Weekly message: Why called Palm Sunday before the Easter?
By
Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce
Christian
Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel Music March 21, 2021
As Easter is approaching, we would like to discover that why Christians have been celebrating Easter and Palm Sunday. The reason called Palm Sunday? For Jesus was triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Sunday to fulfill Heavenly Father’s redemption plan. It’s also the beginning of last week of Christ’s life on the earth. According to the book of Martthew21:1-11and book of Mark11:1-11 explicitly stated,
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage
and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to
them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find
a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If
anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ Tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and
will send it back shortly.’” They went and found a colt outside in the street,
tied at a door way. As they united it, some people standing there asked, “What
are you doing, uniting that colt?” They
answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they
brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on
it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road,
while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. They who went
ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is
he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“
Hosanna in the highest!”
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He
looked around at everything, but since it was already
late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve. (Mark11:1-11)
The palm itself was symbolic of victory. During Christ’s lifetime, it was the custom for the common people throughout the Roman Empire to greet royalty by waving palm branches and strewing them in the path of the royal personages. The palm itself was symbolic of victory; Roman generals and their armies often carried palms in triumphal processions returning from battle. So it was when Jesus entered Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday.[1]
In Matthew 21:7 and Mark 11:7 both mentioned about “the colt”, which signifies lowliness and
meekness. (Matt.21:5) . And the
“cloaks” or “garments “signifies people’s conduct and the human virtues
expressed in people’s conduct.(Isa.64:6; Rev.19:8). The disciples put their
garments on the colt for the Lord to ride on, and many spread their garments in
the road for Him to pass through (v.8), signifying, on the one hand, that they
revered Him and, on the other hand, that their conduct, which was an expression
of their human virtues, was a seat on which He could rest and a way that He
could pass through (Matt.21:7)[2].
This implies that our deeds and our
conduct should pave the way for the Lord and serve as a seat on which He can
rest.
In Matthew21:8 and Mark11:8 stated, “Others spread
branches”, this shows not only that the braches were many and thick but also
that people could walk on them securely. The Greek word denoted primarily
layers of leaves, twigs, reeds, or straw spread for people to walk on or lie
on, and by extension, branches full of tender leaves. Here the crowd spread
layers of this kind of branch as a carpet on the road so that the Slave-Savior,
whom they revered and loved, could walk on them as He entered the capital. The tender leaves having cut them out of
the fields signify the abundance and freshness of the human life; it opposites
of withering, dry leaves.[3]
The branches of the palm tree (John12:13), which
signify the victorious life (Rev.7:9) and the satisfaction of enjoying the rich
produce of that life, as
typified by the Feast of Tabernacles in Leviticus.23:40, “On the
first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy
branches and poplars, and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.
Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year.” And in Nehemiah 8:15, “And
that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in
Jerusalem: ‘ Go out into the hill country and bring back braches from olive and
wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make booths’ as
it is written.” The crowd used both their garments and the palm tree branches to
celebrate the lowly King’s coming.
In the verse 9, “Hosanna” means save now! Or in Hebrew expression meaning “do save, we
pray”. The acclamation is a
quotation based upon Ps.118:25-27, “O Lord, save us; O Lord, grant us success. Blessed is he who comes in
the name of the Lord, from the house of the Lord we bless you. The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the
festal procession up to the horns of the altar.” sung at the Feast
of Tabernacles. The crowd wanted salvation from the oppression of Rome, not the
spiritual salvation that Christ offered.[4]
The same group hailed Jesus, in the few days would also desert Him. This
occasion was the fulfillment of Zech.9:9, it says, “Rejoice
greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes
to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a
colt, the foal of a donkey.” As the book of Matthew21:4
stated, “This took place to fulfill what was spoken
through the prophet: ‘Say to the Daughter of Zion, see, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’
Conclusion
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, the observation of the last week of Christ’s life, which leads up to His death and Resurrection. All over the world, Christians use palm branches in church services and joyous processions and parades. Where palms are unavailable, other plants are used, but the meaning is still the same. This was Jesus’ triumphant entry, the procession of a King, the conqueror of evil. But the procession, although joyous, also marked the beginning of the last week of Christ’s life on earth. [5] The crowd used both their garments and the palm tree branches to celebrate the lowly King’s coming. The branches of the palm tree (John12:13), which signify the victorious life (Rev.7:9) and the satisfaction of enjoying the rich produce of that life, as typified by the Feast of Tabernacles in Leviticus.23:40. And Christians' deeds and conduct should pave the way for the Lord and serve as a seat on which He can rest.
Bibliography,
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[1] Julie Hogan. “Treasury of Easter
Celebrations”. Ideals Publications
(Nashville, TN 1999),55
[2] Witness Lee. “The New Testament”. Living stream Ministry (Anaheim, CA 1985),217
[3] Witness Lee. The New Testament. Living stream Ministry (Anaheim, CA 1985),217
[4] Charles Ryrie. “ The Ryrie Study
Bible” The Moody Bible Institute (Chicago IL 1986),1348
[5] Julie Hogan. “Treasury of Easter Celebrations”.
Ideals Publications (Nashville, TN
1999),55
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