Curiosity to see Lazarus, as well as to see Jesus, assembled an immense crowd around the house. The raising of Lazarus from the dead, and his daily appearance, were evidence of the miraculous powers of Jesus which no argument could refute. The chief priests were so malignant that they consulted to put Lazarus to death, “because that by reason of him many of the Jews believed on Jesus.” Leaving Bethany,――which, it will be remembered, was but about two miles east of Jerusalem, on the eastern declivity of the Mount of Olives,――Jesus advanced toward Jerusalem. As the rumor of his approach was circulated through the streets, a vast throng poured out at the gates to meet him. They bore branches of palm-trees in their hands, and shouted, as they escorted him in triumph, “Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord!”[45] Near a hamlet at the Mount of Olives, Jesus procured a young ass which had never been mounted. His disciples spread some of their garments on the ass, and Jesus took his seat thereon. A conqueror would have wished to enter the city on a spirited war-horse gayly caparisoned. Jesus studiously avoided all such parade. The overjoyed multitude, however, “spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before and that followed cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”[46] As Jesus, thus accompanied, commenced the western descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole city lay spread out as a panorama before him. “And, when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.”[47] The whole city of Jerusalem was agitated by the coming of Jesus, the now widely-renowned prophet of Galilee. Jesus proceeded at once to the temple. The blind and the lame were brought in throngs to him. He healed them all. The city resounded with his acclaim. Even the children in the streets shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” The chief priests and the scribes were sorely annoyed, saying, “The world has gone after him.” Some Greeks who were in Jerusalem came to the disciples, and expressed a wish to see Jesus. They were brought to him. Jesus, probably addressing them, said,――