Sunday

Sunday

Today we go from a quiet dinner in Bethany to a noisy crowd near Jerusalem. Thousands of people have arrived for the upcoming Passover. The mood is festive, the air is charged with excitement, and the people are ready for celebration. Today is the day when the Passover lambs are set apart and held for the coming sacrifice. Here is John’s account of what we now call Palm Sunday:

“The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, you king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his desciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realized that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” (John 12:12-19)

The crowds were anticipating the arrival of their Messianic King! Stimulated by Jesus’ recent raising of Lazarus from the dead in Bethany, they welcomed Jesus using Old Testament titles like Hosanna (Hebrew means “Save Now”), King of Israel, and The Coming One (the Messiah, one anointed to restore David’s Kingdom). These verses come from a portion of Psalms called the Hallel (Psalms 113-118) and are regularly sung at Passover. For example:

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.” (Psalm 118:25-27)

The crowds roll out the red carpet for their King by laying palm branches and garments across the dusty road between Bethany and Jerusalem. But their understanding of the coming Kingdom is limited, and some of the people who are shouting, “Hosanna” today will be shouting “crucify Him” on Friday.

Jesus rides a donkey about 2 miles into Jerusalem, surrounded in front and behind by the frenzied crowd. Jesus is formally presenting Himself to Jerusalem as Messiah and King in the line of David – a monumental occasion fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy made ~500 years earlier:

“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9)

Jesus rides into Jerusalem as a humble servant, KNOWING all the while that He must be rejected as King in order to fulfill prophecy and to complete His mission to die for the sins of the world.

John explains that the disciples did not recognize the prophetic significance of today’s happenings until after Jesus’ resurrection, even though Jesus had spent considerable time preparing and teaching them. How much richer this time could have been had they understood God’s unfolding plan!

The religious leaders are sensing a loss of control, threatening their own autonomy and the political stability of the region. They must take care of Jesus right away!

Only the mysterious work of God could bring together the actions of so many believers and unbelievers to realize His determined plan. So today’s grace parade is a literal one – Jesus willingly riding a donkey into Jerusalem, determined to die for the sins of the world. As John later records of Jesus:
“…what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.” (John 12:27)