"Who is this?"

 Yesterday, Palm Sunday, Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  The multitudes recognized him as a "Son of David" and shouted "Hosanna" as he entered.  "Hosanna" means "God save us".  

After He entered Jerusalem Mathew wrote "...and all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?"

And just Who was it that they were expecting?  Moses had delivered their people, long ago, from the slavery of the Egyptians.  Would Jesus go to the Fortress Antonia and rid the city of the Roman soldiers, starting their long-awaited delivery from the Romans? 

No.  He went instead to His Father's house-the temple-and cleansed it of those who sold animals and coin for sacrifice and payment.  Matthew tells us that Jesus said  "It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves".  The next verse reads "And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them."

I love the next verse-"And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased."  How could one be "sore displeased" in the midst of healings, wonderful works and shouts of Hosanna?

Who is this?  It sounds as if the children knew who He was more than most of the leaders.  "Out of the mouth of babes...thou has perfected praise".

The temple is a liminal place.  A kind of in-between place.  It is where Heaven and Earth can meet.  It is His house.  Jesus went "home" to his house and found things happening there that ought not to have been.  So he drove those out who shouldn't have been there.  Then the blind and the lame came to Him-they knew where to find Him-at His house-and He healed them.  He did "wonderful things".  And there were children in the temple praising Him and shouting Hosanna-"God save us"!

I'm not sure what those around him were expecting-"Who is this?"  But I know He often told them that he came to do His Father's will.  This is the beginning of His last week of mortal work. Doing His Father's will.  Cleanse his house.  Heal. Do wonderful things. Be recognized and praised by the children.  The story continues tomorrow.

This brings up a few questions for me.  "Who is this" Jesus for me?

Do I spend time in liminal places, like the temple, where I can sense the presence of  Heaven better?  Have you been overwhelmed by awe and peace when out in the wilds, on a mountain, in a desert place?  Can I better make my home a place where Heavenly influence is welcome?  How can I help make these places more liminal?

"Who is this?" that I worship, want to emulate, try to follow, and declare to others as our Savior, Older Brother, and Son of Man of Holiness? 

I will keep following Him as best I can, knowing that I will fall short, but He will lift me up and He will cause me to shout "Hosanna" with the multitudes seeking peace and safety.