Topic: servant king

The story of Jesus’ so-called “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem at the beginning of the final week of His earthly ministry, is a familiar one. We are well aware that many of those who celebrated His coming on this day were the same ones who would cry “Crucify Him” a few days later. Why? It was clear to almost everyone in Jerusalem on this day that Jesus is the Messiah who had been promised for whom they had waited anxiously all their lives. Yet Jesus – the humble King – was not the Messiah they had expected – a warrior King who would free them from the oppression of their Roman occupiers.

Jesus’ chose to enter Jerusalem riding on a young donkey rather than on a powerful war horse not only to symbolize His own humility, but to show that He was the fulfillment of the prophecies of Isaiah and Zechariah concerning the Messiah.

Jesus frequently taught that whoever would be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven must be the servant of all in our lives. Jesus Himself modeled this life of service for us, perfectly fulfilling the prophecy we find in Isaiah 53 of God’s servant who takes upon Himself God’s rightful punishment (death) for the sins of all mankind. Jesus Himself said that He offered Himself as a ransom for many. So, since we have this perfect model of servitude shown to us by our LORD, we must also humble ourselves and become servants of all.

Jesus taught frequently about exalting the humble and humbling the proud. Indeed in Mark 10:45, Jesus proclaimed this about Himself – “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus set the example for His disciples in the way He lived His earthly ministry, and ultimately in offering His own life in our place – taking the rightful judgment for our sins upon Himself in the ultimate act of humility.

God’s people Israel certainly didn’t expect their long-awaited Messiah to come as such a humble “Servant King,” but Mark’s gospel makes clear that Jesus perfectly fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy about God’s Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53), while John the Baptizer served as the messenger sent by God to prepare the way before Him as foretold by Malachi 3:1.