Right Words and Wrong Motives

March 24, 2024|Right Words and Wrong Motives|John 12:12-19

JD Cutler

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In our house, we recently had a conversation about when it is appropriate and not appropriate to say ‘I’m sorry’. Now, we know that apologies are good and necessary in living with one another. Offenses and hurts come and we should be quick to apologize and quick to forgive.  

But recently Brittany challenged one of our children on the motive for their words. It seemed the motive behind ‘I’m sorry’ was more reactionary ‘ I’m sorry that I was called out on my behavior’, not I’m sorry for my behavior. 

Right words, wrong motives

This can apply to a variety of situations. 

A married couple that stands to take their wedding vows. One or both of them can say the right words, but with the wrong motives. 

They can say covenantal words with contractual motives. Right?

‘To have and to hold until death do us part’ are binding, covenant words, but what they mean is ‘to have and to hold…until I no longer feel IN love, or you make me mad, or you don’t live up to my contractual standards, or I find someone I would rather be with’ and then their true motives come out. 

Right words, wrong motives. 

We see this principle on display on what we commonly call the triumphal entry into Jerusalem in the last week before Jesus is crucified. 

This is one of the few events recorded for us in all four gospel accounts.

It’s an amazing scene to read about and picture. It really serves as a pinnacle of Jesus’ earthly ministry; he has set his face towards Jerusalem, and now three years after he began his public ministry he is entering Jerusalem for the last time before he will be crucified. 

Now, he has come in and out of Jerusalem many times, mostly unseen. His presence has of course been made known in the temple when he cleansed it, in the courts where he taught, but we aren’t told anything about his coming and going, until this time. This time, his last entry into the city is marked by fanfare and celebration. 

What changed?

He has publicly and clearly performed the raising of Lazarus from the grave after he had been in the tomb for four days.

He also does something he has not done before, rather than slipping away from the crowds, rather than challenging them or sending them away, he allows what they are doing to happen. 

It is necessary for at least three reasons.  

Prophecy- we will see that this fulfilled prophecy about the coming king of Israel given by Zechariah some 600 years before this. 

Divine Will- in response to a challenge by the Pharisees recorded for us in Luke And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Provocation of the religious leaders- Jesus knew exactly what he was doing, the religious leaders had already essentially issued a death warrant for Jesus, they had wanted to take him for a while now, but they were always afraid of the crowds, but Jesus now so publicly and completely embraces the declaration that he is King of the Jews that they have to do something or risk Rome’s wrath and their removal from power. 

So we have this Kingly, inspiring scene of Jesus being ushered into Jerusalem by a large crowd of people crying out praises. But, the sad tragedy of this event is that within a week he will be nailed to a Roman cross and some of the people who cried hosanna in the streets will have cried ‘Crucify him’ before Pilate. Why? Because although they said some of the right things, they had the wrong motives, and when Jesus did not align with their version of what he should be, they rejected him. 

But, the sad tragedy of this event is that within a week he will be nailed to a Roman cross and some of the people who cried hosanna in the streets will have cried ‘Crucify him’ before Pilate.

Let’s look at three things this morning from our text. 

The Crowd’s Actions, Jesus’ Actions, and then The Responses from various groups to all of this that is happening. 

The Crowd’s Actions vs 12-13

John 12:12-13 (ESV) 12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”

Using the four gospels we can paint a fuller picture of what is happening here. 

John is the only one who mentions the palm branches in this way, where the people are pictured waving them. They do make an appearance in Mark and Luke’s accounts, where they are spread on the path with the cloaks.

Luke 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting,

Luke tells us that his triumphal entry began as he was coming down the Mount of Olives, he says, the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen. At some point it seems the disciples that were following him and the crowds that were coming out meet and the procession heads towards Jerusalem, with all the people shouting some form of the following. 

“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”  

Various details are added by the gospel writers. 

Luke- “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 

Mark- “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

Matthew- “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 

The varying accounts are easily explained by the great multitude of people coming together and shouting. Essentially, they are all saying the same thing in various ways. 

Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel, the son of David, hosanna in the highest!

We, so far removed from the culture of 1st century Judaism, can miss exactly what is going on here. This is not just praise, although it is that, it is not just celebration, there is a deep seated Jewish Nationalism that is being expressed here, seen in every detail of the story. 

The palm branches-(Reformed Expository Commentary) 

Why palm branches, they have no real significance in the Passover?

The answer is that the palm branch had been for the previous two hundred years a general symbol for Jewish nationalism. When Simon Maccabaeus drove the Syrians out of Jerusalem and restored the temple a hundred and fifty years earlier, he was heralded with waving palms. During the wars of Jewish rebellion a generation after Jesus, coins were struck by the insurgents with an image of palm branches. The palm was the Jews’ emblem for a conqueror, an association that they also made with the promised Messiah.

Laying their cloaks down on the road also indicates that they see Jesus as the coming conquering King of the nation of Israel.

So we have what they do and then what they say. 

Hosanna- oh save! Save now! (Hebrew language)

Psalms 118:25 (ESV) 25 Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success!

Save us, we pray- two words conjoined in Hosanna!

The rest of what they say is taken from the same Psalm

Psalms 118:25-26 (ESV) 25 Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.

Psalm 118 is a Messianic Psalm about the deliverance of God’s people and victory over their enemies. (Reformed Expository Commentary) Most significantly, it comes from Psalm 118, a messianic psalm sung during the Passover Feast. So frequently were these words sung and repeated during the various feasts of Israel that they had become practically the fight song for the Jewish independence party.

More interesting details are found in the verses leading up to this cry. 

Psalms 118:19-24 (ESV) 19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. 20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. 21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. 22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Here comes the righteousness of God through the gate of the Lord, into his city and into his temple, the stone that the builders have rejected, which is actually the cornerstone, that is, here is the actual tabernacle of God coming into the Earthly type and shadow of the temple. This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. 

The people understand that this Jesus is unique and empowered by God and they see his entrance, rightly by the way, as fulfillment of God’s promises for a king. But because they are focused on an earthly King, they miss the heavenly one that is right in front of them. 

But because they are focused on an earthly King, they miss the heavenly one that is right in front of them. 

R.C. Sproul points out the implications of the Triumphal entry in reminding us of the departure of God’s glory from the temple in Ezekiel's vision. In Ezekiel’s vision, God’s glory departs the temple through the East gate, goes up, heads East and lands on the eastern mountain, the mount of Olives. Now, beginning on the mount of Olives, God’s manifested glory in his eternal son Jesus Christ comes back into the city by the mount of Olives and then goes into the temple. 

So, we see that their words are entirely appropriate and right. The King is coming into his city, it is a day for celebration and praise, for the promised deliverer has come. But, Jesus is not the king they are expecting, his kingdom is not the kingdom they are anticipating, and his liberation is not the one they desire. 

While Jesus willingly participates in their response, he does something to illustrate that, while he accepts their words, he rejects their motives. 

The King’s Actions

John 12:14-15 (ESV) 14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, 15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!”

Jesus, understanding what the crowd expected, gave them a picture that aligned with their declaration but illustrated the difference between what they were expecting and what he was coming to do. 

John doesn’t go into detail about this colt, but the other synoptic writers do. 

As they approached Jerusalem, Jesus sent two disciples into the village between him and Jerusalem and had them find a very specific donkey. 

“Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 

In doing this, Jesus exerts his kingly command. In this time period a King could commandeer a beast of burden from a subject if he had need, and two, no one rode on the king's horse or in this case donkey. In doing this, scripture says he fulfilled what was written, 15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!”

Both Matthew and John point out the significance of this choice by our Lord by pointing to what the prophet Zechariah wrote. Whenever the New Testament writers point back to an Old Testament scripture, we should examine the context of what they quote. Here Zechariah 9:9-10.

Zechariah 9:9-10 (ESV) 9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

The context of this prophecy is the judgment of God’s enemies and the redemption of God’s people. However, rather than depicting a conquering king, it depicts a righteous and humble king who brings salvation and speaks peace to the nations, not war, and his rule extends from sea to sea, not only in Jerusalem. 

This Jesus is the great King of Peace, who possesses the righteousness of God and ushers in salvation, not by might but by his humbleness. This is what the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 2.

Philippians 2:5-11 (ESV) 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Christ was coming to bring salvation to anyone who would surrender to his life-giving offer of peace, secured by his atoning death on the Roman cross. 

The Jewish crowd's right response was rooted in wrong motives. They were entirely focused on their immediate deliverance from Rome.

Save us now, was not a cry of repentance of sorrow over their sin, it was a political cry for liberation from their political oppressors. 

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel, was not a recognition of the universal kingship of Christ but a national cry for an Earthly king. 

The crowd had gathered not to worship the one who could bring someone back from the dead, but in expectation of what he could do for them, politically, financially, and nationally.

The crowd had gathered not to worship the one who could bring someone back from the dead, but in expectation of what he could do for them, politically, financially, and nationally.

This, Jesus, as he always had, rejected. He embraced their cries of his kingship, he embodied their prophecies about the coming king, but he rejected their earthly aspirations and expectations for him by entering Jerusalem atop a humble colt rather than a proud war horse. 

Let me ask you this, friends, if you do not already see the parallels. 

What were the intentions of your heart when you cried Save me? From what did you desire to be saved?

If you meant ‘save me from misfortune’. That is, I will call Jesus Lord if it will make my earthly life better, how is that any different from these misapplied cries of the crowd?

If you meant ‘save me from punishment’. That is, I will call Jesus Lord if it means I can live any way that I want and still get to heaven, how is that any different from these selfish cries of the crowd?

I believe that you can say the right words with the wrong motives. 

I think this is where many of the problems in the modern church come from. 

Half-hearted, culturally influenced, coerced, cries of save me, rather than a biblical crying out in understanding of who Jesus is and what he saves us from. 

Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the promised Messiah, the eternal king from David’s lineage, he is salvation for Jew and Gentile alike, he is the author of life, giver of peace, and the only means by which anyone can be saved. So we are entirely right to cry out to him, Save us now!

But we must understand what we are crying out for. Not deliverance from difficulties in this life, not from problems or persecution, not from poverty or sickness, but from the righteous, holy, and just wrath of God that we each one have brought on ourselves by our sinful rebellion against a thrice holy God. 

Freedom from the slavery of sin, the mastery of the flesh, and the consequences of both. 

Freedom from the kingdom of darkness and death. 

We cry out because we cannot save ourselves, we cry out because Jesus is the only way to be saved, we cry out because He is the provision made by the father to forgive us, redeem us, and bring new life into our hearts, culminating in eternity with him.

This is the right motive behind the right words. Right word accompanied by the right motives equals the right response. 

Finally, this morning, let us briefly look at the three responses recorded for us in the remainder of this story. 

The Responses

John 12:16-19 (ESV) 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. 17 The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. 18 The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

Disciples, Crowd, Pharisees

First, the disciples. John candidly tells us that they didn’t get it at first. 

(Just as an aside, this is one of the things I love about the gospel writers and one that increases my faith in what they have delivered to us. They don’t try to paint themselves in a favorable light, they don’t bend the facts or twist the stories to make them look wise or perceptive or even quick to catch on. They show their weaknesses, their prejudices, and their failings as they followed Jesus during his life.  Even when we are telling a friend a simple story of something that happened, we often try to make ourselves sound smarter, kinder, or better than we are. But the gospel writers write with a refreshing honesty about their inability to get it in the moment. )

John says, it wasn’t until Jesus had died, was resurrected, and ascended into heaven, and presumably sent the Spirit to reside within them that they put all the pieces together. 

Friends, my purpose this morning was simple, to show you the Triumphal entry through the same lens that opened their eyes. 

That Jesus did enter as King, but not to overthrow Rome and establish a Kingdom for Israel, but to go to a cross to establish a kingdom that is eternal because our King is eternal, welcoming men and women from all nations because Jesus died for men and women from all nations Jew and Gentile, and because death has been overthrown, the grave has been conquered, and the price of sin paid, we can enter this kingdom when we cry out to him Hosanna! Save us now. 

Second, the crowds. John says they came to Jesus because they had heard he had done this great sign of raising Lazarus out of the tomb. The witnesses that saw it continued to proclaim it. So they came, superficially, expectantly, that this Jesus who could raise the dead would do for them what they desired in their hearts. Freedom from Rome, a renewed Kingdom of Israel, prosperity in Jerusalem, and on and on. They came to Jesus for what he could do for them. But as we know, the minute they realized that his kingdom would not be a political, religiously backed kingdom, they rejected him.

There are many people today who came to Jesus for the wrong reasons and having realized that their life is not magically better, that they did not get healthy and wealth, have rejected him. But friends, they never came to Jesus, but to an idol, a Savior made in their image, to accomplish their will. 

This is why we must faithfully proclaim Jesus from the scriptures to people both inside and outside the church. 

...they never came to Jesus, but to an idol, a Savior made in their image, to accomplish their will. 

Finally, the pharisees. These men hated Jesus, hated that men came to him, and desired for him to be removed. They admit that all of their schemes and traps, all of their opposition to Jesus had amounted to nothing. But unwillingly and unwittingly, they were about to do exactly what needed to be done in order for Jesus to be glorified. This reminds us of the sovereignty of God. He was in full control of what happened in this final week of Jesus’ earthly ministry and everything happened according to his purposes. 

Conclusion:

If we could just stop there for a minute and acknowledge that you are not here by accident. Whether you are a regular attender or a visitor. 

This message you have heard was not a coincidence or an accident. We believe that the sovereign God of the universe has a purpose for this proclamation of his word, of this assembled congregation this morning. 

That collectively, that individually, we would respond rightly, not just with our words, but with our motives to the statement, Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

That we would be people who cried out ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’ and that we would do it with clarity on who we were crying out to and why we were crying out to him. 

Let us pray.