PALM SUNDAY

PALM SUNDAY

Jesus went to Jerusalem several times to celebrate the feasts, but his final entry into Jerusalem had a special meaning. He was solemnly entering as a humble King of peace. Traditionally, entering the city on a donkey symbolizes arrival in peace, rather than as a war-waging king arriving on a horse. I found an article on the history and Biblical background to the event we call Palm Sunday, and I think you’ll enjoy it. I hope you’ll take the time to look up the additional scriptures that help give us a more extensive understanding of what Palm Sunday is all about. Read the record in the gospels for yourself this week and see what the Lord himself wants to teach you.

Excerpts from “The Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem" by Wayne Jackson (ChristianCourier.com)

“The significance of the event is underscored by the fact that the circumstance is recorded in all four Gospel accounts. For brevity’s sake, we will produce only Matthew’s record.

“And when they drew near to Jerusalem, and came unto Bethphage, to the mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying unto them, ‘Go into the village that is just ahead of you, and straightway you shall find a donkey tied, and a colt with her: untie them, and bring them to me. And if any one says anything to you, you shall say, The Lord has need of them; and immediately he will send them.’

“Now this is to happen that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, ‘Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming to you, Meek, and riding upon a donkey, And upon a colt, the foal of a donkey.’

“And the disciples went, and did just as Jesus had instructed them, and brought the donkey, and the colt, and put on them their garments; and he sat thereon. And most of the crowd spread their garments in the road; and others cut branches from the trees, and spread them in the road.

“And the crowds that went before him, and that followed, cried out, saying, ‘Hosanna [save now!] to the son of David: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.’ And when he was come into Jerusalem, the entire city was stirred, saying, ‘Who is this?’ And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee’” (Mt. 21:1-11).

The setting of this episode takes place on the Sunday, just prior to the crucifixion later that week, as the Lord and his disciples made their way toward Jerusalem. This day is commonly called “Palm Sunday,” the appellation being taken from the events that occurred subsequently on this notable occasion.

As they approached a village called Bethphage (“house of figs” — specific site unidentified) on the western slope of Olivet, Jesus dispatched two (un-named) disciples into the community to obtain a donkey for use in the remainder of his journey into the sacred city.

Evidence of the Supernatural

Christ informed the disciples that as they entered the village they would find a female donkey secured by a “tie.” With her would be a colt, also hitched. The disciples were to “unloose” and bring back both animals. They would be questioned by the animals’ owners (plural — Lk. 19:33) as to what they were doing. Their response was to be, “The Lord has need of them.” Immediately permission would be granted.

This was not a pre-arranged agreement; rather, it provides a dramatic example of the Lord’s exercise of supernatural knowledge whenever the circumstances demanded such (Luke 19:32). It is worthy of note as well that the owners of these donkeys were obviously disciples of the Master, as indicated by their unhesitating response to the designation “Lord.”

When the Savior’s men returned, donkeys in tow, the two animals were adorned with the outer garments of the disciples, reflecting perhaps the fact that they did not know which of the two beasts of burden he would choose. Jesus selected the colt, upon whose back no man had ever sat (Mk. 11:2; Lk. 19:30). It is not without significance that the young animal made no resistance (divine sovereignty over the animal kingdom — Num. 22:28; 2 Kgs. 2:24, etc.).

The Adoring Crowds

As the Savior rode down the road toward the capital city, two throngs of people converged upon him – a massive crowd coming out of the city; another group following him (Mt. 21:9; Mk. 11:9). These were mostly disciples who had been awed by the effect of the Lord’s miracles – especially the recent resurrection of Lazarus (Lk. 19:37; Jn. 12:17).

Some “paved” the road with their garments; others with layers of leaves, at least some of which were from palm trees (Jn. 12:13), hence the expression “Palm Sunday.” Spreading garments before a dignitary was a symbol of submission (see 2 Kgs. 9:13).

Palm branches were employed also as token of victory. Some Jewish coins from the first century had palm leaf engravings with the accompanying inscription, “the redemption of Zion.” Note the “palm” symbolism that is portrayed in the book of Revelation (7:9). The Jewish disciples doubtless were expressing the hope that Jesus would be the one to lead them to victory over their oppressor (Rome).

Prophecy

Both Matthew and John contend that this incident was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. The former cites Zechariah 9:9 specifically; the latter alludes to it more generally.

The prophet Zechariah was among the 50,000 or so Jews who returned in the first wave of Hebrews released from Babylonian captivity in 536 B.C. He wrote about five centuries before the birth of Jesus (520 B.C. – Zech. 1:1). The prophet’s main emphasis was to rekindle spiritual fervor in Israel’s hearts after they had fallen into a state of listlessness. Chapters 9-14 are heavily Messianic in argument. The prophecy under consideration reads as follows:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your king coming unto you; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, even upon a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zech. 9:9).”

Zechariah spoke the exact thing that would happen on Palm Sunday, over 500 years before it happened!!!

Oh Lord, please don’t let it be that long for us to wait! Please make our waiting be on the short end, like you said in 2 Peter 3:8 :“Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” Please make our waiting be on the short end of time. I don’t know if we can stand a long waiting! God willing!

In spite of how long we may have to wait, let’s make our mission this week to be like that of Zechariah: “To rekindle spiritual fervor in our hearts” lest we too fall into a state of listlessness. We, as believers in Christ Jesus and in the majesty of our God, are powerful on the earth to effect change. We pray with compassion and love, what Jesus told us to pray. With fervent anticipation and without a doubt, we expect God’s ready answer: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). We love Him and we trust Him.

Love, Carolyn