This is actually the story about “three separate” and “different” occurring processionals into the Holy City of Jerusalem. Two of them occurred on the same day.
The first procession took place around 167/166 years earlier…
But it was held in the common mind, as if – it happened yesterday.
The Maccabean army had been achieving great success through “gorilla tactics” – in the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid Empire.
This would culminate in a triumphal entry into Jerusalem to ritually cleanse the Temple from syncretistic Greek pagan rituals. This is where the season of Hanukah developed from…
This entry would have most likely been led by one Judas Maccabeus’ seated on a war horse—followed immediately by his sons and their army – fresh from the fighting.
They were greeted with the customary waving of palm fronds and exuberant praise from the people as they entered.
The Jews with this rag-tag army of father and sons along with a whole host of other Jewish men had successfully chased the Seleucid Empire out of Israel.
The acclaim was huge…the excitement very real…
The second procession came into the city from the West.
Pontius Pilate the Royal Governor – made his appearance in the holy city for the High Holy days.
Pilate came parading through the thoroughfares and streets on a war horse accompanied by a squadron or two of Battle-hardened Roman Soldiers.
His entrance was done with great fanfare. He is met with great acclaim by the crowds…because they know better than to not stop whatever it is they are doing and applaud his appearance.
The Roman army was making its annual appearance to maintain order during the Passover celebration.
During these “High Holy Days” the population of Jerusalem would swell from around 50,000 to well over 200,000 and both are conservative estimates.
Moreover, Passover was the celebration of liberation from Pharaoh in Egypt and Rome was uneasy about the anti-imperial message of it all.
The Romans were headquartered at Caesarea Maritima, a city built by Herod the Great to honor Caesar Augustus and make money for himself…at the same time. Herod was known for building monuments to Caesar at every opportunity. It gave him “brownie points!”
The procession of the Roman Army from Caesarea Maritima would have been a very imposing sight.
Legionnaires on horseback, Roman standards flying, the Roman eaqle being prominently displayed, the clanking sound of all the armor, the stomping of all the boots and of course, the rhythmic cadence of beating drums.
This procession was designed to be a display of Roman Imperial power. It’s message…very much like the Borg, resistance is futile.
The third and final procession is that of Jesus of Nazareth. The procession of Jesus mocks the Roman procession. This counter demonstration came from the East, the opposite direction from that of Pilate. His entrance is ludicrously humble.
Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey was a public relations winner. The Messiah-hungry-crowd” witnessed and interpreted the arrival as if it was cast in all the Hebrew trappings and nuances of a royal arrival to the capital city. This was a hero’s welcome…it was Jerusalem’s equivalent of a ticker tape parade or a coronation cavalcade.
According to II Kings 9. 13 the strewing of cloaks onto the path was a sign of royal homage.
The crowd seems to have in mind for Jesus – the kind of kingdom now held only in hallowed memory – the “Golden Age of King David” – a time of prosperity – and also one of military power and territorial expansion.
Matthew says that when Jesus entered into Jerusalem “all the city was shaken” – the word used there is “seio” – it means, moved, shaken to and from, with the idea of shock or concussion. It is the same root word as in seismic – or earthquake.
Obviously the city was in great turmoil…and a lot of people were questioning “what this all meant…”
Was Jesus to be their “new” Judas Maccabee to their Roman oppressors? And what was running through their minds when they saw Jesus riding on a donkey – followed by a group of crusty fishermen and other non military types?