Triumph

I don’t think the word triumph is an onomatopoeia, but the way the word sounds and forms in my mouth seems to give more weight to the word’s definition. The Google definition of the word has two parts: a great victory or achievement and/or the processional entry of a victorious general into ancient Rome. My brain also processes the word in two parts: Try and Umph. Therefore, triumph is when you try with a lot of umph and you come out victorious. (My mind also thinks of March Madness and the triumph of Loyola Chicago, Abilene Christian, and Oral Roberts Universities. Yes, you should be glad you don’t have my brain.)

This coming Sunday commemorates and celebrates an extremely important event in human history, especially for those who follow Jesus. The event is named The Triumphal Entry. There are many reasons this event is important. The Triumphal Entry was an amazing, miraculous fulfillment of prophecy given six hundred years earlier. It prepared the way for Jesus’ death and resurrection. It was the first time Jesus publicly declared Himself as the King He is, not necessarily the king we desire. But what I think makes this event so important has to do with the word triumph. 

Like the second part of Google’s definition, the word triumph is used to describe a processional entry of a victorious general into ancient Rome. It was a common practice in the ancient world for men returning from war to set up a victory parade when they returned home. The victorious person would send someone ahead to let people in the city know who was coming and what victory he had achieved. He would position his men to walk in front of him to shout and cheer. As the victor entered the city, people would shout and cheer with gratitude, because they no longer had to worry about whatever foe had been conquered. 

With that in mind, the Triumphal Entry is a good name for the event it commemorates. Jesus was thirty-three years old, He knew His time was short, and He resolutely headed toward Jerusalem. He sent some disciples ahead to get a donkey and let people know that someone of significance was coming. As Jesus approached Jerusalem, His disciples started shouting all the amazing things He had done and said, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” Once He entered Jerusalem, large crowds gathered to see the Victorious One and hear what great exploits He achieved. When the crowds saw Jesus on the donkey and heard of all the healings and miracles He had done, they joined in shouting “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” and “Hosanna in the highest heaven.” 

But one thing remains unclear in all this. Who was the foe that Jesus conquered that we don’t have to worry about anymore? 

This is the best part. You can’t call an event the Triumphal Entry unless someone has conquered something. Jesus did not conquer oppressive Rome, evil King Herod, or the arrogant ruling class of Pharisees and Sadducees. What Jesus declared was His conquering of sin. All the miracles Jesus performed were signs that He was able to undo the damage sin had done. The Transfiguration signified that Jesus had passed the test of being tempted in every way possible without succumbing. Then, the Triumphal Entry was Jesus announcing that humanity’s greatest foe — the foe that separated us from God our Father and caused so much damage to ourselves and our fellow humans — had now been conquered.

Now some might be thinking, I thought Jesus conquered sin on the cross. Stick with me here. Jesus paid the price for our sin on the cross, but He conquered sin every minute of every day of His life as temptations came and He did not succumb. The reason this is so important is because, after conquering sin in this way, Jesus became the only King without sin. As a King without sin, He was able to become the spotless, sacrificial lamb who could take away the sin of the world.

Paul the Apostle described this reality by comparing Jesus to Adam. Adam was the first sinless, spotless man but he succumbed to sin, causing all of creation to suffer under the oppression and destruction of sin ever since. Jesus is the second Adam who, though tempted in every way, did not succumb to sin, and opened up a way for all of creation to be free from sin’s oppression and destruction.

Hallelujah! Hosanna! Blessed is Jesus, the King we really want and need! Blessed is Jesus, who made a way for us! Blessed is Jesus, whose reign will never end, and whose faithfulness shows up in every generation! Blessed is Jesus, who is already undoing the damage that sin has done and will someday come again to remove sin and its dark shadow forevermore! 

David