Churches that follow a strict liturgical calendar will celebrate today with special Scripture readings that focus on Palm Sunday. Since Berean does not follow a liturgical calendar but instead systematically works through books of the Bible exegetically, we do not always land on specific calendar events. However, I want to remind everyone of some important ideas related to the Triumphal Entry of Christ into Jerusalem.
- All four gospels record the Triumphal Entry. It is a big deal.
- It is called Palm Sunday because John mentions palm branches. The next mention of palm is in Revelation 7.
- This takes place during Passover week. Jesus enters Jerusalem as the true Lamb who will be examined and then sacrificed.
- This is the Sunday before Resurrection Sunday. Jesus will die in 5 days.
- On Palm Sunday, Jesus openly presents Himself as the long-awaited king—the Messiah.
- Jesus fulfills Zechariah 9:9.
- Jesus rides a colt instead of a warhorse, fulfilling Zechariah 9:9 and revealing the nature of His kingdom.
- Zechariah 9:10 makes clear that His kingdom brings peace and puts an end to war, not political revolt.
- Mark lets us know the colt has not been broken. Jesus is exercising divine authority over the colt.
- The crowd receives Jesus as their king.
- Their cry of “Hosanna” is a cry to be delivered from the tyranny of the Romans.
- When they shout, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of Yahweh,” they are quoting from Psa 118:26.
- When the crowd references Son of David, they are making a Messianic/Davidic connection. See the Davidic Covenant in 2Sa 7.
- Luke also tells us something we cannot miss—King Jesus weeps over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41–44).
Consider the irony of this week.
- Yahweh heard their cry for salvation and sent a Savior, but they don’t grasp that their sin is the problem. So, they reject their Savior-King.
- What are we to think of the reality that some of the same people who shouted, “Save Us,” will soon be crying, “Crucify Him?”
- On Palm Sunday, Jesus is their king; on Good Friday, they have but one king—Caesar.
And immediately after entering Jerusalem, Jesus goes to the temple and cleanses it. The King, who is welcomed into the city, also confronts false worship and asserts His authority. None of this is accidental. The King enters Jerusalem to die. Christ, our Passover Lamb, is presented, examined, and will be sacrificed.
Do not miss this: it is possible to say the right things about Jesus and still misunderstand Him.
