Part-1 Hello good morning!! How are you doing?? Though it's not a Palm Sunday or passion week, I felt like sharing a few reflective thoughts from the gospel accounts of Luke. The reflection is from Luke 19:28-44. Luke has recorded the happenings during the passion week more than any other gospel writers (Luke 19:28-24:12). Often times many preachers are in a state of dilemma to preach on Palm/ Passion Sunday. The dilemma is like this. Yeshua's entry into Jerusalem is royal, triumphant, but we know how the people will turn against Him over a period of just a few days. We know that many in the crowds who hail Baliraja on His entry as King will be crying out for His death penalty a few days later. Perhaps they expected a mighty warrior-king who would drive out the Romans. Seeing Yeshua held by Roman soldiers, weak and vulnerable, they will decide that he is not the King they want after all. In fact, supporting Him could be downright dangerous. Jerusalem is the geographical and hermeneutical centre of Luke’s Gospel. In fact unlike other gospel writings, Luke's narrative drama begins and ends in the Jerusalem temple (1:5-8; 24:52-53). Baliraja's final journey to Jerusalem unfolds over many chapters in Luke, from 9:51 when Yeshua “sets his face” to go to Jerusalem, until 19:28 when He finally “goes up” to Jerusalem. This is where our text, and the final week of Lord's earthly ministry, begins. Yeshua's “going up” to Jerusalem is a public event, interpreted by Luke as a royal entry (19:35-38). Prior to this, Baliraja sends two of his disciples to find a colt for him to ride into the city (19:29-30), telling them that if anyone asks why they are untying it, they should simply say, “The Lord (kyrios) needs it.” (19:31). In fact, the owners (kyrioi) of the colt do ask, understandably, why the disciples are untying it, and the disciples respond, “The Lord needs it” (19:33-34). One wonders why the owners of the colt accepted this response so readily. The text seems to highlight the fact that the Kyrios Yeshua has authority over and above all human kyrioi. The fact that Baliraja enters Jerusalem riding on a colt to the acclamation of the crowds recalls the oracle of Zechariah 9:9: "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." Though the verse is not cited in Luke as it is in Matthew 21:5 and John 12:15, it almost certainly informs Luke’s account. The royal implications of this entry on a colt are clear in the words of “the whole crowd (plethos) of disciples” who praise God for the deeds of power (19:37-38) they have seen. It's a copy text from Psalms 118:26, with a notable addition. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. ‭(Ps 118:26). #faith #scripture #bibleverse to be continued....