What does Luke 19:37 mean?
This is a bittersweet moment. Jesus is King, and His followers know it. After a long period of subtlety and discretion (Luke 5:14; 8:56; 9:21), Jesus is now ready to publicly claim His title as the Promised One. His followers rightfully praise God for the miracles Jesus has done, not least of which was the recent raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11). Jesus had many followers in Galilee, and it seems they traveled with Him. Added to that are those who witnessed or heard about Lazarus. It is a giant, joyful crowd accompanying their King.Naturally, some think this is "the moment" for which they have been waiting. They assume that Jesus is going to go to Jerusalem, that God is going to expel the Romans, and the Jews will have their nation again. The crowd shouts, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" (Luke 19:38; Psalm 118:26). Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16), is the expression of God's kingdom on earth and peace in heaven. "In him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" (Colossians 2:9). "And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near" (Ephesians 2:17). He did not come to free the triumphant crowd from Rome, but to free people from their sins and reconcile them to God (Romans 6:17–18; 8:1–4; Ephesians 2:1–10). Jesus will one day return as conquering King, not to free people from human oppression but to usher in a new heavens and a new earth where those who belong to Him will dwell with Him for eternity (Revelation 19—22).
As the crowd crests the Mount of Olives and descends into the Kidron Valley, Jesus will look to Jerusalem—at the mount where God's temple sits—and weep. He weeps that He will sacrifice Himself for these people, this city, and they will not understand. In about forty years, the city will be destroyed and the temple disassembled, stone from stone (Luke 19:41–44). It is good that the people proclaim Him king, but Israel is God's people as a nation. When the national leaders reject Him—kill Him—they signal the nation of Israel's total rejection of their own Savior.