What is Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday is the last Sunday in Lent and the Sunday before Easter. It is the beginning of Holy Week, the most important week of the year for Christians. Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem for the Jewish holiday of Passover. Jesus rode a young donkey into Jerusalem and was greeted by a large crowd with palm branches and people shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David.” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” “Blessed is the king of Israel.” (Matthew 21:9) The people put their coats and palm branches on the ground as Jesus passed by. All four Gospels have a version of this story and each Gospel account provides a different perspective on Jesus’ life and ministry.
Laying their coats and palm branches on the ground was a symbolic way for people to treat Jesus as their king. They hoped that Jesus would overthrow the Roman government in Jerusalem. (John 12:13 and Mark 11:10) When a king or conquering ruler entered a city, people would create a carpet by putting their coats and branches on the ground to welcome them. We use this expression today when we say “rolling out the red carpet” to welcome an important guest.
Conquering kings typically rode in chariots or on horseback, so it is significant that Jesus rode on a donkey. Jesus wasn’t an ordinary king with a Kingdom. (John 18:36) Jesus rode on a donkey to fulfill a prophecy about the Messiah.
Hosanna means “Please Save Us”. The Greek word is based on two Hebrew words which means “Save or deliver and please, I beseech.” (Mark 11:9) The people were quoting Psalm 118:25-26 – “Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
By calling Jesus the Son of David they didn’t mean that he was the literal son of David but that he was a descendent of King David and a rightful ruler based on a promise God had made to David in Psalm 132:11-12. “The Lord swore an oath to David, a sure oath he could not revoke: ‘One of your own descendants I will place on your throne. If your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus – Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! You are exulted above all others. Help us see who you are. Thank you for your faithfulness. Hosanna in the highest. Amen.
Matthew 21:9 – Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Author: Tommy Herndon
