Six days before the Pa**over ceremonies began Jesus arrived in Bethany where Lazarus, the man he had brought back to life, was. When the ordinary people of Jerusalem heard of his arrival they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus. Then the chief priests decided to k** him too, for it was because of him that many of the Jewish leaders had deserted and believed in Jesus as their Messiah. The next day the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city and a huge crowd of Pa**over visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him shouting:
Long live the King
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord
Blessed is the kingdom he is bringing
God save the King
Jesus rode along on a young donkey fulfilling the prophecy that said, " Don't be afraid of you King, people of Israel, for he will come to you meekly sitting on a donkey's colt " (Zech 9:9)