What was Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday was the day on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem being hailed as a king before being crucified and resurrected.
The account of Palm Sunday is recorded in all 4 of the Gospels (Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19) and as such is something that we need to pay close attention to. It is interesting to see some of the similarities and differences between the various accounts of what occurred on that day.
Commonalities between all 4 accounts:
- Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a young donkey which had never been ridden before.
- The crowds of people present worshipped Jesus with various shouts of praise.
- People spread their cloaks and palms branches onto the road before Jesus. This is significant in that it was an act which at the time was reserved for royalty.
Unique Aspects in Accounts:
Matthew 21:1-11
- Highlights the fulfillment of prophecy by Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.
Matthew 21:4-5 “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.”
Zechariah 9:9 “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.”
- The only account which mentions both a donkey AND a colt. This highlights the fulfillment of prophecy.
Mark 11:1-11
- Mostly includes just the common aspects.
Luke 19:28-44
- Interesting conversation between Jesus and the pharisees.
Luke 19:39-40 “39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
- This passage reinforces the truth of who Jesus was.
John 12:12-19
- Again, the fulfillment of prophecy is emphasized, but this time it is followed up by the fact that the disciples did not recognize it at the time.
John 12:14-16 “14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.”
- This is an excellent reminder that as we grow older and look back at our lives it can be much easier to see God’s involvement than we do in the moment.
Why do we celebrate Palm Sunday? What is its significance?
- It serves as an example of how we should worship Jesus for who He truly is: the sovereign king and messiah of the world.
- As a fulfillment of prophecy, Palm Sunday is a reminder of God’s sovereignty.
- Palm Sunday demonstrates Jesus’ humility.
1 Chronicles 16:23-25 “23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. 24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. 25 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.”
Psalm 75:1 “We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds.”
Consistency in Serving Jesus
- On this day, Jesus was hailed as literal royalty (that is what the laying of palm branches and robes symbolizes). Less than a week later, there were crowds from the same city shouting to crucify him.
- This is a good lesson for our own lives. It can be incredibly easy to worship Jesus as Lord of our lives one moment and then to be crucifying him with our sin in the next moment. We should examine our lives for consistency in our relationship with Jesus.
