Thursday, December 6, 2012

GOSPEL: Matthew 21:1-9

Reading:
And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,  Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.   All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,   Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.   And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,   And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.   And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.   And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

Commentary:
One aspect or quality of meekness, is the willingness to submit or leave all things to the judgment of God.  The meek quietly and humbly commit their life to the Lord, accepting His judgments, even if it means their own death.  In many places of Scripture then we find Jesus in the spirit of meekness, always doing and accepting His Father's will.  This is why He willingly rode into Jerusalem knowing it would only bring Him man's erring judgment and death, for this was His high calling from the Father, to meekly endure the cross for our sake.  "Father into Thy hands I commend My spirit."  We use this text often for Advent, in that the people of Jerusalem happily received Christ as a King, though He rode upon a lowly donkey.  When He returns again, He will however appear in all His glory, and His daughters and sons who meekly suffered all things here, will be crowned in great triumph and glory there in the world to come.  The Kingdom of Glory then is above us, and while on earth we live in His Kingdom of Grace, which leads to glory.  "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek."

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