Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany. There He dined with His friend Lazarus (whom He had raised from the dead), whose sister Mary poured sweet perfume over Jesus’ feet. The next day Jesus sent His Disciples to bring an ass and her colt. And He whose throne is heaven entered Jerusalem mounted on the colt. The Hebrew children threw their garments over it, and went ahead of Him waving palm branches and crying out, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel.’ The palms foretold Christ’s victory over death; for it was the custom for conquerors to be escorted in victory processions with branches of evergreen trees. The colt signified us, the people He gathered from all nations, for riding upon it Christ was proclaimed King of the whole earth. Of this Feast the Prophet Zachariah said, ‘Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion. See, your King comes to you, meek and seated on a beast of burden and a colt of an ass, offspring of a beast of burden’ (Zach. 9:9). And David speaks of the children, ‘Out of the mouths of Infants and babes thou hast perfected praise’ (Psalm 8:2). But as Christ entered, all Jerusalem was shaken and the crowds, provoked by the Chief Priests, were looking to do away with him.