John 12:18
“For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign.”
What does John 12:18 mean?
The crowd had heard that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, and that news spread like wildfire through Jerusalem. So when Jesus entered the city, massive crowds came out to welcome him, hoping to see this remarkable man for themselves. It's a very human response, really: when we hear about something extraordinary, we want to witness it or be near it. What's interesting here is that this same crowd's enthusiasm would shift dramatically just days later, but in this moment, they were drawn to Jesus because of the power they'd heard about him wielding.