The King Who Brings Peace Grieves Over Rejection

Luke 19:28–44 shows one event with two sides. Jesus receives the disciples’ royal welcome. He also weeps over the city that did not recognize what would bring it peace.

Watch: The King Who Brings Peace — But Also Grieves

Watch the companion video, then continue reading to examine the biblical testimony in its full context.

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A King on a Colt.

The prophet Zechariah had described a coming king. This king would come to Jerusalem humble and riding on a colt. That promise is written in Zechariah 9:9. Jesus entered the city on a colt. His entry recalls that picture. Jesus did not come as a conquering ruler on a war horse. He came as the humble king Zechariah had described.

The Disciples Welcome Jesus as King.

A crowd of disciples praised God with loud voices. They praised God for all the miracles they had seen. They said, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” These words come from Psalm 118:26. In that psalm, the words welcome a person who comes in God’s name. The psalm does not use the word “king.” The disciples added that title. In Luke’s account, the disciples called Jesus king.

They also said, “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” The crowd gave glory to God.

Jesus Refused to Silence the Praise.

Some Pharisees were in the crowd. The Pharisees were a Jewish religious group that carefully followed the Law of Moses. They said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” They wanted Jesus to order the crowd to stop. Jesus replied, “I tell you,” “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Jesus did not tell the crowd to be quiet. He did not deny the title the crowd gave him.

Jesus Weeps Over the City.

As Jesus came closer to Jerusalem, he saw the city. He wept over it. He said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.” Jesus spoke to the city itself. He said the city could have known what would bring it peace. He said this was now hidden from the city’s eyes.

Jesus also spoke of a coming time. He said, “The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” An embankment is a raised wall used to attack a city. Jesus said the city did not recognize the time when God came to it.

What the Passage Establishes.

One event held both praise and tears. The disciples welcomed Jesus as king. Jesus accepted their welcome. He refused to silence them. He said the stones would cry out if they were silent. Then Jesus wept over the city. He warned that Jerusalem would fall because it did not recognize the time of God’s coming.

The passage shows Jesus as the king Zechariah described. Jesus is the humble king who entered Jerusalem on a colt. The passage also shows Jesus as the king who weeps. His authority and his sorrow appear together. The king receiving praise is the same king who grieves over the city he warns. This is one event, not two.

Jesus received the disciples’ royal welcome and wept over Jerusalem’s failure to recognize what would bring peace. This is the Discover step in the Jesus365 Journey, and it belongs to Jesus in action in Luke 19:28–44. Next, the Question step examines whether public celebration means everything is well.