The Triumphal Entry, Cleansing of the Temple, and Children’s Participation in Jesus’ Ministry 

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY, CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE, AND CHILDREN’S PARTICIPATION IN JESUS’ MINISTRY

Matthew 21:1-16 – As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ²saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.  ³If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

⁴This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

⁵“Say to the Daughter of Zion, “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”

⁶The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.  ⁷They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.  ⁸A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  ⁹The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”

¹⁰When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

¹¹The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

¹²Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.  ¹³“It is written,” he said to them, ” ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’ ”

¹⁴The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.  ¹⁵But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

¹⁶“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, ” ‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?”

V.16 – (GNT) – So they asked Jesus, “Do you hear what they are saying?”

“Indeed I do,” answered Jesus. “Haven’t you ever read this scripture? ‘You have trained children and babies to offer perfect praise.’”

… this scripture – Psalm 8:2 – From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

Other instances of the inclusion of children in Jesus’ ministry:  John 6:1-15 – Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), ²and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick.  ³Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples.  ⁴The Jewish Passover Feast was near.

⁵When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”  ⁶He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

⁷Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

⁸Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ⁹“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

¹⁰Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them.  ¹¹Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

¹²When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”  ¹³So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

¹⁴After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”  ¹⁵Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

Matthew 18:1-6 – At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

²He called a little child and had him stand among them.  ³And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

⁵“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.  ⁶But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Mark 10:13-16 – ¹³People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.  ¹⁴When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  ¹⁵I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”  ¹⁶And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

V.13 – to have him touch them – Note Matthew 19:13 – Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

V.16 – And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.  Contrast the current state of affairs where there is gravitation toward the forbidden.  Note Leviticus 19:31 – ” ‘Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.

Let us thank the Lord that those who have been thus, or otherwise, “defiled” may now receive the blessing of 1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

(AMP) – If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].

Throughout all generations, it has been the Lord’s pleasure to bless children.  Note Numbers 14:26-31 – ²⁶The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: ²⁷“How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.  ²⁸So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: ²⁹In this desert your bodies will fall-every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me.  ³⁰Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.  ³¹As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.

Let us thank the Lord that it is His will for us to enjoy “both the present life and the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8 – For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

On Palm Sunday, 2022, let us thank the Lord that His kingdom is all-inclusive and that He is helping us to be faithful kingdom-dwellers.  Note Titus 2:11-14 – ¹¹For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  ¹²It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.