The Meaning of Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is a Christian celebrates Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, which occurs about a week before His Resurrection. It is mentioned in all 4 gospels, which makes it a very big deal indeed according to the Bible.
Many churches across all Christian traditions celebrate the Triumphal Entry with palm leaves, sometimes tied into the shape of a cross. Churches without easy access to palm leaves may use other types of native trees as well leading to the occasional “Yew Sunday” or even “Branch Sunday.”

Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem. The city was crowded with Passover pilgrims and the people lining the route lay down their cloaks and small branches of trees to cover His path. They sang or chanted part of Psalms 118: “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.”

Remember that word about Jesus’ raising of Lazarus had spread from Bethany to Jerusalem like wildfire, and the whole city was agog with the news of Jesus. The Orthodox church is more aware of this linkage than is the Western Church, and part of their Palm Sunday liturgy is this beautiful poem:

O Christ our God
When Thou didst raise Lazarus from the dead before Thy Passion,
Thou didst confirm the resurrection of the universe.
Wherefore, we like children,
carry the banner of triumph and victory,
and we cry to Thee, O Conqueror of Death,
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is He that cometh
in the Name of the Lord.

During the Triumphal Entry, many of the Jews there believed He was the Messiah, which of course He was. THAT is what they were celebrating. They believed He would be the military Savior, the one who would throw off the rule of the Romans! That’s what they thought when He entered the city that day. How fast they would turn on Him in just a few days! Jesus knew that too, knew that the very same crowd that was cheering for him would be screaming “Crucify him!” just days from then.

So it was no accident, no accident at all that Jesus chose to ride in on a donkey and not a horse. The warlike horse was the symbol of chariots, generals and conquering armies. Jesus would have looked like a military hero riding in on a warhorse. But a donkey was a symbol of peace and patience in this culture, and kings might ride the donkey if their message was peace and not war. This is why we say that Jesus came to the city as the Prince of Peace in the book of Isaiah: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Is. 9:6)

Why did the people cover Jesus’ path in branches and cloaks? It was a Near Eastern custom to cover the pathway of a king or other highly honored visitor. The type of branch had a special meaning in Israel since the palm branch was a symbol of the greatness of God and His abundant gifts to His people, the book of Leviticus holds a command about celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles:  “On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.” (Leviticus 23:40)  And Revelation prophecies that the redeemed will do the same: “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.” (Rev. 7:9)

The Chronology

Let’s look at the series of events, symbols and prophecies that surrounded the Triumphal Entry and the Passion to come.

Jesus was in Bethany, not far from Jerusalem, where He had just raised Lazarus. He sent His disciples to arrange for the loan of a young donkey that had not yet been ridden. Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zech. 9:9)
Now, I did not realize this – but the crowds had gathered BEFORE He got to Jerusalem. We think about Him entering the city and then they celebrated, but it started just after He left Bethany riding on the donkey. All along the 2-mile road people were throwing down branches and cloaks. When He reached to the Mount of Olives to the east of Jerusalem He could see the city below Him. AND HE CRIED. As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (Luke 19:41-44)

Reflection: What did He mean by that, since they were celebrating His coming to the city at the time?

The location of the Mount of Olives is significant because it it the hill on which the Lord as Conqueror will wage His battles in the Last Days. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. (Zech. 14:4)

Jesus then kept moving through the crowds, descended the road from the Mount of Olives and rode through Jerusalem’s eastern gate.

And where did Jesus go next? The people probably expected an immediate rebellion against the Romans. But instead Jesus… WENT INTO THE TEMPLE AND DROVE OUT THE MONEY CHANGERS! Not the Romans — the Jews, His own people. He cleansed His Father’s house, just as He was about to cleanse the hearts of all who would believe in Him.