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The journey to Jerusalem, which began in 9:51, now reaches its climax. Jesus' entry into the city on a donkey was a fulfillment of the prophecy of Zec 9:9 and an act that declared him to be the Messiah. The people greeted him with words taken from Ps 118:26, a psalm composed for the welcome of a victorious king. His protest against the use of the temple for commercial purposes arose from his concern to preserve the building as a place of prayer (Isa 56:7). His implicit claim to be Messiah and his challenge to the temple authorities led the Jewish leaders to conspire against him.