Jesus as the hoped-for king of Israel

Zephaniah speaks of the King of Israel, the Lord, who on the day of the Lord will clear away the oppressors of the remnant, save the lame, gather the outcast, and restore the fortunes of his people (Zephaniah 3:15–20).

The Gospel According to John, after showing Jesus’ life-saving, disability-overcoming, and outcast-gathering ministry (John 5:3–9; John 10:16; John 11:50–51), records the triumphal entry, with the people’s hailing Jesus as the King of Israel (John 12:13). The author swiftly follows this up by appearing to draw from Zechariah 9:9, which urges the daughter of Zion to fear not (see John 12:15). Yet John’s citation is not exact, since he includes the call to fear not in place of Zechariah’s rejoice. It is quite possible that Zechariah 9:9, however, is itself built on Zephaniah 3:14–15, which alone among all OT texts includes together the phrases King of Israel, daughter of Zion, and fear not. All of these appear in John 12:13–16. It may very well be that John in his account has conflated Old Testament sources (Zechariah and Zephaniah), a methodology used more commonly in the New Testament.¹

In John 12:13–16, then, the crowd’s addressing Jesus as the King of Israel and the mention of fear not and daughter of Zion are quite possibly meant to recall Zephaniah 3:1–20, which would be especially noteworthy since Zephaniah identifies Israel’s king with the Lord God himself. Jesus is thus identified as Israel’s king, and the one through whom the Evil One will be overcome. Jesus emphasizes this later in the narrative: Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself (John 12:31–32).

It could very well be that John saw Jesus’ death and resurrection as inaugurating God’s end-time rule that was foreseen by Zephaniah, a rule in which Zephaniah’s judgments are removed and the enemies overcome (Zephaniah 3:15). John’s Gospel in particular shows Jesus connecting his death and resurrection with the last hour (John 2:4; John 4:21, John 4:23; John 5:25, John 5:28; John 7:30; John 12:23). Therefore, Jesus’ first coming initiates what Zephaniah prophesied that the Lord God would accomplish at the day of the Lord.² This means that Christians do not need to fear, for Christ is reigning as God with us (Matthew 1:23; Zechariah 9:9; John 2:21). Instead, we are to heed the prophet’s call to sing aloud...shout...rejoice and exult! (Zephaniah 3:14). Christ has begun to gather his remnant (Zephaniah 3:18–20; John 10:16).