The talk of the town: how would you answer the question on everyone's lips?

 'And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?'

Matthew 21:10

Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash

Dear Readers/Listeners,

This question, 'Who is this?' got my attention as we read this chapter in Matthew on Palm Sunday.  

The whole city of Jerusalem had been stirred up with the sight and sounds of a man riding into the city in the ancient official custom of those declaring kingship and coming in peace.  

Riding on a previously unridden young ass (donkey), this man, Jesus, hadn't been heralded with the pomp and circumstance of an army around Him.  There was no glint of gold in the sunshine, or chinking of metal weaponry, no rich silk and velvet drapings or polished leather saddle.

Instead we see a man, sitting on clothes hastily piled on the ass, picking His way over palm branches and clothes strewn across the road, and we hear crowds of people shouting and praising, 'Hosanna (save us) to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest'.

No wonder the people of the city asked, 'Who is this?'  'What is he doing?' they might have further added.  Perhaps somewhat nervously, 'What will happen?  What will the Romans - the occupying leaders - do?'  And the religious leaders of the day who hated Jesus were no doubt furious.

The crowd answered this question with, 'This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee'.

Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash

What would we say today if somebody asked us who Jesus is?  How would we answer them?  

Would it be a quick, easy answer, a historical fact, an old fable, a shrug of the shoulders, or would it reach right into our hearts with the preciousness of who He is and what He means to us?

There are several people in the Bible who are asked this question - we think of Jesus asking the disciples who people thought He was, and then more personally, who they thought He was.

And then there are others, such as the Apostle Paul and a healed blind man, who don't recognise Jesus and ask Him who He is.

But for this weekend, let us think 'Who is this?' and explore deep in our hearts what Jesus really means to us.

Lo! at midnight, who is He
Prays in dark Gethsemane?

Who is He on yonder tree

Dies in grief and agony?

Who is He who from the grave

Comes to succour, help, and save?

Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

Tis the Lord! the King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall - 

Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

May the Lord bless you in your thinking of Him.

Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

No further blog posts this week or next as we have a break.

Love from

Elinor x

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