Belle Starr was one of the few women outlaws in the Old West, and so she gained widespread notoriety. One day, Judge Isaac Parker was attempting to try a case, but he couldn’t get the courtroom’s attention. Even the members of the jury had wandered from the jury box to stare out the courtroom windows. What was the source of all the excitement? Outlaw Belle Starr was riding by on her horse, and everyone in town wanted to catch a glimpse of her. The judge had to call a five-minute recess to deal with the distraction. (1)

I can imagine a similar distraction on the day Jesus entered Jerusalem. He was no outlaw, of course, even though the law would put him to death. But his time had now come. No use hiding his identity any longer. No use delaying the inevitable. He sends two of his disciples i…