Today is Palm Sunday! Many of you have a good understanding of what Palm Sunday is and you have read the Bible passages that talk about it.
John 12:12-19; Luke 19: 28-38; Mark 11:1-11 and Matthew 21:1-11
This morning we will take a look at the passage in Matthew, and see what we can add to our knowledge of Palm Sunday.
Matthew 21: 1-11 NIV
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,
(Bethphage: means “house of figs”. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament, and in the New Testament only in connection with the Triumphal Entry) 1(Mount of Olives: The hill east of Jerusalem that offered travelers their first glimpse of the city.) 2
2 saying to them, “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.
3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” [ Zech. 9:9 – Donkey: an animal symbolic of humility, peace and Davidic royalty.] 3
Wycliffe says, ‘The ass was a lowly beast, and no Jewish King since Solomon had ridden upon one officially. But meekness and lowliness were earmarks of the Messiah, predicted by Zechariah, and now fulfilled.’ 4
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.
7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.
8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
(Branches: The word means “leaves” or “leafy branches,” which were readily available in nearby fields. Only John mentions palm branches (John 12:13), which apparently came from Jericho, since they are not native to Jerusalem.) 5
9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”
(A Hebrew expression meaning ‘Save!’, which became an exclamation of praise.)6
(Son of David: Previously Christ had shunned all such public displays, but now He had made careful preparations for an unmistakable presentation of Himself to the nation.) 7
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” [see Psalm 118:25-26]
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Notice how the people still see Jesus as a prophet – not God! This week in Jerusalem brings the truth of who Jesus is to many in the crowds around. Then they had to decide what to do with that knowledge.
Let’s see what we find in resource materials to shed light on this week before Easter.
Webster’s New World Dictionary:
‘Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter, commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, when palm branches were strewn before him’. 8
Henry H. Halley states:
‘The Triumphal Entry was on the Sunday before Jesus’s death. Jesus had come as the long-foretold Messiah. For three years, He had proclaimed Himself to the nation by unceasing journeys and miracles, and the journeys and miracles of the Twelve, and of the Seventy. He knew that His death had been determined upon by the rulers. He was ready for it. In the grand public demonstration, as final notice to the Holy City, He entered amid the hallelujahs and hosannas of the expectant multitudes. The people were jubilant. They thought the hour of deliverance was at hand.’ 9
Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart give us this thought:
‘Then Jesus presents himself to Israel as its long-awaited King, fulfilling Zechariah 9:9 and Psalm 118:25-26.’10
Guy P. Duffield in his book “Handbook of Bible Lands” gives us this thought:
‘The Golden Gate – or Eastern Gate – of the city of Jerusalem is on the east side of the city facing the Mount of Olives. This is the gate built on the place where it is believed Jesus entered on the occasion of His Triumphal Entry. This gate was closed by the Turkish governor of Jerusalem in 1530 in the hope of postponing the day of judgement and the end of the world. Legend had it that this would be the spot where the trumpet would sound and the dead would be raised. Many Christians believe that when Jesus comes again, the gate will be opened and He will once again enter the Holy City (Ezekiel 44:1-3). If the gate were open it would be the only gate that would lead directly in to the temple area. ‘11
Peter Bayne, in, ‘The Testimony of Christ to Christianity,’ states:
‘Jesus Christ has trod the world. The trace of the Divine footsteps will never be obliterated. And the Divine footsteps were the footsteps of One who is Man. The example of Christ is such as men can follow. On! Until mankind wears His image. On! Towards yon summit on which stands, not an angel, not a disembodied spirit, not an abstract of ideal and unattainable virtues, but THE MAN JESUS CHRIST.’ 12
Jesus told His disciples what this week in Jerusalem was bringing.
Matthew 20: 17-19 NIV
17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them,
18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death
19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
Then He stated why in Matthew 20:28 NIV
28 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
This passage is the triumphal entry of Jesus to Jerusalem which leads to His death on the cross. He died for the sins of all mankind, since He had not sinned. This is the reason we join together through communion to remember the pain and suffering and darkness that Jesus went through for us. His body was broken and His blood was shed to give us forgiveness.
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