A thousand years earlier, David “went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives” (2 Sam. 15:30), the same route as the Lord Jesus takes here but in the opposite direction. The king “wept as he went up” and all the people with him, “weeping as they went up” because of an insurrection by his son, Absalom. Now our Lord descends Olivet towards Jerusalem, and He is weeping too, even though the disciples who accompany Him are rejoicing. The Pharisees demand that He rebuke them (Lk. 19:39) but they and the crowds who take up their strain are obeying Zechariah’s words: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zech. 9:9). But He cannot rejoice Himself, for He knows the adulation will soon turn to cries of “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” (Lk. 23:21).

Selfless Savior! He does not weep for Himself like David, but for His earthly people. In rejecting Him they will not enjoy His justice and salvation as they hoped. And today, two thousand years later, even as they occupy Jerusalem again, most still spurn Him, barring themselves from the grace of God that gives “peace with God” through Him (Rom. 5:1–2). The city’s name speaks of peace, but it will never be a place of peace until they receive the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6). The tribulation awaits them, but when He comes “with clouds” (Rev. 1:7) to deliver them, they will confess with tears, “the chastisement for our peace was upon Him” (Isa. 53:5). Then they will possess peace from Him in every sense. As for us, may we “sow in tears” (Ps. 126:5) the glad tidings of peace to Jew and Gentile alike (Eph. 2:17).