The Triumphal Entry Lesson 5.3

Caiaphas’ Evil Plan (The events of John 11:47-57 happen during January/February of A.D. 32.) The Sadducees Problem: they didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead. So how would they explain away what Jesus did for Lazarus? (11:47-48) This miracle could have caused an uprising in Jesus’ name that Rome would’ve stopped by killing countless Jews. Caiaphas, the High Priest, would have to come up with a plan to “save” Israel from this threat. Caiaphas was elected to be High Priest in A.D. 18, so he had seen Jesus’ ministry since the beginning.

Caiaphas’ Evil Plan Solution to the Problem: Kill Jesus (and Lazarus if necessary). Caiaphas suggested killing one man in order to save many. By killing Jesus, the Sadducees thought they would prevent the Romans from attacking the Jews out of frustration (11:49-50). His reasoning? “The end justifies the means” (Utilitarianism) Caiaphas’ Accidental Prophecy: God used Caiaphas’ evil words to foretell of Jesus’ ultimate purpose…to die so that all people might be “one” and unified in Christ (11:52-53).

Jesus’ Final Retreat After the Pharisees’ secret meeting, Jesus goes to the city of Ephraim to stay out of public view for the months of January through March. The next time we see Jesus, he is in Jerusalem, 6 days before Passover, and everyone is cheering for him to become King on “Palm Sunday.”

Lesson from Lazarus In John 12, Jesus returns to Bethany before going to Jerusalem. While there, people flock to the town to see Jesus AND Lazarus (12:1-9). Because of this, the Pharisees wanted to kill Lazarus! Lesson: Sometimes it costs us to be a friend of Jesus. Part of being a Christian is being ok with loss, discrimination, and danger. Following Christ is not always “safe.”

Jesus’ Journey & Entry On Sunday, Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for his “Triumphal Entry.” The other gospels give us many details that John does not (Matt. 21:1-9; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-38) Note these 7 steps that Jesus went through: 1. Jesus walked from Bethany to Bethphage. 2. At Bethphage, Jesus sent 2 disciples to get a donkey. 3. The disciples brought the donkey, and made a saddle out of their clothes. 4. Jesus rode the donkey down the Mt. of Olives. 5. Jesus was hailed as King. 6. Jesus was overcome with emotion and wept. 7. Jesus looked around in the temple, then left.

Why the Donkey? Why did Jesus ride a donkey instead of a horse? Look at Deuteronomy 17:14-17 and Zechariah 9:9. Jesus was following the Law that God set up for Jewish Kings, and he was fulfilling a prophecy that Zechariah wrote about the True King of Israel who was going to come into the world to rescue the Jewish people.