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. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him."
-- John 12:17-19
The first half of John's Gospel ends at an empty tomb. So will the second. But to get from one empty tomb to the other, Jesus had to enter a certain place, as a certain person, for a certain purpose.
Jerusalem is the most significant city in all of human history. The name means place of peace. And it is there where Jesus Christ paid the price for our peace with God.
The events described in the text took place at Passover, the setting for Christ's most important work in this most important place. The historian Josephus wrote that a million people packed into Jerusalem during Passover week. Most of the citizens piling into the city on the Sunday before Passover Friday were pilgrims from Galilee. I doubt the Judeans would have welcomed Jesus with such a "triumphal entry," but the mostly Galilean crowd was glad to do it.
Their messianic expectations were very high. They shouted "Hosanna," which means "save us." They looked to Jesus as Savior. They waved palm branches, which were plentiful in and around Jerusalem, as symbols of praise and peace. It is as if they were saying, praise the Lord for peace with God through the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
This was a God moment. This was a gospel moment. But what the people could not fathom at the time was the price God would pay for the gospel. They did not expect on this first day of the week that by the last day of the week Jesus would be buried in a tomb, just like Lazarus, and that He would rise again, just like Lazarus. So begins the tale of two tombs.
Jesus came to Jerusalem to present Himself as three persons in one: Prophet, Priest, and King. Jesus was a proven prophet. Prophets speak truth to power. Prophets often rub people the wrong way. Prophets are seldom popular. And, prophets tend to get themselves killed, especially in Jerusalem.
Jesus came to Jerusalem as a priest, too, the most high priest. Unlike prophets, priests were particularly popular in Israel, for they offered sacrifices according to the word of God that symbolized the forgiveness of sins. Who does not want their sins forgiven? Priests were valuable people.
Jesus is unique, however, insomuch that He came to the city on that fateful Passover to be both the high priest to offer the sacrifice; and, the sacrifice offered by the high priest. The Lord and the lamb are the same, hearkening back to the words of Jesus' forerunner, John the Baptist, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (ref. John 1:29).
Know with certainty that this is the person of Christ. He is the Prophet, He is our High Priest, and He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He came to a certain city, Jerusalem, as this certain person, for this certain purpose: to save God's people.
The people cried, "Hosanna," save us, we pray. The Pharisees seethed, and repeated their jealous mantra that Jesus needed to be killed. It is a great gospel irony that one could only be accomplished by the other.
Prophecy preaches salvation. Sacrifice accomplishes salvation. Death, however, as Jesus foreshadowed at the death of Lazarus, is not final for Christ and Christ's followers. For Christ is risen today, and He is King and Lord over all. You just cannot see it, yet, except with eyes of faith.
There is salvation in no other prophecies or prophetic texts, other than Jesus Christ and the word of God. There is salvation in no other priests or religions, other than Jesus Christ and Christianity. There is no other king and kingdom above the Lord Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God.
So walk with the Lord Jesus Christ, from Lazarus' tomb to His own. Believe in the miracle, believe in the Messiah. Jesus died and rose again, and those who repent, believe, and follow will enjoy the salvation of the Lord forever.
Chuck DeVane is the pastor of Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs. Call him at 501-525-8339 or email [email protected].