Sermon Tone Analysis

Context

Convergence of all four gospels

The Two Crowds Converge from Bethany and Jerusalem

The Passover Feast

Jerusalem Population was about normally 50,000, but could swell to as much as 500,000 during Passover.

This makes crowd control very difficult.

Raising of Lazarus and Anointing in Bethany

Raising of Lazarus and Anointing in Bethany

The Two Crowds Converge from Bethany and Jerusalem

Content

Hosanna () to the King of Israel (v.

12-13)

They had been greeting Him with Hosannas!

But enthusiasm, especially in such a cause, is infectious.

They were mostly stranger-pilgrims that had come from the City, chiefly because they had heard of the raising of Lazarus.b

And now they must have questioned them which came from Bethany, who in turn related that of which themselves had been eyewitnesses.c

We can imagine it all—how the fire would leap from heart to heart.

So He was the promised Son of David—and the Kingdom was at hand!

It may have been just as the precise point of the road was reached, where ‘the City of David’ first suddenly emerges into view, ‘at the descent of the Mount of Olives,’ ‘that the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen.’d

As the burning words of joy and praise, the record of what they had seen, passed from mouth V 2, p 368 to mouth, and they caught their first sight of ‘the City of David,’ adorned as a bride to welcome her King—Davidic praise to David’s Greater Son wakened the echoes of old Davidic Psalms in the morning-light of their fulfilment.

‘Hosanna to the Son of David!

Blessed be He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.…

Blessed the Kingdom that cometh, the Kingdom of our father David.…

Blessed be He that cometh in the Name of the Lord … Hosanna … Hosanna in the highest … Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.’

Jesus Weeps as He enters the city?

The donkey and prophecy (v.

14-16)

Recollection of Lazarus (v.

17-19)

Jesus predicts the cross and explains discipleship (v.

20-26)

The Greeks (Diaspora Greek speaking Jews) seek to meet Jesus and know more about Him.

Illustrated the Pharisees’ complaint that the world is going after him

Jesus predicts His Death

The hour has come jfor the Son of Man to be glorified.

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, kunless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

We are now reaching the climax and central focus in the book of John, the Passion, or this final week leading up to the crucifixion (which is also called His glorification in John as the glory of His love and humble submission to the cross shows forth the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus).

Jesus’ death and resurrection are tied together as his ‘glorification’ (John 7:39; 12:16, 23; 13:31ff.): in the cross we see in the most profound way how the grace, compassion, mercy and love of God are a revelation of the glory of God.

John’s theology of glory is a theology of the cross; the glory of God is seen in the shame of the cross.

This is a denial of the world’s understanding of what ‘glory’ looks like

Jesus’ death and resurrection are tied together as his ‘glorification’ (John 7:39; 12:16, 23; 13:31ff.): in the cross we see in the most profound way how the grace, compassion, mercy and love of God are a revelation of the glory of God.

John’s theology of glory is a theology of the cross; the glory of God is seen in the shame of the cross.

This is a denial of the world’s understanding of what ‘glory’ looks like.38

This is the reason He came, to bring forth the promised salvation and redemption for the world as God and man are reconciled through the cross of Christ.

If there is any part of the Gospels you ought to get straight and know and understand and be able to walk through the story in your minds eye, this is it.

Just as Jesus was preparing to lay down His life, He warned His disciples that they must be prepared to give up their lives, for His sake, also.