Have you heard a friend or relative mention Palm Sunday and wondered what it is? Here are seven mind-blowing things you should know about Palm Sunday.
1. What is Palm Sunday and its Significance?
Preceding Palm Sunday, there is something called Lent. It’s a period of forty days that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. The forty days represent the time that Jesus spent in the wilderness, resisting the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry on earth. Lent is a time of repentance and preparation for Easter. Lent is a time of self-examination and reflection. It prepares our hearts so that when Palm Sunday come, we are truly joyful to welcome Jesus.
In order to understand Palm Sunday, we first have to put it in the context of Holy Week that leads up to Jesus’ crucifixion, death and his resurrection on the third day. The Holy Week comprises of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, short stay in Bethany, the Lord’s Supper, betrayal by Judas, the six trials of Jesus, Pilate washing his hands in front of the crowd to signify his innocence, the Jewish crowd’s demand of Jesus’ death, the crucifixion, Jesus’ death, torn veil in the temple and Jesus Christ’s resurrection. Jesus’ resurrection from physical death, as corroborated by hundreds of eyewitness accounts (Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Simon Peter, Jesus’ twelve disciples, over 500 witnesses at once, James, Paul) is at the heart of the Christian theology and proof that Jesus Christ was indeed God, as part of the Trinity — Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Judaism and Islam do not acknowledge that Jesus was the divine son of God.)
The start of Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday when Jesus triumphantly entered the city of Jerusalem. The name Palm Sunday comes from the fact that as Jesus entered Jerusalem the people of the city waved palm branches and placed palm leaves on the ground to jubilantly welcome Jesus. By then, many had heard about Jesus’ ministry and his many miracles of healing and good deeds.
Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week and in 2018, it falls on March 25th. Palm Sunday falls on the Sunday a week before Easter.
2. Why Did Jesus Ride on a Young Donkey?
Bible scholars point to three reasons why Jesus rode a donkey. The first reason is that it was prophesied in Zechariah 9:9:
The Coming of Zion’s King
9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
The second reason is that in ancient times, a king rode on a horse if he was coming for war and a donkey if coming in peace. A horse was often used in a battle in relation to kings and war but a donkey symbolized peace in relation to the common people.
Jesus was not mounted on horses of chariot but on a lowly foal — a young donkey. This is in stark contrast to the Jewish people’s expectation of a mighty military king who would overthrow and drive out the Romans from their land. What the people didn’t realize was that Jesus didn’t come to free them from Roman bondage but to free them from the bondage of sin itself.
The third reason for riding on a donkey was to convey to the Jewish people that he cared about them — the everyday people. Life was hard under Roman rule. Many suffered extreme poverty, abuse and illness. Through Jesus’ ministry, he demonstrated his love for the sick, poor and sinful. He didn’t come to judge. He came to embrace them and to provide a way to break the bondage of sin. He came not as a king to be served but to serve others. He showed that in the kingdom of God, our human standards are completely upside down — the oppressed are elevated and the rich, powerful and greedy are brought down. Even in Jesus’ selection of his twelve disciples, he didn’t recruit from the wealthy, educated or political elites. He called the fishermen, carpenters and everyday people.
3. Why Use Palm Leaves and Branches?
Palm leaves and branches were a sign of special honor or respect shown publicly to kings and royalty. It also symbolized victory and goodness.
4. What Does the Bible Say About Palm Sunday?
John 12:12-15
12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 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!”
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”
Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem is also recorded in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11 and Luke 19:28-44.
5. What Takes Place on Palm Sunday Worship Service?
On Palm Sunday, believers of Christ participate in a procession carrying palm branches or a substitute (yew, olive, willow branches) to reenact the people of Jerusalem welcoming Jesus as he enters the city. It’s a way for Christians to deeply internalize the incredible sacrifice of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross to wash our sins, thus creating a new covenant (Old Testament — the covenant between God and Israel vs. New Testament — the covenant between God and the followers of Jesus Christ.)
6. What Happens to the Palm Leaves After Palm Sunday
After the service, the palm leaves and branches are considered blessed so many choose to make small crosses out of the palm leaves as part of the observance and others burn the palms and save the ashes for Ash Wednesday the next following year.
7. What Does Palm Sunday Mean for You?
It’s easy to interpret Lent, Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter Sunday as religious rituals but then we would be missing the big point. The meaning of Easter is Jesus Christ’s victory over death. His resurrection symbolizes the eternal life that is granted to all who believe in him. If he had not risen from the dead, he would have been considered just like a great prophet or Rabbi. However, his resurrection changed all that and gave final and irrefutable proof that he is the Son of God and that he has conquered death once and for all. Those who believe in him can have assurance of salvation.
To accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, simply ask him to come into your heart with a prayer of salvation:
I acknowledge that Jesus Christ is God; that He came to earth as a man in order to live the sinless life that we cannot live; that He died in our place, so that we would not have to pay the penalty we deserve. I confess my past life of sin — living for myself and not obeying God. I admit I want to trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. I ask Jesus to come into my heart, take up residence there, and begin living through me.
Make Palm Sunday more than just head knowledge, do something outside of your comfort zone. Seek the truth for yourself. How are you striving spiritually?
