Reading the potentials of Jesus’ “Triumphal Entry” (Luke 19:28–40)

Abstract

Most scholars recognize the nearly ubiquitous imperial presence throughout the Lukan narrative. Though the traditional scholarly position has been that Luke’s Gospel is an apologetic defense of Christianity for Romans and/or for Christians concerned about the Romans, Luke’s depiction of the so-called “Triumphal Entry” (19:28–40) seriously complicates this view. This article begins by briefly outlining two common but diametrically opposed scholarly interpretations of Luke 19:28–40. Then, taking cues especially from reader-response critics and postcolonial theorists, I complicate the problematic premises shared by both readings. I propose that attending to the critical potentialities that emerge within the contexts of both imperialism and the reader–text relationship presents a more promising path between the two interpretive poles. The final section imagines a plurality of proposals regarding potential ancient readings of Luke’s Triumphal Entry pericope.