This was the title of my Palm Sunday message. When Jesus rode a donkey colt into Jerusalem, He was hailed as the Jews' Messiah, their king. A great multitude came out to honour Jesus and cheer for Him. Hosannah means “Save now!” The crowds were acknowledging Jesus as their Messiah. Most of Jesus’ life was spent in quiet anonymity. Even when He healed people, He usually told them to keep it quiet. He avoided scenes like this.
But this was the day He would get what He deserved.
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” is a quote from Ps 118:26. Hosannah, meaning "save now", comes from the previous verse, Ps 118:25. It was specifically announcing and celebrating the coming of the Messiah.
People went crazy. They laid their (excess) clothes down on the road, in the dirt and filth, because even the donkey colt that carried the King was not going to have to walk through anything dirty. The people didn’t even want Jesus to have to sit directly on the donkey so they put some of their clothes down for Him to sit on.
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” is a quote from Ps 118:26. Hosannah, meaning "save now", comes from the previous verse, Ps 118:25. It was specifically announcing and celebrating the coming of the Messiah.
People went crazy. They laid their (excess) clothes down on the road, in the dirt and filth, because even the donkey colt that carried the King was not going to have to walk through anything dirty. The people didn’t even want Jesus to have to sit directly on the donkey so they put some of their clothes down for Him to sit on.
John is the only gospel that specifically mentions palm branches (fronds actually). Mark says that the people cut down leafy branches (11:8). Matthew just says they cut down branches from the trees. Luke doesn’t mention any branches at all. I always pictured the crowds waving these leafy branches (or palm fronds) as Jesus was riding into town but Matthew and Mark both say that they spread the branches on the road. Maybe they did both.
The point is: Jesus deserves our acclamation, our loud joyful praise. He got what He deserved on the day he rode a donkey colt into Jerusalem, but later in that week, He got what we deserved, when He gave His life on the cross.
