – however imperfectly it was that they understood what that meant.

Note second: In Jesus’ day, it was common for the Temple leadership to forbid those afflicted with blindness, deaf mutes, the lame, etc. from offering any kind of sacrifice. They were not allowed to appear before the Lord. Those in Qumran community were even more stringent. So here is Jesus receiving those very ones, and healing them to boot! It infuriated His detractors.

But this is how it is with our Savior is it not? He takes the unclean and the unworthy, and makes us whole by His own touch. He restores us to the right to worship. To come before God again irrespective of how sin and its effects may have disqualified us. It is as though He taking away the flaming sword from the entrance back to the Tree of Life.

This is salvation indeed!

But note the sacrifice He accepts at this very moment – He accepts their praise.

While the word Hosanna means “Lord save” or “Lord help” – by Jesus’ day it had become a simple word of praise to God. He accepts the worship of the deaf, blind, mute and lame, as though they are clean and holy and acceptable. 1 Peter 2:9–10 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

As Hebrews 13:15 says: “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”

I fear we think very little of what a privilege it is to worship God in the aftermath of our Fall in Adam. An entirely new day has dawned, because the Son of David has come. And He has made us worthy.

Note third: Jesus knows full well His time has not yet come. He does not stay in the Temple. He does not try to take His throne yet. He leaves and retires most likely to the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

The lesson here is how content He is wait upon the Father’s providence. The road ahead is hard, but He’ll take no shortcuts. The way to the throne, is the Cross. And He will not even hint at anything else.

How glorious is this King of ours!