Often, by preachers and others, the impression is given that there was one Easter crowd who welcomed Jesus with “Hosannas” at the beginning of the week, then shouted , “Crucify him!” a few days later.
That is not true. There were several Easter crowds, very different from each other.
Who is in the crowd?
What are they doing?
What is Jesus response?
What does it show of Jesus’ glory?
1. THE WELCOMING CROWD
1) Matthew 21v6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.
2) Luke 8v1-3 The twelve were with him and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out, Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household, Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support Him out of their own means.
Luke 23v49 All those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Acts 1v21-23 It is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time, beginning from John’s baptism… So they proposed Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
3) John 11v45, Then many of the Jews which came to Mary and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him…
John 12v17 The people who were with him when he raised Lazarus were testifying. For this cause also the people met him because they heard he had done this miracle.
4) John 11v55 Many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the Festival at all?”
John 12v12 A big crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him shouting, “Hosanna……”
Jesus’ response: Luke 19v40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
[That happened! At the one time when no one was speaking up for Jesus: Matthew 27 v50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split… When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and exclaimed, “Surely he was God’s son.”]
2. THE FESTIVAL CROWD
1) John 11v55 Many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the Festival at all?”
2) Matthew 21v14 The blind and the lame came to him, and he healed them.
3) Matthew 21v15 Children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David”
4) Luke 21v38 Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple… and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.
Jesus’ response:
Mark 11v17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations….?’”
Matthew 21v6 “Do you not hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, ‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?”
3. THE RELIGIOUS UNBELIEVING CROWD
John 12v29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
John 12v34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law… so how can you say….?”
John 12v37 Even though Jesus had done so many miracles in their presence, they still would not believe in him.
Jesus’ response:
John 12v36 “While you have light , believe on the light…” Jesus said these things and left and hid himself from them.
4. THE ARRESTING CROWD
Matthew 21v46 They (chief priests and the Pharisees) looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd (in the temple) because the people held that he was a prophet.
Matthew 26v3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled…. and plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
Luke 19v47… the chief priests, the teachers of the law and leaders among the people were trying to kill him. Yet they could not find a way to do it, because all the people hung on his words. (GNB kept listening to him, not wanting to miss a single word.)
Luke 20v19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately… but they were afraid of the people.
Luke 22v2 and the chief priests and teachers of the law were looking for a way to get rid of Jesus….Judas consented and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
Matthew 26v47 Judas..appeared With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders of the people.
Jesus’ response:
Luke 22v52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion that you have come with swords and clubs? Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour – when darkness reigns.”
Matthew 26v56 “But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
5. THE CONDEMNING CROWD
Luke22v66 At daybreak, the council of the leaders, the chief priests and teachers of the law met together and Jesus was led before them.
Luke 23v1 Then the whole assembly rose up and led him off to Pilate.
Matthew 27v15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time there was a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew it was out of envy that they (the chief priests and elders) had handed Jesus over to him.
Matthew 27v20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
Mark 15v11 But the chief priests vehemently stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
Jesus response:
Silence
6. THE CALVARY CROWD
Luke 23v26 As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
Luke 23v27 A large number of people followed him including women who mourned and wailed for him.
Luke 23v35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him..
Luke 23v36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him.
Mark 15v36 One man ran, filled a sponge with cheap wine, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink.
John 19v25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby…
Luke 23v48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.
Luke 23v49 But all those wo knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Matt27v54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and exclaimed, “Surely he was God’s son!”
Jesus response:
Luke 23v28 “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me. Weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when they will say, “Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!” Then ‘ they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and tot the hills, “Cover us.”’
For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”