What is palm sunday all about?

So what’s the deal with Palm Sunday? Why is it called Palm Sunday, and what significance does this Sunday have? Palm Sunday is the celebration and remembrance of an event that took place in the Gospels about one week before the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus–the Triumphal Entry. About a week before he was crucified, Jesus rode into Jerusalem with a crowd surrounding him, laying down palm branches and crying “Hosanna to the son of David!” (Matt. 21:9). What was this all about?

In 2 Samuel 7, God had promised King David that his throne would be established forever. And the rest of the Old Testament writers from then on recognized that the Messiah that would come would be a king from David’s descendants. Later, the prophet Zechariah foretold that Israel’s king, the one who bring salvation, would humbly come riding on a colt (Zech. 9:9). 

Israel had been waiting for a king to come. And when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, many in Israel thought that this would be the king that would deliver them from their oppressors. And they were right, but in a much different way than they anticipated. 

The Jews at this time lived under the yoke of Rome, who allowed them to practice their religion but demanded taxes from them. The Jews thought that the promised Messiah King would come and overthrow Rome and establish peace in Israel (Micah 5:2-5). 

But Jesus was a King of a different kind who would bring peace of a different kind. Yes, he will come one day to rule over all things with everything in subjection under his feet. He created it all, so he owns it all. But Jesus came to deliver Israel, and us, from a much greater need than a political need. He came as spiritual King who would overthrow sin and give us peace from the sin that reigned in our own hearts. 

Palm Sunday reminds us to hail Jesus as King, both in a majestic way over all creation, but also in spiritual way in our own hearts. Does he reign in your heart?

This Sunday, as we consider Jesus as King, we will ask how such a King could be executed brutally by those he came to deliver. What will our response be to King Jesus?

Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19