Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna!!
As Jesus approached Jerusalem, he sent two disciples ahead to fetch a colt, instructing them to say the Lord needs it. They brought the colt to him, and as he rode into the city, people spread their cloaks on the road. Crowds joyfully praised God, proclaiming Jesus as king who comes in the name of the Lord and promising peace and blessing to God. Some Pharisees in the crowd told Jesus to rebuke his disciples, but he replied that if the people were silent, the stones themselves would cry out.
As he drew near and saw the city, Jesus wept over Jerusalem, lamenting that its people did not recognize the time of God's coming. He prophesied that their failure would lead to terrible consequences: their enemies would surround and destroy the city, leaving not one stone upon another, because they did not know the things that make for peace. The passage contrasts the public acclamation of Jesus as king with his sorrow over the city's impending judgment and its missed opportunity for reconciliation with God.
(ai summarized)
“And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.””