THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
III. The Opposition to the Son of God
(5:1–12:50)
A. At The Feast In Jerusalem (Jn 5:1-47)
B. During The Passover (Jn 6:1-71)
C. During The Feast Of Tabernacles
(Jn 7:1 – 10:21)
D. During The Feast Of Dedication
(Jn 10:22-42)
E. Because Of The Death And
Resurrection Of Lazarus (Jn 11:1-57)
F. Because Of The Triumphal Entry
(Jn 12:1-50)
1. The Thanksgiving Dinner (12:1-11)
a. Mary Worships (vv. 1-3)
b. Judas Complains (vv. 4-6)
c. Jesus Rebukes (vv. 7-8)
d. The Priests Panic (vv. 9-11)
2. The Triumphal Entry (12:12-19)
a. The People Worship (vv. 12-13)
b. The Lord Returns (vv. 14-15)
c. The Disciples Remember (v. 16)
d. The People Testify (vv. 17-18)
e. The Pharisees Complain (v. 19)
 Just a few preliminary remarks on the
Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
 This is an event of outstanding
significance.
The following points should be noted:
1. Jesus by means of His Triumphal
Entry definitely indicates that He lays
down His life; i.e., that He dies
voluntarily.
~ His death had to be voluntary
because God’s wrath against us
could only be appeased by a
sacrifice of obedience.
2. Jesus forces the members of the
Sanhedrin to change their timetable
(with respect to His execution) so
that it will harmonize with His (and
with the Father’s) timetable.
3. Jesus sets Himself forth as the
Messiah.
~ Zech 9:9
4. He also shows the multitudes what
kind of a Messiah He is.
~ He enters as the Prince of Peace.
a. The People Worship (vv. 12-13)
 Read Jn 12:12-13.
 “The next day” is presumably Sunday of
passion week.
 The “large crowd” is made up of pilgrims
who have come to Jerusalem for “the
feast”, i.e. for Passover.
 In Scripture the palm tree is a symbol of
the righteousness and spiritual vigor of
God’s children (Ps 92:12).
~ also a symbol of victory and peace in
antiquity.
~ also normal to use palm branches
when they conferred kingship on
anyone or when they humbly asked
pardon of a conqueror.
 Lulav in Lev 23:40
~ The multitude waved palm branches
in token of rejoicing and of triumph.
 That’s why they “began to shout,
‘Hosanna!....”
 The cry “Hosanna!” (lit. “give salvation
now”)had come to be a term of
acclamation or praise.
~ Ps 118:25
~ a supplication addressed to Jehovah
by the worshipper, who is convinced
that the proper time for full deliverance
has now at last arrived
 The succeeding words – BLESSED IS HE… –
are also drawn from Psalm 118 (v. 26).
~ The use of this expression indicates
that they recognized Christ as the
Messiah.
~ Therefore, the Jews thought they
were hailing the arrival of their King!
 But these people who were praising
God for giving them a king had the
wrong idea about Jesus.
~ Mk 11:8,9
~ Lk 19:37
~ Thus they were deaf to the words of
their prophets and blind to Jesus’ real
mission.
~ Lk 19:41
~ When it became apparent that Jesus
was not going to fulfill their hopes,
many people turned against Him.