THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF PALM SUNDAY
Matthew
21:1-11
Pope
Benedict in his homily in St Peter’s Square once said this about Palm Sunday:
"But what are we really doing when we join this procession as part of the
throng which went up with Jesus to Jerusalem and hailed him as King of Israel? Is this anything more than a ritual, a quaint
custom? Does it have anything to do with the reality of our life and our world?
To answer this, we must first be clear about what Jesus himself wished to do
and actually did.”
Palm
Sunday is an important day in the Christian calendar and marks the beginning of
Holy Week, immediately preceding the week of events leading up to Jesus' death
and resurrection. Every year Christians celebrate this special day decorating
their homes, churches with Palms, and reenact the triumphal entry of Jesus on a
donkey into Jerusalem. But do we know why did Jesus enter Jerusalem on a donkey,
why not on a horse? Why not in a chariot? And why did the crowds greet him with
palm branches? What is the significance of Palm Sunday and what are its
implications for us today? Let’s explore these questions.
Last
week we learned that from Perea, via Jericho, Jesus along with his twelve
disciples and other pilgrims were on the road going up to Jerusalem. On his
way, Jesus performed a miracle by giving sight to a blind man. In Matthew we
read about two blind men. Jesus was traveling ahead of this crowd. As they
approached Jerusalem and came to Bethpage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent
two of his disciples to a nearby village with clear instructions.
We
will pick our story from here. Jesus said, Vs 2-3“Go to the village ahead of
you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by
her. Untie
them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the
Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” This passage raises several
questions, what is the symbolism of a donkey? why did Jesus need a donkey and what
significance does it have for us today?
We
find some answers to these questions in Vs 4, “This took place to fulfill what
was spoken through the prophet.” Let’s see how this story is connected to an
ancient prophecy. In 536 B.C two prophets named Zechariah and Haggai both were
preaching to the first generation of Jews after the return to Judah from the
Babylonian exile. They were talking to them about repentance, and how God was
going to judge their enemies and restore the nation of Israel. Zechariah 9:9-10, “Rejoice greatly, O
daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your
king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with
salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of
a donkey.” Jesus choosing a donkey was
to fulfil the prophecy of Zechariah, but why a donkey, why not a horse?
I.
WHY A DONKEY, WHY NOT A HORSE?
In
the scriptures the donkeys were used for many purposes. In Palestine the donkey
has always played a much more important role than in the western world. It was
the universal saddle of the east. Rich people often owned and used donkeys as mode
of transportation. For example, Abraham loaded up his donkey when he went to
offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Genesis 22:3. In Judges 12:13-14, we find
that riding a donkey is mentioned as actually a mark of high rank. “Pirathon,
led Israel. He had 40 sons, and 30 grandsons, they rode on seventy donkeys.”
God
used a donkey to address a rebellious nation, Isaiah 1:3, “The ox knows its
master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do
not understand.” He opened the mouth of a donkey to speak to an un yielding
prophet Balaam. Coming back to our story Jesus used a young colt, the Gospel
writer Mark makes this distinction, “no one has ever ridden.” What is the
significance of choosing a young colt that no one has ever ridden on it?
The
young colt that no one has ridden on it represents sinlessness or purity, how
the sacrifice of a young cow in the OT was used in the ritual of purification
of the sins of Israel.
Thus, Jesus riding on a young colt
declares to the world that he was the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the
whole world. Just imagine, on the day of the inauguration of the president of
the USA, the newly elected president and the first lady suddenly decides not to
be driven in the presidential car the “Cadillac One” or fondly called as “the
Beast.” Instead they come riding on a donkey along with the entourage, what
kind of message would that send to the world?
By
choosing to ride on a donkey, Jesus sent a message of brokenness and humility. He
was different than the kings and the rulers of that time. He came to establish
a Kingdom of righteousness and Peace. Historically, horses and chariots were
proudly used by victorious Kings and Princes. They rode horses when they went
to war, but donkeys if they came in peace.
The mention of a donkey in Zechariah 9:9-10 fits the description of a king
who would be “righteous having salvation, and gentle.” Rather than riding to
conquer, this king would enter in peace.
Zechariah 9:10 highlights this peace: “I will
take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the
battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will
extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.” What
does this mean to us? In following Christ's example, when serving the Lord, our
focus should be on obeying Him with lowliness and humility. Not to seek for the
glitter, the glamour and the glory for ourselves. We are called to bring and
promote peace instead of violence and war.
Jesus
couldn’t have picked any other moment to make this spectacular entry. The city
of Jerusalem was bustling with crowds because of the Passover feast. Families
from all over came to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. Let’s continue our story
from here. Vs 7-8, “They
brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to
sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while
others cut (palm) branches from the trees and spread them on the road.”
What is the significance of “cloaks” and palm branches here in this passage?
II. CLOAKS
& PALM BRANCHES
In
the OT, when people took their cloaks or outer garments and lay them down in
front of someone meant that they, respected the one who has the power and
authority over them. We see this kind of gesture playing out when God sent a prophet
to anoint Jehu as the king of Israel.
2
Kings 9: 12-13, “When Jehu
said, “Here is what he told me: ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king
over Israel.” They quickly took their cloaks and spread them under him on the
bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!” When the
disciples took their cloaks and laid them on the donkey where Jesus sat and
rode tells us that one-way the disciples were recognizing Jesus as their King
and their Lord. How about the Palm branches?
Most
people living in the west may not know the value of Palm trees. I grew up in a
place where they were in abundance, especially the date palm trees. In the
ancient Near East and the Mediterranean world, the palm branch is a symbol of
victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life. The palm was sacred in Mesopotamian
religions, and in ancient Egypt represented immortality. In the scriptures we see a beautiful
symbolism of the righteous being compared to the palm trees in the house of the
LORD. Psalm 92:12-13, “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will
grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will
flourish in the courts of our God.” For a weary traveler during the summer heat
in a desert, finding a palm tree meant lifesaving, because, where the palm
trees are there will also be water.
Remember,
when the Israelites were wondering in the desert “they came to Elim where they
were twelve springs and seventy palm trees and they camped there near the
water.” Exodus 15:27. A palm branch was awarded to victorious athletes in ancient Greece. Historically, using palm branches on
Palm Sunday originates with a Jewish festival Sukkoth, also called the Festival
of the Tabernacles or Booths.
As
the worshippers processed through Jerusalem and in the Temple, waving in their
right hands something called a lulab,
which was a bunch of leafy branches made of willow, myrtle and palm. As they
waved these branches they recited Psalm 118:25-26, “O Lord save us, Lord grant
us success.…blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord.”
As
Jesus approached the temple in Jerusalem riding on a donkey the crowds began to
shout, Vs 9, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” In
Hebrew the word Hosanna means, “Save” which became an exclamation of praise.
Let’s look at the significance of this praise proclamation.
III
THE ROYAL ENTRY.
We see some parallels between Solomon’s
riding on a donkey and Jesus’ riding on a donkey into Jerusalem. Though these
two incidents are separated by centuries they are very significant. This how
the transfer of the Kingdom from David to Solomon took place. I Kings 1:33-35“Take
your lord’s servants with you and have Solomon my son mount my own mule and
take him down to Gihon. There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet
anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout, ‘Long live King
Solomon!... he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have
appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.”
History
tells us that though Solomon’s kingdom did not last forever, God granted peace
to Judah from all their enemies as long as Solomon lived. Thousands of years
later we are noticing another kind of transfer of power into the hands of Jesus
who was greater than Solomon. Jesus’
entry into Jerusalem ushered in a new Kingdom, it was the Kingdom of God on
earth. He was going to lay its foundation later through his death on the cross.
In that kingdom there will be no more sin, no more death but there will only be
righteousness peace and joy everlasting life.
At
the time of this supposedly Royal Entry, only a few people seemed to have
understood its significance. Whereas as for the religious leaders and the
onlookers Jesus remained as yet another prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.
Jesus’s ride on a donkey into Jerusalem did not go entirely unnoticed, the whole
city of Jerusalem was stirred, which in return triggered a series of events
that lead Jesus to be crucified on a mountain called Golgotha.
On
this Palm Sunday a few questions for us to ponder. Even today, many seem to be
missing it when it comes to seeing who Jesus really is. How do you see Jesus
today? Do you see him as a good moral teacher, a prophet a healer? Or do you
see him as the king of kings and the lord of lords? That perception will change
everything. When we believe in this truth, that Jesus came into this world to
establish God’s Kingdom, for which he laid a foundation 2000 years ago, and one
day he will come back to rule this earth as King forever, we will be saved.
There
will come a day where all those who believe in Jesus now will hold Palm
branches in their hands as a sign of victory over sin and death in front of the
throne of God. Are you going to be in that crowd? I want to conclude with this
futuristic vision of Palm Sunday. Rev 7:9-11 “After this I looked, and there
before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation,
tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.
They
were wearing white robes and were holding palm
branches in their hands. And they
cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.” All the angels were standing around the throne and around the
elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the
throne and worshiped God. Amen!
