The day before Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time, he had performed one of his better-known miracles. And more than likely, Jesus performed this particular miracle to foreshadow what was going to happen to him in the coming days. In the neighboring town of Bethany, Jesus had brought a man—his friend Lazarus—back to life after he’d been dead for several days.
For some, that miracle sealed the deal: Jesus was indeed the chosen king they had been waiting on. He was the one who would rescue all of Israel! For the last several centuries, God’s people had been fragmented and overpowered. But now, in the mind of many Jews, Jesus would change all of that.
The day after Jesus resurrected Lazarus, Jesus made his way to Jerusalem to take part in the Passover festival.
While all four Gospels describe his entry into the city, this is John’s account:
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!” (John 12:12–13)
When the crowd shouted “Hosanna,” they were putting their hopes in Jesus for their salvation. The word literally means “Please save us!” or “Thank you for saving us!” And to further demonstrate that they saw Jesus as royalty, they lined his path with palm branches.
Throughout generations, palm trees were used during festive occasions as a sign of victory, but not just in a military sense. Palm branches meant more than just winning. They were a sign of care and protection, just like the leaves of the trees could protect from nature’s elements and sun. Palm branches were on coins and buildings. Even a thousand years before Jesus, King Solomon had palm branches carved into the walls and doors of the ancient temple.
So the people were celebrating Jesus: “Here comes the person who will not only lead us to victory, he will protect us and watch over us.” But the manner in which he would become their Savior would be far different than they could have imagined. In the coming days, Jesus would not rescue them from Roman rule or protect them in the way they may have envisioned a king would. And while palm branches were an appropriate symbol for a victorious king, this king would not be like other kings.
Those palm branches representing goodness, victory, and protection had a much bigger meaning than people could have imagined. Jesus was coming to establish a kingdom that would last forever.
Heavenly Father,
Help us to see Jesus for who he is and not the picture we may be tempted to paint of him. Thank you for sending Jesus to be the final King whose kingdom will never end. Amen
The day before Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time, he had performed one of his better-known miracles. And more than likely, Jesus performed this particular miracle to foreshadow what was going to happen to him in the coming days.