The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-03
THE ROYAL PROCESSION.

THE PREPARATI0N.-It was the custom
of the Jewish people coming in companies
from the different sections of the country
where they resided to Jerusalem to attend the
Passover,-the great annual national festival
of their race,-to form professions and enter
the royal and holy city with demonstrations
of patriotic and religious enthusiasm. The
arrival of JESUS and the GALL can caravan
furnished an occasion for such demonstra-
tion. Those of the company who may have
entered the city the previous evening came
out with others who had heard of JESUS ar
rival, to greet and join the procession (John
xii. 12). JESUS was now prepared to publicly
enter the city which he had SO lately private
ly left for safety. He may have determined
to employ the enthusiasm of the people to
prevent the rulers from accomplishing their
determination to secure his arrest as soon as
he appeared in the city. He would announce
by symbol his true Messiahship and enter
the royal city in a kingly manner as the
Prince of Peace that he was. Arriving at the
Mount of Olive, (see mapl, and probably
near village (the site of which is now I'M
known or portion of the village of Betha-
ny, called Bethpage [house of figsl, he d.
rected two of his disciples to go into the viii
lage and find in a certain place an ass and
her colt, which they should bring for his use
in the procession. The owner of the animals
may have been disciple of JESUS, with
whom he was familiarly intimate, and who
would readily grant his Masters request for
their use, the object of which he would no
doubt understand. Previous observation
may have enabled JESUS to give the particu-
lar directions described in the narrative, or
the Evangelist may have conformei his Ian
guage to the particulars of the fact when de-
scribing the event after it had occurred. DIR.
Morrison sees in the circumstance an evidence
of the clairvoyant power of JESUS.
FULFILLMENT OF PR0PHECY.-Mat-
thew wrote his Gospel to prove to the Jews
that JESUS was the Messiah of their Scrip
lures, and he is careful to note every appa-
rent fulillment of Messianic prophecy in the
life and ministry of his Master. He quotes
passage from Zechsriah (ix. 81 which de-
scribes king coming to Jerusalem in peace
and meekness, riding upon an ass, colt, the
foal of an animal employed in industry, ao-
cor1ing to the meaning of the original words
employed. Anciently the horse was employ
ed in war, and the ass was the beast of com
mon service, upon which kings were accus-
toned to ride in times of peace. By the fig
ures of the prophet the described king was
to come to the city [daughterl of Zion not
as a conquering hero, but as peaceful mon
arch. JESUS himself appears to have been
careful to do those things which were partic-
ularly described in the Scriptures as belong
ing to the Messiah and his times. He may
have decided to enter Jerusalem at this time
riding upon an ass that the words of the
prophet might appear to be fulfilled in him,
and that the people might proclaim him to
be the Messiah in a manner that would not
awaken the jealous alarm of the ruling au-
thorities.
APRINCELY HoEoR.-The two disciples