Difference between revisions of "172:5 The Apostle's Attitude"
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| − | 172:5.1 This Sunday evening as they returned to [ | + | 172:5.1 This Sunday evening as they returned to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethany Bethany], [[Jesus]] walked in front of [[the apostles]]. Not a word was [[spoken]] until they [[separated]] after arriving at Simon's house. No [[twelve]] [[human being]]s ever [[experienced]] such [[diverse]] and inexplicable [[emotions]] as now surged through the [[minds]] and [[souls]] of these [[ambassadors]] of [[the kingdom]]. These sturdy [[Galileans]] were [[confused]] and disconcerted; they did not know what to [[expect]] next; they were too [[surprised]] to be much [[afraid]]. They knew nothing of [[the Master]]'s [[plans]] for the next day, and they asked no [[questions]]. They went to their lodgings, though they did not [[sleep]] much, save [[the twins]]. But they did not keep armed watch over [[Jesus]] at Simon's house. |
| − | 172:5.2 [[Andrew, the Apostle|Andrew]] was thoroughly bewildered, well-nigh [[confused]]. He was the one [[apostle]] who did not seriously undertake to [[evaluate]] the [[popular]] outburst of [[acclaim]]. He was too preoccupied with the [[thought]] of his [[responsibility]] as chief of [[the Apostles|the apostolic corps]] to give serious [[consideration]] to the [[meaning]] or significance of the loud [ | + | 172:5.2 [[Andrew, the Apostle|Andrew]] was thoroughly bewildered, well-nigh [[confused]]. He was the one [[apostle]] who did not seriously undertake to [[evaluate]] the [[popular]] outburst of [[acclaim]]. He was too preoccupied with the [[thought]] of his [[responsibility]] as chief of [[the Apostles|the apostolic corps]] to give serious [[consideration]] to the [[meaning]] or significance of the loud [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosanna hosannas] of [[the multitude]]. [[Andrew, the Apostle|Andrew]] was [[busy]] watching some of his [[associates]] whom he [[feared]] might be led away by their [[emotions]] during the excitement, particularly [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]], [[James, the Apostle|James]], [[John, the Apostle|John]], and [[Simon Zelotes]]. Throughout this day and those which [[immediately]] followed, [[Andrew, the Apostle|Andrew]] was troubled with serious [[doubts]], but he never [[expressed]] any of these misgivings to his [[apostolic associates]]. He was concerned about the [[attitude]] of some of [[the twelve]] who he knew were armed with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword swords]; but he did not know that his own [[brother]], [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]], was carrying such a weapon. And so the [[procession]] into [[Jerusalem]] made a comparatively [[superficial]] impression upon [[Andrew, the Apostle|Andrew]]; he was too [[busy]] with the [[responsibilities]] of his office to be otherwise affected. |
| − | 172:5.3 [[Simon Peter]] was at first almost swept off his feet by this [[popular]] [[manifestation]] of [[enthusiasm]]; but he was considerably [[sobered]] by the time they returned to [ | + | 172:5.3 [[Simon Peter]] was at first almost swept off his feet by this [[popular]] [[manifestation]] of [[enthusiasm]]; but he was considerably [[sobered]] by the time they returned to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethany Bethany] that night. [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]] simply could not figure out what [[the Master]] was about. He was terribly [[disappointed]] that [[Jesus]] did not follow up this [[wave]] of [[popular]] favor with some kind of a [[pronouncement]]. [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]] could not [[understand]] why [[Jesus]] did not [[speak]] to [[the multitude]] when they arrived at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple the temple], or at least [[permit]] one of [[the apostles]] to address the crowd. [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]] was a great [[preacher]], and he disliked to see such a large, [[receptive]], and [[enthusiastic]] [[audience]] go to [[waste]]. He would so much have liked to [[preach]] the [[gospel]] of [[the kingdom]] to that throng right there in the [[temple]]; but [[the Master]] had specifically charged them that they were to do no [[teaching]] or [[preaching]] while in [[Jerusalem]] this [[Passover]] week. The [[reaction]] from the [[spectacular]] [[procession]] into the [[city]] was disastrous to [[Simon Peter]]; by night he was [[sobered]] and inexpressibly [[Melancholy|saddened]]. |
| − | 172:5.4 To [[James Zebedee]], this Sunday was a day of perplexity and [[profound]] [[confusion]]; he could not grasp the [[purport]] of what was going on; he could not [[comprehend]] [[the Master]]'s [[purpose]] in [[permitting]] this wild [[acclaim]] and then in refusing to say a [[word]] to the people when they arrived at [ | + | 172:5.4 To [[James Zebedee]], this Sunday was a day of perplexity and [[profound]] [[confusion]]; he could not grasp the [[purport]] of what was going on; he could not [[comprehend]] [[the Master]]'s [[purpose]] in [[permitting]] this wild [[acclaim]] and then in refusing to say a [[word]] to the people when they arrived at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_temple the temple]. As the [[procession]] moved down [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_of_Olives Olivet] toward [[Jerusalem]], more especially when they were met by the thousands of [[pilgrims]] who poured forth to [[welcome]] [[the Master]], [[James Zebedee|James]] was [[cruelly]] torn by his [[conflicting]] [[emotions]] of elation and [[gratification]] at what he saw and by his [[profound]] [[feeling]] of [[fear]] as to what would happen when they reached [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple the temple]. And then was he [[downcast]] and overcome by [[disappointment]] when [[Jesus]] climbed off the donkey and [[proceeded]] to walk [[leisurely]] about the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_temple#Life_in_and_around_the_temple temple courts]. [[James Zebedee|James]] could not [[understand]] the reason for throwing away such a [[magnificent]] [[opportunity]] to [[proclaim]] [[the kingdom]]. By night, his [[mind]] was held firmly in the grip of a distressing and dreadful [[uncertainty]]. |
| − | 172:5.5 [[John Zebedee]] came somewhere near [[understanding]] why [[Jesus]] did this; at least he grasped in part the [[spiritual]] significance of this so-called [[triumphal]] entry into [[Jerusalem]]. As [[the multitude]] moved on toward [ | + | 172:5.5 [[John Zebedee]] came somewhere near [[understanding]] why [[Jesus]] did this; at least he grasped in part the [[spiritual]] significance of this so-called [[triumphal]] entry into [[Jerusalem]]. As [[the multitude]] moved on toward [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple the temple], and as [[John, the Apostle|John]] beheld his Master sitting there astride the colt, he recalled hearing [[Jesus]] onetime quote the passage of [[Scripture]], the [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Zechariah#Chapter_.9 utterance of Zechariah], which described the coming of the [[Messiah]] as a man of [[peace]] and riding into [[Jerusalem]] on an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey ass]. As [[John, the Apostle|John]] turned this [[Scripture]] over in his [[mind]], he began to [[comprehend]] the [[symbolic]] significance of this Sunday-afternoon [[pageant]]. At least, he grasped enough of the [[meaning]] of this [[Scripture]] to enable him somewhat to [[enjoy]] the [[episode]] and to [[prevent]] his becoming overmuch [[depressed]] by the [[apparent]] purposeless ending of the [[triumphal]] [[procession]]. [[John, the Apostle|John]] had a [[type]] of [[mind]] which [[naturally]] tended to [[think]] and [[feel]] in [[symbols]]. |
| − | 172:5.6 [[Philip, the Apostle|Philip]] was entirely unsettled by the suddenness and [[spontaneity]] of the outburst. He could not collect his [[thoughts]] sufficiently while on the way down [ | + | 172:5.6 [[Philip, the Apostle|Philip]] was entirely unsettled by the suddenness and [[spontaneity]] of the outburst. He could not collect his [[thoughts]] sufficiently while on the way down [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_of_Olives Olivet] to arrive at any settled notion as to what all the [[demonstration]] was about. In a way, he [[enjoyed]] the [[performance]] because his Master was being [[honored]]. By the time they reached [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple the temple], he was perturbed by the [[thought]] that [[Jesus]] might possibly ask him to feed [[the multitude]], so that the [[conduct]] of [[Jesus]] in turning [[leisurely]] away from the crowds, which so sorely [[disappointed]] the [[majority]] of [[the apostles]], was a great relief to [[Philip, the Apostle|Philip]]. Multitudes had sometimes been a great [[trial]] to the steward of [[the twelve]]. After he was relieved of these [[personal]] [[fears]] regarding the [[material]] needs of the crowds, [[Philip, the Apostle|Philip]] joined with [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]] in the [[expression]] of [[disappointment]] that nothing was done to teach [[the multitude]]. That night [[Philip, the Apostle|Philip]] got to [[thinking]] over these [[experiences]] and was [[tempted]] to [[doubt]] the whole [[idea]] of [[the kingdom]]; he [[honestly]] [[wondered]] what all these [[things]] could mean, but he [[expressed]] his [[doubts]] to no one; he [[loved]] [[Jesus]] too much. He had great [[personal]] [[faith]] in [[the Master]]. |
| − | 172:5.7 [[Nathaniel]], aside from the [[symbolic]] and [[prophetic]] aspects, came the nearest to [[understanding]] [[the Master]]'s reason for enlisting the [[popular]] [[support]] of the [[Passover]] [[pilgrims]]. He reasoned it out, before they reached [ | + | 172:5.7 [[Nathaniel]], aside from the [[symbolic]] and [[prophetic]] aspects, came the nearest to [[understanding]] [[the Master]]'s reason for enlisting the [[popular]] [[support]] of the [[Passover]] [[pilgrims]]. He reasoned it out, before they reached [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple the temple], that without such a [[demonstrative]] entry into [[Jerusalem]] [[Jesus]] would have been [[arrested]] by the [[Sanhedrin]] officials and cast into [[prison]] the [[moment]] he [[presumed]] to enter the [[city]]. He was not, therefore, in the least [[surprised]] that [[the Master]] made no further use of the cheering crowds when he had once got inside the walls of the [[city]] and had thus so forcibly impressed the [[Jewish]] [[leaders]] that they would refrain from placing him under [[immediate]] [[arrest]]. [[Understanding]] the real reason for [[the Master]]'s entering the [[city]] in this [[manner]], [[Nathaniel]] naturally followed along with more [[poise]] and was less perturbed and [[disappointed]] by [[Jesus]]' subsequent [[conduct]] than were the other [[apostles]]. [[Nathaniel]] had great [[confidence]] in [[Jesus]]' [[understanding]] of men as well as in his [[sagacity]] and [[cleverness]] in handling [[difficult]] situations. |
| − | 172:5.8 [[Matthew, the Apostle|Matthew]] was at first nonplused by this [[pageant]] [[performance]]. He did not grasp the [[meaning]] of what his eyes were seeing until he also recalled the [ | + | 172:5.8 [[Matthew, the Apostle|Matthew]] was at first nonplused by this [[pageant]] [[performance]]. He did not grasp the [[meaning]] of what his eyes were seeing until he also recalled the [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Zechariah#Chapter_.9 Scripture in Zechariah] where the [[prophet]] had alluded to the [[rejoicing]] of [[Jerusalem]] because her [[king]] had come bringing [[salvation]] and riding upon the colt of an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey ass]. As the [[procession]] moved in the direction of the [[city]] and then drew on toward [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple the temple], [[Matthew, the Apostle|Matthew]] became [[ecstatic]]; he was certain that something [[extraordinary]] would happen when [[the Master]] arrived at the [[temple]] at the head of this shouting multitude. When one of the [[Pharisees]] [[mocked]] [[Jesus]], saying, " Look, everybody, see who comes here, the [[king]] of the [[Jews]] riding on an ass! " [[Matthew, the Apostle|Matthew]] kept his hands off of him only by [[exercising]] great [[restraint]]. None of [[the twelve]] was more [[depressed]] on the way back to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethany Bethany] that evening. Next to [[Simon Peter]] and [[Simon Zelotes]], he [[experienced]] the highest nervous [[tension]] and was in a [[state]] of [[exhaustion]] by night. But by morning [[Matthew, the Apostle|Matthew]] was much [[cheered]]; he was, after all, a cheerful loser. |
| − | 172:5.9 [[Thomas, the Apostle|Thomas]] was the most bewildered and [[puzzled]] man of all [[the twelve]]. Most of the time he just followed along, gazing at the [[spectacle]] and [[honestly]] [[wondering]] what could be [[the Master]]'s [[motive]] for [[participating]] in such a peculiar [[demonstration]]. Down deep in his [[heart]] he regarded the whole [[performance]] as a little childish, if not downright [[foolish]]. He had never seen [[Jesus]] do anything like this and was at a loss to [[Accounting|account]] for his [[strange]] [[conduct]] on this Sunday afternoon. By the [[Timing|time]] they reached [ | + | 172:5.9 [[Thomas, the Apostle|Thomas]] was the most bewildered and [[puzzled]] man of all [[the twelve]]. Most of the time he just followed along, gazing at the [[spectacle]] and [[honestly]] [[wondering]] what could be [[the Master]]'s [[motive]] for [[participating]] in such a peculiar [[demonstration]]. Down deep in his [[heart]] he regarded the whole [[performance]] as a little childish, if not downright [[foolish]]. He had never seen [[Jesus]] do anything like this and was at a loss to [[Accounting|account]] for his [[strange]] [[conduct]] on this Sunday afternoon. By the [[Timing|time]] they reached [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple the temple], [[Thomas, the Apostle|Thomas]] had [[deduced]] that the [[purpose]] of this [[popular]] [[demonstration]] was so to [[frighten]] the [[Sanhedrin]] that they would not [[dare]] [[immediately]] to [[arrest]] [[the Master]]. On the way back to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethany Bethany] [[Thomas, the Apostle|Thomas]] [[thought]] much but said nothing. By bedtime [[the Master]]'s [[cleverness]] in [[staging]] the tumultuous entry into [[Jerusalem]] had begun to make a somewhat [[humorous]] [[appeal]], and he was much [[cheered]] up by this [[reaction]]. |
| − | 172:5.10 This Sunday started off as a great day for [[Simon Zelotes]]. He saw [[visions]] of [[wonderful]] [[doings]] in [[Jerusalem]] the next few days, and in that he was right, but [[Simon Zelotes|Simon]] [[dreamed]] of the [[establishment]] of the new [[national]] rule of the [[Jews]], with [[Jesus]] on the [[throne]] of [ | + | 172:5.10 This Sunday started off as a great day for [[Simon Zelotes]]. He saw [[visions]] of [[wonderful]] [[doings]] in [[Jerusalem]] the next few days, and in that he was right, but [[Simon Zelotes|Simon]] [[dreamed]] of the [[establishment]] of the new [[national]] rule of the [[Jews]], with [[Jesus]] on the [[throne]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David David]. [[Simon Zelotes|Simon]] saw the [[Nationalism|nationalists]] springing into [[action]] as soon as [[the kingdom]] was [[announced]], and himself in [[supreme]] command of the assembling [[military]] [[force]]s of the new kingdom. On the way down [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_of_Olives Olivet] he even envisaged the [[Sanhedrin]] and all of their [[sympathizers]] dead before sunset of that day. He really [[believed]] something great was going to happen. He was the [[noisiest]] man in the whole multitude. By five o'clock that afternoon he was a [[silent]], crushed, and [[disillusioned]] [[apostle]]. He never fully recovered from the [[depression]] which settled down on him as a result of this day's [[shock]]; at least not until long after [[the Master]]'s [[resurrection]]. |
| − | 172:5.11 To the [[Alpheus twins]] this was a [[perfect]] day. They really [[enjoyed]] it all the way through, and not being present during the [[time]] of [[quiet]] [[visitation]] about the [[temple]], they [[escaped]] much of the anticlimax of the [[popular]] upheaval. They could not possibly [[understand]] the [[downcast]] [[behavior]] of [[the apostles]] when they came back to [ | + | 172:5.11 To the [[Alpheus twins]] this was a [[perfect]] day. They really [[enjoyed]] it all the way through, and not being present during the [[time]] of [[quiet]] [[visitation]] about the [[temple]], they [[escaped]] much of the anticlimax of the [[popular]] upheaval. They could not possibly [[understand]] the [[downcast]] [[behavior]] of [[the apostles]] when they came back to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethany Bethany] that evening. In the [[memory]] of [[the twins]] this was always their day of being nearest [[heaven]] on [[earth]]. This day was the [[satisfying]] [[climax]] of their whole [[career]] as [[apostles]]. And the [[memory]] of the elation of this Sunday afternoon carried them on through all of the [[tragedy]] of this eventful week, right up to the hour of the [[crucifixion]]. It was the most befitting entry of the [[king]] [[the twins]] could conceive; they [[enjoyed]] every moment of the whole [[pageant]]. They fully [[approved]] of all they saw and long [[cherished]] the [[memory]]. |
| − | 172:5.12 Of all [[the apostles]], [[Judas Iscariot]] was the most [[adversely]] affected by this [[processional]] entry into [[Jerusalem]]. His [[mind]] was in a disagreeable ferment because of [[the Master]]'s [[rebuke]] the preceding day in [[connection]] with [ | + | 172:5.12 Of all [[the apostles]], [[Judas Iscariot]] was the most [[adversely]] affected by this [[processional]] entry into [[Jerusalem]]. His [[mind]] was in a disagreeable ferment because of [[the Master]]'s [[rebuke]] the preceding day in [[connection]] with [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_172#172:1._SABBATH_AT_BETHANY Mary's anointing at the feast in Simon's house]. [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] was disgusted with the whole [[spectacle]]. To him it seemed childish, if not indeed ridiculous. As this [[vengeful]] [[apostle]] looked upon the proceedings of this Sunday afternoon, [[Jesus]] seemed to him more to resemble a [[clown]] than a [[king]]. He heartily resented the whole [[performance]]. He [[shared]] the views of the [[Greeks]] and [[Romans]], who looked down upon anyone who would [[consent]] to ride upon an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey ass] or the colt of an ass. By the time the [[triumphal]] [[procession]] had entered the [[city]], [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] had about made up his [[mind]] to [[abandon]] the whole [[idea]] of such a kingdom; he was almost [[resolved]] to [[forsake]] all such farcical attempts to establish [[the kingdom]] of heaven. And then he [[thought]] of the [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_168 resurrection of Lazarus], and many other [[things]], and [[decided]] to stay on with [[the twelve]], at least for another day. Besides, he carried the bag, and he would not desert with the apostolic [[funds]] in his [[possession]]. On the way back to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethany Bethany] that night his [[conduct]] did not seem [[strange]] since all of [[the apostles]] were equally [[downcast]] and [[silent]]. |
| − | 172:5.13 [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] was tremendously [[influenced]] by the [[ridicule]] of his [[Sadducean]] [[friends]]. No other single [[factor]] exerted such a [[powerful]] [[influence]] on him, in his final [[determination]] to [[forsake]] [[Jesus]] and his fellow [[apostles]], as a certain [[episode]] which occurred just as [[Jesus]] reached the gate of the [[city]]: A prominent [[Sadducee]] (a [[friend]] of [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]]'s [[family]]) rushed up to him in a [[spirit]] of gleeful [[ridicule]] and, slapping him on the back, said: " Why so troubled of [[countenance]], my good [[friend]]; [[cheer]] up and join us all while we [[acclaim]] this [[Jesus]] of [[Nazareth]] the [[king]] of the [[Jews]] as he rides through the gates of [[Jerusalem]] seated on an [ | + | 172:5.13 [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] was tremendously [[influenced]] by the [[ridicule]] of his [[Sadducean]] [[friends]]. No other single [[factor]] exerted such a [[powerful]] [[influence]] on him, in his final [[determination]] to [[forsake]] [[Jesus]] and his fellow [[apostles]], as a certain [[episode]] which occurred just as [[Jesus]] reached the gate of the [[city]]: A prominent [[Sadducee]] (a [[friend]] of [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]]'s [[family]]) rushed up to him in a [[spirit]] of gleeful [[ridicule]] and, slapping him on the back, said: " Why so troubled of [[countenance]], my good [[friend]]; [[cheer]] up and join us all while we [[acclaim]] this [[Jesus]] of [[Nazareth]] the [[king]] of the [[Jews]] as he rides through the gates of [[Jerusalem]] seated on an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey ass]. " [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] had never shrunk from [[persecution]], but he could not stand this sort of [[ridicule]]. With the long-nourished [[emotion]] of [[revenge]] there was now blended this [[fatal]] [[fear]] of [[ridicule]], that terrible and [[fearful]] [[feeling]] of [[being]] [[ashamed]] of his [[the Master|Master]] and his fellow [[apostles]]. At [[heart]], this [[ordained]] [[ambassador]] of [[the kingdom]] was already a [[deserter]]; it only remained for him to find some [[plausible]] [[excuse]] for an open break with [[the Master]]. |
| − | <center>[ | + | <center>[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_172 Go to Paper 172]</center> |
| − | <center>[ | + | <center>[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Urantia_Text_-_Contents Go to Table of Contents]</center> |
[[Category:Paper 172 - Going into Jerusalem]] | [[Category:Paper 172 - Going into Jerusalem]] | ||
[[Category: Perspective]] | [[Category: Perspective]] | ||
Latest revision as of 23:02, 12 December 2020
172:5.1 This Sunday evening as they returned to Bethany, Jesus walked in front of the apostles. Not a word was spoken until they separated after arriving at Simon's house. No twelve human beings ever experienced such diverse and inexplicable emotions as now surged through the minds and souls of these ambassadors of the kingdom. These sturdy Galileans were confused and disconcerted; they did not know what to expect next; they were too surprised to be much afraid. They knew nothing of the Master's plans for the next day, and they asked no questions. They went to their lodgings, though they did not sleep much, save the twins. But they did not keep armed watch over Jesus at Simon's house.
172:5.2 Andrew was thoroughly bewildered, well-nigh confused. He was the one apostle who did not seriously undertake to evaluate the popular outburst of acclaim. He was too preoccupied with the thought of his responsibility as chief of the apostolic corps to give serious consideration to the meaning or significance of the loud hosannas of the multitude. Andrew was busy watching some of his associates whom he feared might be led away by their emotions during the excitement, particularly Peter, James, John, and Simon Zelotes. Throughout this day and those which immediately followed, Andrew was troubled with serious doubts, but he never expressed any of these misgivings to his apostolic associates. He was concerned about the attitude of some of the twelve who he knew were armed with swords; but he did not know that his own brother, Peter, was carrying such a weapon. And so the procession into Jerusalem made a comparatively superficial impression upon Andrew; he was too busy with the responsibilities of his office to be otherwise affected.
172:5.3 Simon Peter was at first almost swept off his feet by this popular manifestation of enthusiasm; but he was considerably sobered by the time they returned to Bethany that night. Peter simply could not figure out what the Master was about. He was terribly disappointed that Jesus did not follow up this wave of popular favor with some kind of a pronouncement. Peter could not understand why Jesus did not speak to the multitude when they arrived at the temple, or at least permit one of the apostles to address the crowd. Peter was a great preacher, and he disliked to see such a large, receptive, and enthusiastic audience go to waste. He would so much have liked to preach the gospel of the kingdom to that throng right there in the temple; but the Master had specifically charged them that they were to do no teaching or preaching while in Jerusalem this Passover week. The reaction from the spectacular procession into the city was disastrous to Simon Peter; by night he was sobered and inexpressibly saddened.
172:5.4 To James Zebedee, this Sunday was a day of perplexity and profound confusion; he could not grasp the purport of what was going on; he could not comprehend the Master's purpose in permitting this wild acclaim and then in refusing to say a word to the people when they arrived at the temple. As the procession moved down Olivet toward Jerusalem, more especially when they were met by the thousands of pilgrims who poured forth to welcome the Master, James was cruelly torn by his conflicting emotions of elation and gratification at what he saw and by his profound feeling of fear as to what would happen when they reached the temple. And then was he downcast and overcome by disappointment when Jesus climbed off the donkey and proceeded to walk leisurely about the temple courts. James could not understand the reason for throwing away such a magnificent opportunity to proclaim the kingdom. By night, his mind was held firmly in the grip of a distressing and dreadful uncertainty.
172:5.5 John Zebedee came somewhere near understanding why Jesus did this; at least he grasped in part the spiritual significance of this so-called triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As the multitude moved on toward the temple, and as John beheld his Master sitting there astride the colt, he recalled hearing Jesus onetime quote the passage of Scripture, the utterance of Zechariah, which described the coming of the Messiah as a man of peace and riding into Jerusalem on an ass. As John turned this Scripture over in his mind, he began to comprehend the symbolic significance of this Sunday-afternoon pageant. At least, he grasped enough of the meaning of this Scripture to enable him somewhat to enjoy the episode and to prevent his becoming overmuch depressed by the apparent purposeless ending of the triumphal procession. John had a type of mind which naturally tended to think and feel in symbols.
172:5.6 Philip was entirely unsettled by the suddenness and spontaneity of the outburst. He could not collect his thoughts sufficiently while on the way down Olivet to arrive at any settled notion as to what all the demonstration was about. In a way, he enjoyed the performance because his Master was being honored. By the time they reached the temple, he was perturbed by the thought that Jesus might possibly ask him to feed the multitude, so that the conduct of Jesus in turning leisurely away from the crowds, which so sorely disappointed the majority of the apostles, was a great relief to Philip. Multitudes had sometimes been a great trial to the steward of the twelve. After he was relieved of these personal fears regarding the material needs of the crowds, Philip joined with Peter in the expression of disappointment that nothing was done to teach the multitude. That night Philip got to thinking over these experiences and was tempted to doubt the whole idea of the kingdom; he honestly wondered what all these things could mean, but he expressed his doubts to no one; he loved Jesus too much. He had great personal faith in the Master.
172:5.7 Nathaniel, aside from the symbolic and prophetic aspects, came the nearest to understanding the Master's reason for enlisting the popular support of the Passover pilgrims. He reasoned it out, before they reached the temple, that without such a demonstrative entry into Jerusalem Jesus would have been arrested by the Sanhedrin officials and cast into prison the moment he presumed to enter the city. He was not, therefore, in the least surprised that the Master made no further use of the cheering crowds when he had once got inside the walls of the city and had thus so forcibly impressed the Jewish leaders that they would refrain from placing him under immediate arrest. Understanding the real reason for the Master's entering the city in this manner, Nathaniel naturally followed along with more poise and was less perturbed and disappointed by Jesus' subsequent conduct than were the other apostles. Nathaniel had great confidence in Jesus' understanding of men as well as in his sagacity and cleverness in handling difficult situations.
172:5.8 Matthew was at first nonplused by this pageant performance. He did not grasp the meaning of what his eyes were seeing until he also recalled the Scripture in Zechariah where the prophet had alluded to the rejoicing of Jerusalem because her king had come bringing salvation and riding upon the colt of an ass. As the procession moved in the direction of the city and then drew on toward the temple, Matthew became ecstatic; he was certain that something extraordinary would happen when the Master arrived at the temple at the head of this shouting multitude. When one of the Pharisees mocked Jesus, saying, " Look, everybody, see who comes here, the king of the Jews riding on an ass! " Matthew kept his hands off of him only by exercising great restraint. None of the twelve was more depressed on the way back to Bethany that evening. Next to Simon Peter and Simon Zelotes, he experienced the highest nervous tension and was in a state of exhaustion by night. But by morning Matthew was much cheered; he was, after all, a cheerful loser.
172:5.9 Thomas was the most bewildered and puzzled man of all the twelve. Most of the time he just followed along, gazing at the spectacle and honestly wondering what could be the Master's motive for participating in such a peculiar demonstration. Down deep in his heart he regarded the whole performance as a little childish, if not downright foolish. He had never seen Jesus do anything like this and was at a loss to account for his strange conduct on this Sunday afternoon. By the time they reached the temple, Thomas had deduced that the purpose of this popular demonstration was so to frighten the Sanhedrin that they would not dare immediately to arrest the Master. On the way back to Bethany Thomas thought much but said nothing. By bedtime the Master's cleverness in staging the tumultuous entry into Jerusalem had begun to make a somewhat humorous appeal, and he was much cheered up by this reaction.
172:5.10 This Sunday started off as a great day for Simon Zelotes. He saw visions of wonderful doings in Jerusalem the next few days, and in that he was right, but Simon dreamed of the establishment of the new national rule of the Jews, with Jesus on the throne of David. Simon saw the nationalists springing into action as soon as the kingdom was announced, and himself in supreme command of the assembling military forces of the new kingdom. On the way down Olivet he even envisaged the Sanhedrin and all of their sympathizers dead before sunset of that day. He really believed something great was going to happen. He was the noisiest man in the whole multitude. By five o'clock that afternoon he was a silent, crushed, and disillusioned apostle. He never fully recovered from the depression which settled down on him as a result of this day's shock; at least not until long after the Master's resurrection.
172:5.11 To the Alpheus twins this was a perfect day. They really enjoyed it all the way through, and not being present during the time of quiet visitation about the temple, they escaped much of the anticlimax of the popular upheaval. They could not possibly understand the downcast behavior of the apostles when they came back to Bethany that evening. In the memory of the twins this was always their day of being nearest heaven on earth. This day was the satisfying climax of their whole career as apostles. And the memory of the elation of this Sunday afternoon carried them on through all of the tragedy of this eventful week, right up to the hour of the crucifixion. It was the most befitting entry of the king the twins could conceive; they enjoyed every moment of the whole pageant. They fully approved of all they saw and long cherished the memory.
172:5.12 Of all the apostles, Judas Iscariot was the most adversely affected by this processional entry into Jerusalem. His mind was in a disagreeable ferment because of the Master's rebuke the preceding day in connection with Mary's anointing at the feast in Simon's house. Judas was disgusted with the whole spectacle. To him it seemed childish, if not indeed ridiculous. As this vengeful apostle looked upon the proceedings of this Sunday afternoon, Jesus seemed to him more to resemble a clown than a king. He heartily resented the whole performance. He shared the views of the Greeks and Romans, who looked down upon anyone who would consent to ride upon an ass or the colt of an ass. By the time the triumphal procession had entered the city, Judas had about made up his mind to abandon the whole idea of such a kingdom; he was almost resolved to forsake all such farcical attempts to establish the kingdom of heaven. And then he thought of the resurrection of Lazarus, and many other things, and decided to stay on with the twelve, at least for another day. Besides, he carried the bag, and he would not desert with the apostolic funds in his possession. On the way back to Bethany that night his conduct did not seem strange since all of the apostles were equally downcast and silent.
172:5.13 Judas was tremendously influenced by the ridicule of his Sadducean friends. No other single factor exerted such a powerful influence on him, in his final determination to forsake Jesus and his fellow apostles, as a certain episode which occurred just as Jesus reached the gate of the city: A prominent Sadducee (a friend of Judas's family) rushed up to him in a spirit of gleeful ridicule and, slapping him on the back, said: " Why so troubled of countenance, my good friend; cheer up and join us all while we acclaim this Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews as he rides through the gates of Jerusalem seated on an ass. " Judas had never shrunk from persecution, but he could not stand this sort of ridicule. With the long-nourished emotion of revenge there was now blended this fatal fear of ridicule, that terrible and fearful feeling of being ashamed of his Master and his fellow apostles. At heart, this ordained ambassador of the kingdom was already a deserter; it only remained for him to find some plausible excuse for an open break with the Master.
