This Sunday is Palm Sunday, which means that Easter is only a week away.

The last week of Christ’s ministry started with his entry into Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives.

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

“Say to the daughter of Zion,‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Matthew 21: 1-11 ESV

The traditional point of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem that day was through the Eastern or Golden Gate.

The picture above is from the Second Temple model at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

The gate is in the Eastern wall of the Temple Mount. The model depicts what is may have looked like at the time of Christ.

Today the gate looks different from the Second Temple period. The current gate was built in the 520’s and was sealed off in 1541.

Here is a closer look at the Golden Gate. You can also see the Golden dome of the Dome of the Rock.

After Jesus entered into the temple he drove out the sellers and money-changers and then healed the sick and lame.

I am remembering my visit to the Temple Mount and can better picture the events of that day.

Steven

This is a re-post from 2014. Slight changes have been made.