124: Statement of Triumph

BEMA Episode Link: 124: Statement of Triumph
Episode Length: 41:28
Published Date: Thu, 04 Jul 2019 01:00:00 -0700
Session 3
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings examine the triumphal entry and Jesus’s confrontation of religious corruption on all sides.

Discussion Video for BEMA 124

Caesarea Maritima — Wikipedia

Map of Israel in New Testament Times — Wikimedia Commons

Transcript for BEMA 124

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 124: Statement of Triumph - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: 124 - Statement of Triumph
Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: Matthew 21 - The Triumphal Entry and Temple Cleansing

This episode examines Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem during Passover week, exploring the political and prophetic significance of his arrival from the east while Pontius Pilate entered from the west. The hosts analyze the clash of two kingdoms, the symbolism of palm branches and donkeys, Jesus’s cleansing of the temple, the cursing of the fig tree, and his confrontation with religious authorities. Released on July 4th, the episode draws connections between ancient political contexts and modern questions about power, empire, and the Kingdom of God.

Key Takeaways

The triumphal entry represents a literal collision of two kingdoms: Rome’s empire of military power (Pilate from the west) versus God’s kingdom of peace (Jesus from the east)
Jesus’s ride on a donkey deliberately invoked Zechariah 9:9, signaling a king who comes in peace, not violence
The crowds waving palm fronds and shouting “Hosanna” from Psalm 118 were expecting a violent revolutionary, which made Jesus weep
The cleansing of the temple targeted religious corruption where sacred space designated for Gentiles had been turned into a marketplace controlled by the priesthood
The cursing of the fig tree symbolized judgment on corrupt religious leadership (not Israel as a whole), as fig trees in Jewish literature represent rabbis and teachers
Jesus’s authority (s’micha) came from John the Baptist, not the traditional rabbinical school system, which the religious leaders couldn’t accept
Matthew’s inclusion of “two” in various stories (two donkeys, two blind men, two demoniacs) serves as a rabbinic invitation for readers to enter the narrative and choose which kingdom they want

Main Concepts & Theories

The Dual Entry into Jerusalem

During Passover week, more than a million Jews gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt, making Roman authorities extremely nervous about potential revolt. Every year, Pontius Pilate would travel from his residence in Caesarea Maritima down the coastal road to Joppa, then east into Jerusalem from the west. His procession included military pomp: soldiers, trumpeters, banners, heralds, and Pilate riding a white stallion symbolizing military conquest. The message was clear intimidation: “Don’t even think about revolting.”

Simultaneously, Jesus entered Jerusalem from the east (from the Mount of Olives), riding a donkey with his ragtag group of disciples. This created a vivid contrast:

Pilate on a stallion vs. Jesus on a donkey
Pilate with soldiers vs. Jesus with disciples (talmidim)
Pilate instilling fear vs. Jesus pronouncing favor
Pilate with chaos vs. Jesus with order
Pilate with empire vs. Jesus with shalom

This wasn’t coincidental—it was a deliberate political and prophetic statement about competing visions of power and kingship.

Zechariah 9 and the Prophecy Connection

When Jesus mounted a donkey, the Jewish crowds immediately recognized the connection to Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, daughter Zion! Shout, daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

However, the people failed to read the next verse (Zechariah 9:10): “I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations.”

The prophecy described a king who would eliminate instruments of war and establish peace—the opposite of what the revolutionary-minded crowds wanted. They also connected this to Zechariah 14, which describes God fighting for Israel from the Mount of Olives and all nations coming to celebrate Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles).

Palm Fronds and Sukkot Imagery During Passover

The crowds waved palm fronds (lulavs) and shouted “Hosanna” (Hoshana - “Lord save us”) from Psalm 118, which is traditionally sung during Sukkot, not Passover. This is significant because:

Zechariah 14 ends with all nations celebrating Sukkot in Jerusalem
Palm fronds were the symbol of the Zealot party and may have been a crucifiable offense under Roman rule
The people were mixing Passover (celebrating deliverance from empire) with Sukkot imagery (expecting God’s final victory)
This demonstrates they were “packing palm frond heat”—ready for violent revolution

Jesus wept over this response (Luke 19:41-42) because they wanted violence when he came to bring peace. The irony is thick: churches reenact Palm Sunday with children waving palm fronds, the very thing that made Jesus cry.

The Two Donkeys - Rabbinic Invitation

Matthew mentions two donkeys, though Jesus could only ride one. This follows a pattern in Matthew’s Gospel (two blind men, two demoniacs, two donkeys) that employs a rabbinic teaching technique. Rabbis would insert an additional character into a story as an invitation to the listener to make a decision.

The riderless second donkey serves as an invitation: “Which kingdom do you want? Will you ride the donkey of peace with Jesus, or do you want the stallion of military power?” This literary device invites readers across time to examine their own allegiances and values.

The Temple Cleansing and the Booths of Ananus

Jesus cleansed the temple by overturning the tables of money changers and sellers of sacrificial animals in the Court of the Gentiles—the only space where non-Jews could worship. The religious establishment had turned this sacred space into a marketplace called the “Booths of Ananus” (Annas being the high priest).

The system was corrupt on multiple levels:

Money changers: Required because Roman coins with Caesar’s image were considered idolatrous on the Temple Mount
Animal sellers: Sold “approved” sacrifices at inflated prices
The priests controlled the entire operation—raising the animals, setting prices, determining which sacrifices were acceptable, and profiting from the entire system
The location: Placed in the Court of the Gentiles, eliminating space designated for outsiders to worship

Jesus’s anger targeted this exploitation of worshipers and marginalization of Gentiles. He quoted Isaiah 56:7 (“My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”) and Jeremiah 7:11 (“but you have made it a den of robbers”).

Two Cleansings Theory

John’s Gospel places the temple cleansing at the beginning of Jesus’s ministry (John 2), while the other Gospels place it at the end. Some scholars suggest there may have been two cleansings, which connects to an obscure Levitical law about mold in houses (Leviticus 14:33-45):

First cleansing: Remove everything and clean the house
Wait two weeks
Return to check if mold has returned
If mold has returned: the house must be torn down

If Jesus cleansed the temple twice—once at the beginning with a gentle rebuke (possibly shaking his tzitzit/tassels calling people to obedience) and once at the end with tables overturned—it would parallel this law. The second cleansing would indicate the corruption had returned and spread, leading to Jesus’s pronouncement that the temple would be destroyed.

The Fig Tree and Religious Leadership

Jesus cursed a fig tree on the way back from Bethany, which seems like an odd temper tantrum—especially since it wasn’t even the season for figs. However, this was a teaching moment with deep symbolic meaning.

In Jewish literature and rabbinic thought:

Olive trees represent the people of Israel
Grapevines can represent God’s people
Fig trees represent spiritual leadership and rabbis

This connection comes from Proverbs 27:18: “The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master will be honored.” Rabbinic teaching interpreted this to mean that sitting under a rabbi (master/rav) and receiving his teachings is like eating sweet fruit from a fig tree.

Jesus cursed the fruitless fig tree to symbolize corrupt spiritual leadership—particularly the Sadducees and priesthood who had turned the temple into a marketplace. The disciples asked “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” which may have meant “How will this corrupt leadership fall so quickly when they seem so entrenched?”

Moving Mountains - Herodium Reference

Jesus responded to the disciples’ question about the fig tree by saying “If you have faith and do not doubt… you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done” (Matthew 21:21).

Since rabbis always pointed at what they were teaching about, and Jesus was on the Mount of Olives where Herodium would be visible in the distance, he likely pointed at Herodium—the mountain-fortress Herod the Great literally built by moving earth to create an artificial mountain.

Jesus’s point: “Don’t tell me that Herod’s wealth and power can move mountains, but a little bit of faith (like a mustard seed, like yeast) can’t take down this corrupt system. This is your calling.” It’s a statement about the power of faith versus the power of empire.

Authority and S’micha

When Jesus returned to the temple, the chief priests and elders challenged him: “By what authority (s’micha) are you doing these things?” S’micha refers to the formal rabbinical ordination received through the traditional school system (bet sefer, bet midrash, bet talmud), where rabbis would lay hands on students to pass on authority.

Jesus hadn’t come through this system—he was a carpenter’s son from Nazareth. If Bruce Chilton’s theory is correct (that Jesus was seen as illegitimate, a mamzer), he might not have even been admitted to bet sefer.

Jesus deflected with a question: “John’s baptism—was it from heaven or of human origin?” This reveals that Jesus considered John the Baptist his rabbi, the source of his authority. The religious leaders were trapped:

If they said “from heaven,” Jesus would ask why they didn’t believe John
If they said “of human origin,” the crowds who revered John as a prophet would turn against them

When they refused to answer, Jesus refused to answer their question—brilliant rabbinical judo that exposed the dishonesty of their challenge.

Examples & Applications

Modern Political and National Identity

Released on July 4th (U.S. Independence Day), this episode raises uncomfortable questions about American Christianity’s relationship with nationalism, military power, and empire. Marty Solomon notes: “I think far too much of our American culture has us standing at the west side of Jerusalem, not the east.”

The triumphal entry asks contemporary believers to examine:

Do we align more with Pilate’s values (power, military might, security through force) or Jesus’s values (peace, sacrificial love, enemy love)?
Are we waving palm fronds and shouting for a revolution with our kind of power?
Do our political agendas and methods reflect the Kingdom of God or kingdoms of this world?

This doesn’t mean rejecting gratitude for freedom or denying genuine blessings, but it does mean critically examining where our ultimate allegiance lies and what kind of power we trust.

Religious Corruption and Exploitation

The temple marketplace mirrors modern religious systems that:

Create financial barriers to worship or spiritual experience
Exploit people’s spiritual needs for profit
Control religious “approval” mechanisms for personal gain
Marginalize outsiders while claiming to represent God

The cleansing of the temple demonstrates Jesus’s anger at systems that turn sacred space into commerce and exclude those seeking God. It challenges contemporary religious institutions to examine whether they facilitate genuine encounter with God or create barriers.

Leadership Accountability

The cursing of the fig tree speaks to religious and spiritual leadership that appears healthy externally but bears no fruit. Jesus’s judgment fell on those who:

Had positions of authority but failed to shepherd God’s people
Created systems that benefited themselves rather than serving others
Appeared learned and authoritative but missed the heart of God’s message
Used religious positions for personal gain rather than facilitating people’s relationship with God

This serves as a sobering warning to pastors, teachers, and leaders in faith communities today.

Two Donkeys - Personal Choice

The image of the riderless donkey invites personal reflection:

Which kingdom do I truly want—one built on power, influence, and security, or one built on peace, justice, and sacrificial love?
Am I willing to pay the price of following Jesus’s way when it conflicts with cultural values?
Do I say I want the Kingdom of God while clutching palm fronds and demanding revolution on my terms?

This becomes especially relevant during times of political polarization, when followers of Jesus are tempted to trust in political power rather than the subversive power of the Kingdom of God.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Zechariah 9-14: Deep dive into the complete context of the passage Jesus invoked, including the themes of peace, judgment, restoration, and the nations coming to worship
Sukkot and Messianic Expectation: Why the Feast of Tabernacles became associated with messianic hope and the final restoration
Psalm 118: The full context of the “Hosanna” psalm and its use in Jewish worship and messianic expectation
The Zealot Movement: The political and revolutionary context of first-century Judaism under Roman occupation
Caesarea Maritima: Herod the Great’s architectural achievements and what they reveal about power, wealth, and Roman-Jewish relations
The Court of the Gentiles: The temple’s design, the place of Gentiles in Jewish worship, and how Jesus’s mission expanded this
Leviticus 14 and Mold Laws: The complete instructions for dealing with contaminated houses and their symbolic significance
Proverbs 27:18 and Rabbinic Teaching: How fig trees became associated with rabbis and the sweetness of Torah study
Herodium: Herod’s mountain fortress and what it represented in terms of power, paranoia, and legacy
John the Baptist as Rabbi: Evidence for and against viewing John as Jesus’s primary teacher and source of authority
S’micha and Rabbinic Ordination: The traditional path to becoming a rabbi and how Jesus’s approach differed
Matthew’s Use of Doubles: The literary and theological significance of pairs in Matthew’s Gospel
Empire and Kingdom Theology: Biblical teaching on the relationship between God’s kingdom and earthly empires
Palm Branches in Roman History: When and why palm fronds became a crucifiable offense in the Roman Empire
The Booths of Ananus: Historical sources on temple corruption and the priestly families that controlled temple commerce

Comprehension Questions

Compare and Contrast: How did Pontius Pilate’s entry into Jerusalem from the west differ from Jesus’s entry from the east, and what did each entry communicate about their respective kingdoms? What does this dual entry teach us about competing visions of power?
Prophetic Fulfillment: Jesus deliberately invoked Zechariah 9:9 by riding a donkey, but the crowds seemed to miss Zechariah 9:10. How does the complete prophecy (both verses) differ from what the crowds expected? Why did this make Jesus weep?
Symbolism and Context: Why were the crowds waving palm fronds and shouting words from Psalm 118 (traditionally a Sukkot celebration) during Passover week? What does this reveal about their expectations and the danger of their situation under Roman occupation?
Fig Tree Interpretation: Explain why the fig tree in Matthew 21 represents corrupt religious leadership rather than the nation of Israel. What is the connection to Proverbs 27:18, and how does this change our understanding of Jesus’s action?
Temple Cleansing Significance: What made the temple marketplace especially corrupt, and why did Jesus choose to cleanse the Court of the Gentiles specifically? How does this action reflect Jesus’s mission and values? If there were two cleansings, what would the connection to Levitical mold laws suggest about the temple’s fate?

Personalized Summary

Episode 124 presents the triumphal entry as a profound political and prophetic statement about competing kingdoms. While Pontius Pilate rode into Jerusalem from the west on a white stallion with military might, Jesus entered from the east on a humble donkey, fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy of a king who comes in peace. The crowds, waving palm fronds associated with the revolutionary Zealot party and shouting Sukkot songs during Passover, completely misunderstood Jesus’s mission—they wanted violent overthrow of Rome when Jesus came to establish peace and eliminate weapons of war.

Jesus wept over their misunderstanding, and his subsequent actions targeted the corruption that had led them astray. He cleansed the temple where religious leaders had turned sacred space for Gentile worship into an exploitative marketplace. He cursed a fruitless fig tree representing corrupt spiritual leadership that appeared healthy but bore no fruit. He pointed to Herodium, Herod’s artificial mountain, declaring that faith could move mountains greater than human empire could build.

When challenged about his authority (s’micha), Jesus revealed that his rabbinical authority came from John the Baptist, not the traditional school system—an answer the religious establishment couldn’t accept because they rejected John’s prophetic ministry.

The episode’s release on American Independence Day wasn’t accidental—it forces difficult questions about where modern believers place their allegiance. Do we stand on the west side of Jerusalem with Pilate, trusting in military power, political influence, and earthly security? Or do we stand on the east side with Jesus, trusting in the subversive power of peace, sacrificial love, and the Kingdom of God?

Matthew’s inclusion of two donkeys serves as a literary invitation across the centuries: one donkey carries Jesus toward his death for the sake of true peace; the other remains riderless, waiting for us to choose which kingdom we really want.

Note: These study notes are based on BEMA Podcast Episode 124, hosted by Marty Solomon and Brent Billings. For discussion and deeper exploration, visit bemadiscipleship.com to find or start a discussion group in your area.

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S3 124: Statement of Triumph

Donkeys, Cleansing, and Authority [41:28]