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Journey of self discovery

So where does that leave us? On the one hand Jesus seems to be acting deliberately like God. On the other hand he seems surprised by his own actions.

All the indications are that Jesus was very much on a journey of self discovery. But if he'd had doubts about his identity, as he approached the climax of his mission he became increasingly sure of who he was and what his fate would be. After three years preaching and healing, it was only natural that he would leave the rural backwater of Galilee where he'd grown up and head towards Jerusalem, the political and spiritual centre of the Jewish world.

I've come to Jerusalem because it's where Jesus spent the last week of his life. From his arrival in the city to his death on the cross, it's Jesus' actions here that provide the key to finally understanding him. The unfolding events make sense of an enduring mystery. If he did believe he was God, what purpose did he think his death could possibly have?

Jerusalem wasn't only the focus of Jewish life, it's also where the occupying Romans - "Satan's earthly forces" - had their headquarters. Jews at the time saw it as the one place on earth where evil was concentrated. If he was going to finish his fight against evil, there was no better battlefield.

If there were any lingering doubts in the minds of the disciples that Jesus was deliberately acting like God, the way he would enter the city would finally dispel them.

He approached the walls of Jerusalem riding on a donkey.

Jesus was doing exactly what the scriptures said the Messiah would do when he would return to liberate Israel from pagan forces; ride into the city on a donkey. But the entry had another meaning, a far more controversial one.

The Jews believed the Roman occupation was a sign that God had deserted them. But there was hope because ancient prophecies claimed that God would return to reclaim his land. And they were very specific about how he would do that. They said he would enter through the East Gate of the city. And that's exactly where Jesus came in. He was making a very public statement. He was entering Jerusalem in exactly the way God was supposed to.

The East Gate still exists today. It was blocked up in 1530 by Muslims in order to prevent any future Jewish Messiah from entering the city. When Jesus came through it in the first century, it must an electrifying moment. If the disciples had doubted whether Jesus believed he was God, they could well have been persuaded. It may have been an act of madness, but it was a deliberate one.

Miracles of Jesus

Part 2   Signs of Divinity?  9

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