Thoughts on Jesus Christ's triumphal entry (part 1)

I know it’s a few days until we get to the holiday known as Palm Sunday, but I’ve decided to post the first installment of my thoughts a few days early.  I’m excited to get into this material with you because, if my memory serves me correctly, I have never posted any Palm Sunday content in this blog.  The website got questions.org has a good article on the holiday that I want to share.

“Palm Sunday is the day we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, one week before His resurrection (Matthew 21:1-11).  As Jesus entered the holy city, He neared the culmination of a long journey toward Golgotha.  He had come to save the lost (Luke 19:10), and now was the time – this was the place – to secure that salvation.  Palm Sunday marked the start of what is often called “Passion Week,” the final seven days of Jesus’ earthly ministry.  Palm Sunday was the “beginning of the end” of Jesus’ work on earth…

As Jesus ascended toward Jerusalem, a large multitude gathered around Him.  This crown understood that Jesus was the Messiah; what they did not understand was that it wasn’t time to set up the kingdom yet – although Jesus had tried to tell them so (Luke 19:11-12).  The crowd’s actions along the road give rise to the name “Palm Sunday”: “A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road” (Matthew 21:8).  In strewing their cloaks on the road, the people were giving Jesus the royal treatment – King Jehu was given similar honor at his coronation (2 Kings 9:13).  John records the detail that the branches were cut from palm trees (John 12:13).

On that first Palm Sunday, the people also honored Jesus verbally: “The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ / ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ / Hosanna in the highest heaven!’” (Matthew 21:9).  In their praise of Jesus, the Jewish crowds were quoting Psalm 118:25-26, an acknowledged prophecy of the Christ.  The allusion to a Messianic psalm drew resentment from the religious leaders present: “Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’” (Luke 19:39).  However, Jesus saw no need to rebuke those who told the truth.  He replied, “I tell you…if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:40)…Unfortunately, the celebration was not to last.  The crowds looked for a Messiah who would rescue them politically and free them nationally, but Jesus had come to save them spiritually.  First things first, and mankind’s primary need is spiritual, not political, cultural, or national salvation” (Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/Palm-Sunday.html).

There is more I want to say in the next blog, but for now it’s sufficient to state that the great irony of Palm Sunday is that practically everyone misunderstood the nature of Jesus’ mission.  I love the analogy that Jefferson Bethke gives in the foreword of Kristen’s Parrish’s devotional No Cape Required:

“He didn’t look the part.  He didn’t do what they thought a messiah should.  He had no form or majesty in him that would’ve drawn out anyone’s attention.  They wanted Superman, but it looked like they got Clark Kent instead.  In that last sentence, though, lies the beauty and mystery of this Jesus from Nazareth.  The beauty of Clark Kent is that he is Superman.  And while people might have called Clark names and thought he really didn’t do much, he was also the one truly saving the day and bringing salvation to Metropolis even though he didn’t get the credit as Clark.  In fact, most people thought Jesus lost at the Cross, but looking back we see that was the moment of his ultimate victory…He saved the day, not how people wanted, but he did save the day.”  This would be a good place for an “amen”!  My prayer is God would illuminate the heart so Jesus is seen clearly for who He is, what He did, and why He did it.

To be continued!

Kevin