Matthew 21:8 – 11

The People Roll Out the Red Carpet for Jesus

8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!”

10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”

11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

There was a great number of people in Jerusalem for the observance of the Passover feast. The ones participating in this event, made a carpet on the road to honor Jesus as the messiah. Their actions was like the “rolling out of the red carpet” in today's world to honor dignitaries.

Verse nine is an expression of good will to the one who is able to save others because he is the descendant of David who is prophesied in the scriptures as being the Messiah. This verse is an acknowledgment Jesus is coming to their city as messenger of the Lord.

As Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem, the ones in the city were moved by the pageantry of the event and wanted to know who this person was who was being honored as a dignitary.

The ones who were making the carpeted entrance and singing praises to Jesus answered those in the city who wanted to know who this was. They identified Jesus. They may not have understood He was the Son of God, or the Messiah, but they knew from His teachings and healing He was a prophet of God.