The Pharisees were outwardly blameless, and for a show made long prayers; but in secret they robbed widows of their property. They were like graves, outwardly whitened, but inwardly full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Jesus told them these things openly, and they therefore became His enemies; for man does not wish that his evil works shall come to the light.--They believed that they for the sake of their righteousness should inherit the kingdom of God; but Jesus preached conversion and faith, and said that publicans and sinners would go into the Kingdom of Heaven before them. The Pharisees wished to be greeted in the market-places and be called Rabbi, and they were envious, for the multitude clung to Jesus because of His blessed words and His miracles. They would not understand Moses and the prophets, and expected that the Messiah should establish the kingdom of David again, and bring the Romans and other nations under the Jews. Jesus said that His kingdom was not of this world, and that He should be persecuted and crucified, and on the third day arise again from the dead. For all these things the Pharisees and priests hated Jesus, and took counsel how they could kill Him. Man always finds an excuse. The high priest Caiaphas said: It is better that one man die for the people, than that the whole nation should be destroyed. The Sadducees taught that there is no resurrection from the dead, and they therefore held the doctrine of Jesus concerning resurrection and final judgment in derision and gave not the Word room in their hearts. The Last Days of Jesus 88. The Triumphal Entry of Jesus Into Jerusalem On Palm Sunday, which is the Sunday before Easter, Jesus rode from Bethany on the other side of the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem on a young ass. This came to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet Zechariah: Tell ye the daughter of Zion: Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek and riding upon the foal of an ass. Many of the people cut branches from the palm trees and spread them in the way, and the most part spread their garments in the way and cried, saying: Hosanna[7] to the Son of David; Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. ----- Footnote 7: Hosanna means: Save now. ----- And when He drew nigh and saw the city, He wept over it, saying: If thou hadst known, even in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes. Therefore the days shall come when thine enemies shall compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall dash thee to the ground, and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another, because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation. And He entered into the city and went to the court of the temple, and healed the blind and the lame that came to Him.