The National tribune., 1888-03-01
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by q Study OF the later
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed fOI
March ii. ST. HIATT, 81 Ills.

AT HIS TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUsA-
LEM.
We shall consider in special the first nine
verses of st. Matthew's account. Be sure and
read also st. Mark, IL: Ito; ST. Luke, 10: %
40, and st. John, 10: 1918.
This renowned entry of Christ into the CAPT
tai of Palestine took place on Monday morning,
March Ii, A. ID. %. By referring to Elk, II; 8,
6, it is seen the pascal lamb was selected every
year four days before the Passover. So Christ
four days before the cruciixion presented him
self in the temple, and became conspicuous as
the real Lamb to be offered at the Passover
that week Some to 10 weeks before our les
son Christ was in Bethany, and raised Lazarus
from the grave.
The main Prophet referred to in verse was
Zechariah. (9:9) The Prophet Isaiah fur
nished the first part of the prophecy. (62 III
Zechariah prophesied B. G. 5S7, and Isaiah B.
G. TIP.
Between Jerusalem and Bethany rises the
Mt. of Olives, Jerusalem being at the foot on
the west side, and Bethany on the east side.
The summit of BIT. Olives is about midway be-
tween Jerusalem and Bethany. Between the
summit and Bethany is Bethphage. 1t IS about
100 steps from the top of NJ. Olives. The dis
lance from Jerusalem to Bethany is not far
from two miles tSt. John, Il: 49, Bethphage
was a small unwalled village.
Christ proposed riding into Jerusalem in the
manner of royalty. He sent two of his Discl-
pies to Bethphage TO secure an animal on which
he could mount and ride. Horses were not
common in the East. The Jews were forbid
den to use them. The horse was employed
much in war. Riding an ass was a symbol of
peace. The ass was used royalty. We are not
told the names of the two Disciples designated
to arrange for the conveyance of Christ.
By the daughter of Sion =" (V. 81 is meant
Jerusalem. That city was built on five hills
the most southern being Mount Zion. Jerusa-
lem is named Zion either by synecdoche or be-
cause Zion was the first of the five hills settled
and the rest of the city had grown from it. 1t
was the mother Of the city. 1t was styled
daughter" as expressive of its beauty.
There was a great multitude joining in the
welcome to Christ Bondinius estimated the
number at 100000 The Passover always called
together great masses from all parts of Pales-
tine Then the recent resurrection OF Lazarus
attracted the attention of all people toward
Christ. Lazarus was one Of the crowd. Christ
had been at work from three to four years, and
had secured many followers. All of these were
probably on the ground. Verse requires US
to divide the multitude into, first, those spread
ing garments in the way; secondly those cut
ting down branches and strewing the path
Herewith. The great mass of the multitude
probably used their raiment.
1t would seem from Verse that Christ rode
both the ass and the colt. How can we ex-
plain? Notice views: l. He rode them alter
| nately. But this would seem silly, when he
had so little distance over which to pass. Often
in continued cavalry service two horses are
used in rotation. Bengel thinks Christ rode
the ass until little out of the village. 2
| Many believe we are to understand the rhetori-
| cal figure, epauage ntemeri. 8. Some hold we
| should translate in Verse 5 for an ass and a
colt an ass, eUee colt, thus "sitting upon an
/ opff fba fool If Rut
! Zee. 9 8, has riding upon an ass and upon g
/ colt" The same change could, however, be
made in Xechariah, to wit, eUep for and" 4
/ Both were at Christ's disposal; both were got
ten ready to be mounted; garments were spread
| on both. 5. The infdel Strauss says Christ
rode both at once. 6. The idea is probably
rather that of subsection. He controlled the
ass by riding the foal. Both were under hi
! management. From accounts by SITS. Mark
Luke and John we learn it was the colt which
was ridden. 1t had never been mounted. Wa
| it broken? No. Yet Christ rode and managed
it, and that in the great hustle of crowd
shouting. casting clothes on it and branche
under and before it. Whilby pronounces thi
itself miracle. The ass and the colt hav
been taken symbolically-th ass for the oil
dispensation and the colt for the new. Chris
was on the new, while the old was idle in
effective; mother Of the new, but of no serVic
save as an accompaniment of the new. Sub
jecting an unbroken colt has also been though
picture of the Messiah conquering the evi
human heart. Man naturally is coltish. (Jot
11:12) The colt probably remained broker
when returned to the owners. 1t would hardl
forget its subsection by Christ.
All the above was to be done when Chris
came, and hence was a subject of prophecy
But it was prophesied of because it was to b
done rather than done because prophecy ha
been uttered to the effect it should be done
Prophecy did not control Christ but Chris
controlled prophecy. ". A.
The enthusiasm was great. The multitud
even seized their garments and cast them i
the way over which Christ was to ride. 20
this custom see Hornes Introduction, iii, 1877
The original shows that the garments referre
to were the outer articles Of apparel such 6
were easily laid aside See st. John, Is: 4, IL
Acts. Z: So; % 20. In St. Matt, 5 40 we haV
the same Greek world Verse Of the lesso
shows they also cast their garments on the co
for sort of saddle for Christ Only two {
three of the crowd would be required to
this Tucker, a traveller to the Holy Land
the 18th century, advised persons going TO th
East to have coats made at Venice on purpos
of double cloth, to spread on the back of til
animal to ease the ride.
Besides casting garments over the roadws
they strewed it with branches cut from neigi
boring trees. By branches we understand leaf
/ bWIgSt bucH DIS cOulu DO bIDut6u uOWu an
stuffed, and 50 at times made into touches an
mattresses st. Johns account (Y. 49, show
these were palm branches. Esther the sixt
chapter, shows the streets of Jerusalem wei
covered with Myrtle aud the porches with pu
2 pie in honor of Mordecai. At the time Jeh
f was proclaimed king his captains and servan
covered the road with their garments. u &
9:131 Xerxes was welcomed from the Helle
= pont by crowd with arms filed with mYrt
branches The soldiers would not allow Ca
| to depart for Rome without paving his way
the start with their apparel Washington W
| received not only with songs of welcome b
{ amid the fragrance of flowers, over which,
(. horse trampled. So Of Lafayette.
Z "The people of the East" says Robert
! "haVe q robe which corresponds with the ma
tie of the English lady. Its name is Sqlvi, al
how often il may be seen, spread on the groun
. when men of rank walk! ! was not lit
: surprised soon after my arrival in the Ea
when going to visit Q native gentleman, to fl
the path through the garden covered with viii
garments. l hesitated but was told it was t
n respect to me. ! must walk on them to she
;. that accepted the honor"
Il The excitement found vent not only in az
/ but in acclamations. The multitude cried OF
i " Hosanna in the highsst" Hosanna was
n shouts of praise to God. This was the last prai
q Christ heard on earth. In the highest
i an expression not understood in unifoI
# sense. Views: l. HosannR to the One who
5. highest. 2. In the highest places. 3. In t
o highest society-by the most exalted intel
7 eencies. A. In the highest praises; in t