Then, Jesus told a parable to clarify about the Kingdom of God. A nobleman leaves for a distant country to be appointed king, just as Jesus will die on the cross to usher in His Kingdom. He gives his ten servants a mina each to do His business; and when He returns asks for an accounting. The main lesson of the parable is summarized in vs 26: "I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away." Once again, Jesus taught that the servants of Christ are to be faithful stewards of all that have been entrusted into their care. Moreover, those who rejected and rebelled against the King would receive judgement and death.
So, Jesus goes up to Jerusalem, thus marking the end of His public ministry and teaching outside of Jerusalem, and the beginning of the events leading to His death on the CROSS. He demonstrated that He knew all that would happen, as seen with the colt; and He fulfills the Zachariah 9:9 prophecy entering Jerusalem on the colt as Messiah and King. He receives the praise He deserves. But, He weeps over the city for their eventual rejection of Him. He then cleanses the temple, and teaches there daily. There is mixed response from the audience - people hung on His words, while the religious leaders wanted to kill Him.
This familiar Palm Sunday passage showed me how much Jesus loves me, willing to go to the CROSS knowing exactly the pain, rejection, and suffering He would experience. His weeping over the city shows His compassion for the lost; and His cleansing of the temple reflects His justice and holiness.
This passage also led me to ponder when it is that Jesus is crowned King. Because, the Messiah King is to be from the line of David, He was born to be King; but, His dying on the cross is what provided a way for citizens of the Kingdom. And when He ascends to heaven, He sits on the throne. At His return during the 2nd Coming, He comes as King and will be recognized as King by all the world. His coming in the "name of the Lord", shows that authority was granted to Him to be King.
In doing a word study on that phrase: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!", what it is really saying is Praise to the King who comes in the authority and character of God in heaven; and the peace and glory mentioned is a fulfillment of the prophecy referenced in 2:14. That Christ came to earth to bring us peace with God, by dying on the cross to save us from our sins and the judgment of divine wrath.
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