Palm Sunday - Reflecting Jesus

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, as told in all four Gospels. As Jesus approached the city, riding on a donkey, crowds gathered and laid their cloaks and branches on the road ahead of Jesus. (John identifies them specifically as palm branches, and so the name “Palm Sunday”.) The laying down of cloaks and branches was common practice to welcome Passover pilgrims, but it may have suggested royal homage as well: Jesus coming as king, or so they hoped. Not everyone in these crowds would have been acknowledging something special about Jesus, but the songs sung suggest that many there had high hopes that Jesus was the Messiah.

Of course, Jesus would disappoint everyone on that respect. Their hopes would be dashed when they saw Jesus hanging on the cross like a criminal. But Jesus knew more was going on here and the deliberate choices he made in his approach to Jerusalem--particularly the choice to ride in on a donkey (see Zechariah 9:9)--tell us that, yes, Jesus was coming as king, but not in the way all of them (or all of us) expected. Jesus came as the suffering, servant king. 

We all know how the story ends, but that’s for next week--lets not jump ahead. Take some time this week to reflect on Jesus’ days before his crucifixion: his teachings, his actions, his sufferings, and his death. You may want to read reflectively through the last few chapters of the Gospels (starting at Matt 21, Mark 11, Luke 19:29, and/or John 12:12).