Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/653

 about thee,  and  straiten  thee  on  every  side,  and  beat  thee  flat to the  ground,  and  thy  children  who  are  in  thee,  and  they  shall not leave  in  thee  a stone  upon  a stone,  because  thou  hast  not known the  time  of  thy  visitation.”

As Jesus  rode  through  the  streets  directly  to  the  Temple, the whole  city  was  moved. Then the  sick,  the  blind  and  the lame were  brought  to  Him  from  every  side,  and  He  cured  them all. At this  sight  the  children  began  to  cry  out  again:  “Hosanna to the  Son  of  David!”  But  the  Pharisees,  becoming  furious,  told Him to  rebuke  them. Jesus answered  them:  “Have  you  never read the  words: Out  of  the  mouths  of  infants  and  sucklings  Thou hast perfected  praise?”

Jesus, the Promised  Redeemer. Hitherto  our  Lord  had  avoided  all tokens of  veneration  on  the  part  of  the  people  (see  chapter  XXXIII); but now that  He  was  approaching  Jerusalem  to  suffer  and  die  for  the  Redemption of  the  world,  it  was  His  will  to  enter  its  walls  solemnly,  as Messias  and  King. He desired  that  thousands  of  voices  should  proclaim in  the  presence  of  the  unbelieving  people  of  Jerusalem,  that  He was  indeed  their  promised  Redeemer. But He  did  not  make  this  entry in battle-array,  and  mounted  on  a war-horse: He  rode  in,  meek  and  gentle, sitting on  an  ass,  the  type  of  peace,  to  signify  that  He  was  not  the Founder and  King  of  an  earthly  city,  raised  by  force  of  arms,  such  as most  of  the  Jews  fondly  expected,  but  the  Prince  of  Peace,  whose  kingdom was  one  of  truth  and  grace.