Palm Sunday
Luke 19: 29-40
Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. on Palm Sunday, seven days before Easter Sunday. Palm Sunday or the triumphal entry is recorded in all four Gospels.
29 And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’ ”32 So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. 33 But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?”34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on it. 36 And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. 37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” 40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.
Luke 18:29-40
Reflection
On Palm Sunday, Jesus descended the Mount of Olives and entered the temple complex on a donkey, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, spoken 500 centuries before Christ! The Mount of Olives directly faces the temple complex but on a higher level. If you visit the Mount of Olives today, you get a panoramic view of the Temple Mount, the site where the second temple previously stood. You can walk from the Mount of Olives down the Kidron Valley to the Lion Gate passing through the beautiful garden of Gethsemane. You can do this thirty-minute Palm Sunday walk to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
The disciples brought to Jesus an unbroken donkey. Meanwhile, a huge multitude was following Jesus to welcome Him. The disciples threw their clothes on the unbroken donkey and Jesus sat on it. An unbroken donkey will never allow anyone to sit on it but Jesus sat and rode on it without any difficulty! The multitude threw palm branches and their clothes on the road to welcome Jesus as Messiah, the King, who came in peace in the Name of Yahveh, Matthew 21:8, Mark 11:8. The multitude spontaneously acted out the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, and proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah. The multitude rejoiced, praised God, and recited Psalm 118:26, a messianic Psalm.
By this time, some of the Pharisees were offended. They demanded that Jesus rebuke and silence His disciples. Why? Because they could not accept Jesus as the Messiah claiming blasphemy. Jesus replied that if His disciples kept silent, the stones on the roadside would immediately cry out! During my visit to the Mount of Olives many years ago, I walked the Palm Sunday walk. I took many stones and brought them back as stones of remembrance to memorialize my trip.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey
Zechariah 9:9
And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road
Matthew 21:8
And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road
Mark 11:8
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We have blessed you from the house of the Lord
Psalm 118: 26
Application
Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday seven days before Easter Sunday. This is recorded in all four Gospels.
He is the Passover Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world, John 1:29.
The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:29
He is the Jewish Messiah, the King of Israel, and the Saviour of the world. He died on Good Friday as a substitutionary atonement for your sins. He rose from the dead on Easter Sunday to prove that He is God. He is alive today, interceding for you in the throne room of the Father in heaven. Prophet Zechariah prophesied Palm Sunday 500 years before Jesus was even born! Wow, this is incredible! And this is just one prophecy out of at least 300 prophecies that Jesus fulfilled in His earthly ministry! For this to happen by random chance is a statistical impossibility.
Do you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God?
Do you believe that Jesus is the Passover Lamb of God?
Do you believe that Jesus died to pay for the penalty of your sins?
Apostle John wrote his gospel so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in His name.
but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:31
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb of God, and the Savior of the world. Thank You Jesus, for coming to earth 2000 years ago, to live a perfect life, and died a cruel death on the cross for our salvation. Thank You for salvation by grace and justification by faith in Christ. Thank You for Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Help us to understand scripture and develop a love for your Word, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
