Behold, your King is coming! (Matthew 21:1–11)

[Stephan Choe]

August 8, 2026

Key Verses

Verse 5: “Tell the people of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming! He is humble and rides on a donkey, a young donkey, a foal.’”

Verse 9: “And the crowds that went ahead of Jesus shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’”

The Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem [1]

Today we consider Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Although Jesus had visited Jerusalem many times before, this is His final visit. He is going to die as an atoning sacrifice for us and rise again.

Please pay special attention to two expressions in this passage: “Your King is coming” in verse 5 and “Hosanna!” in verse 9.

Whoever understands the meaning of these two expressions and takes them to heart will receive God’s wonderful blessing.

1. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (Verses 1–11)

The way Jesus entered Jerusalem [2]

On the way to Jerusalem, accompanied by his disciples and the crowd following him, Jesus arrived at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. The Mount of Olives lies about one kilometer east of Jerusalem. Bethphage is situated on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, outside Jerusalem's city walls. The Kidron Valley stretches from north to south between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, and the mountain offers a panoramic view of Jerusalem.

Before they reached Bethphage, Jesus sent two disciples ahead, saying to them, "Go into the village of Bethphage. There you will find a donkey and her foal tied up. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks you, say, 'The Lord needs them, but he will send them back soon.'" (2-3)

The two disciples went to Bethphage. There, they saw the donkey and the foal together, just as Jesus had said. As they were untying the donkey, the owner saw them and asked, "Why are you untying the donkey?" The two disciples replied, "The Lord needs it." The owner then allowed them to take the donkey (Luke 19:33–34).

When the two disciples brought the donkey to Jesus, he mounted it and entered Jerusalem. The crowd shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!"

A victorious king usually rides majestically on horseback, accompanied by messengers and trumpeters announcing his arrival. It is dangerous for small children to approach the horse of such a king.

Although Jesus is the King of Kings, he rode on a donkey rather than a magnificent horse. This was intended to allow people from all walks of life to approach him and welcome him warmly. This king was poor. Even the donkey did not belong to him; it had to be returned after use. Yet he was a true king—without a crown, a sword, or lavish ceremonies. Instead of laying out costly carpets, the disciples and the crowd spread their simple garments on the path. Instead of the sound of trumpets, their shouts of joy rang out.

Thus, Zechariah’s prophecy was fulfilled, “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey!’” (Zechariah 9:9).

Many people entered the city of Jerusalem with Jesus. They sang, “Jesus, Son of David, our King and the promised Messiah! Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

As they sang, more and more people streamed out from Jerusalem. They spread their garments on the path and greeted Jesus with shouts of joy. With branches of trees in their hands and arms raised high, they welcomed and celebrated him as King.

2. What kind of king is Jesus?

Now we must ask ourselves what kind of king Jesus is. What does his entry reveal about him?

First, Jesus is a humble and gentle king (5).

In Roman times, there was a ceremony in which a ruler would enter a city to demonstrate his power. Riding a horse and surrounded by officials and soldiers, he would reach the city gate and enter the city amidst an enthusiastic reception from officials and the people alike. Speeches of welcome, loud applause, and enthusiastic cheers characterized the event. People would also lay garments and branches at the feet of the honored figure.

The Gospel of Matthew records Zechariah’s prophecy as follows: “Say to Daughter Zion: ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey!’” (5).

“The Gentle One” is a translation of the original Hebrew text and can also be translated as “the Humble One.” Jesus was both gentle and humble. Yet a proud person cannot be gentle.

Jesus is a humble and gentle king. He did not ride a warhorse to display his power. Instead, he rode a donkey so that we could all come to him without fear and have fellowship with him.

Why is he humble? Because he is humble before God. He did not ride a tall horse but a donkey—the kind the poor ride. He wears no crown like Queen Elizabeth of England. He is gentle and kind. He warmly welcomes us all.

When James and John, angered that the Samaritans had rejected Jesus, asked him, "Lord, shall we command fire to come down from heaven and destroy them?" (Luke 9:54), Jesus rebuked the two disciples and went another way.

Because Jesus died for all sinners, everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

Jesus is truly God. Yet he came into the world as a human being to bear our weaknesses and sins, and he died for us on the cross. How humble he is! What great grace!

We must ask ourselves: Is Jesus the King of this world? Does he have a palace?

No! He does not even have a home. He is poor, but his heart is rich. He loves us with all his heart and serves us. His love is immeasurable. He made Matthew—a hated tax collector and traitor—his disciple. He also made a woman who had been married five times his disciple. He welcomes everyone who comes to him.

There are two truths we must never forget.

First: Jesus is our King and God.

Second: Jesus is humble and gentle.

No matter what problem we face, we can come to Him and ask for help. Whether it is sin, hardship, or other worries—He will always welcome us warmly and help us.

Secondly: Jesus is the King of Peace (verses 7–8).

Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey because He is the King of Peace. He came to bring us peace.

Every person needs peace. Peace is the opposite of conflict and discord.

Peace means getting along well with one another. It is also a state of unity and harmony. From a spiritual perspective, peace means ending a hostile relationship with God, reconciling with Him, and enjoying peace. This refers to a good relationship with God and the resulting state of security and happiness. Because Jesus forgives all our sins, grants us eternal life, and protects and loves us, we experience the greatest peace and happiness. Jesus is truly our King of Peace. Praise Him!

Before Jesus brought us God’s peace, we knew no true peace. Worldly peace can vanish in an instant in the face of severe conflict or the threat of death. Tragically, events such as accidents, strife, illness, war, and death occur all too frequently in the world. Consequently, we are unable to experience true peace or offer genuine comfort to others suffering deep pain. Countless people live without ever knowing true comfort and peace. Yet Jesus came to proclaim true peace to us. His peace is unshakable, unaffected by conflict, war, or death.

In this passage, the word "Lord" in the phrase "He who comes in the name of the Lord" refers to God. We can attain "true peace" through reconciliation with God. Because of sin, people cannot have peace with God. Although Jesus is truly God, He came into this world in human form to reconcile us with God. Jesus reconciled us to God by dying on the cross for our sins. That is why we say: Jesus is the Reconciler between us and God. When we welcome Jesus into our hearts, we receive forgiveness and peace with God. Furthermore, we receive eternal life and the Kingdom of Heaven as gifts.

As Paul writes in Colossians 1:19-20, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood.”

Jesus shed His blood on the cross for our sins, and through this blood, He established peace between us and God. Everyone who accepts this message in faith is reconciled to God and enjoys peace with Him. Thanks to Christ’s death, we have become children of God. As children of God, we possess eternal life and the Kingdom of Heaven. This is truly a wonderful message. We must spread this message quickly so that as many people as possible can experience this blessing. Therefore, we must share this good news with others.

Third: Jesus is the King of our salvation (9).

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds cheered and shouted, "Hosanna! Son of David! Jesus, our King!" (9).

What does this call mean?

“Hosanna” means “Please help!” or “Please save us!” (Psalm 118:25). “Hosanna” has the same etymology as the Hebrew Joshua or Jesus (the Greek form of Joshua). And Jesus, or Joshua, means “Savior” (Matthew 1:21). The title “Son of David” refers to the promised Messiah.

In other words, the crowd shouts, “Promised Messiah our King, save us!”

What does Jesus save us from? He frees us from the power of death and hell and gives us eternal life. When Jesus comes into our lives, the darkness of death disappears, our lives become bright, sorrow disappears, and we gain joy and vitality. He gives us forgiveness, eternal life, and heaven. This is how Jesus saves us from the shadow of death and gives us a blessed, eternal life. Of course, we also experience difficulties on this earth. If we only focus on these difficulties, we will become sad and lose our strength. But when we look to God, he always gives us new strength in Christ and leads us to victory and to heaven.

Jesus is our King. He fulfilled God's mission by dying on the cross for our sins and rising again. In doing so, he delivered us from the power of the devil and gave us blessed, eternal life and heaven. Since Jesus has already conquered this world, sin, death, and the devil for us, we must live by faith and give Him glory. He desires that we enjoy eternal life and live a full life to the glory of God.

Ultimately, we will enter heaven as great victors. There, Jesus Christ—who loved us with all His heart and died for us—will welcome us.

Conclusion

Now, I would like to summarize three important points about Jesus.

First: God loves you with all His heart and is gracious.

* That is why He said in verse 5, "Your King is coming to you, gentle and humble."

John 3:16 tells us, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son."

Second: Jesus became your Savior through His sacrificial death.

* That is why the people cried out "Hosanna!" in verse 9, which means "Save us!"

Jesus saves all who believe in Him as the Son of God and the Christ.

Third: Jesus is our true King.

* That is why He said in verse 5, "Your King is coming to you."

Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior and King? I pray that God blesses your decision of faith. Amen!

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[1] https://www.nordkirche.de/nachrichten/nachrichten-detail/nachricht/palmsonntag-beginn-der-karwoche

[2] http://www.kaleo.nl/images/stories/11-jeruzalem-en-de-olijfberg.jpg