If you grew up in church, you may remember waving palm fronds or making crafts out of them in Sunday School on Palm Sunday. (And if you didn’t grow up in church, just keep reading.) Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem marks the beginning of the final days before His crucifixion. In the church, it’s known as Holy Week—kicking off on Palm Sunday and culminating on Easter. In case you need your memory refreshed, here’s how Matthew’s gospel tells the story:
“As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.’
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.
They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’
‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’
‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds answered, ‘This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.’” (Matthew 21:1-11, NIV)
Matthew wrote this to convince Jewish people that Jesus actually was the Messiah. So, he makes a point to show the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 that Jesus fulfills by entering Jerusalem riding on the foal of a donkey. In the ancient Middle Eastern world, leaders rode horses when they were going to war, but donkeys when they came in peace.
The people shouted “Hosanna,” which means “Save now!” It was both a praise and a petition that they were recalling from Psalm 118. The Jewish people were desperate for relief from the oppression of Rome and expected the Messiah to arrive as a political hero and a conquering king. They wanted Him to fix their problems in the present.
Jesus’ arrival was part of a much bigger plan to offer eternal peace with God, but the people were only looking for a fix to their current circumstances. They cared more about what was happening outside of them than within their own hearts. I think the same can be true of us.
Sometimes we want Jesus to wave a magic wand and make everything better when He’s actually inviting us to participate in something that has eternal significance. In the book of John Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27, NIV) Following Jesus brings lasting inner peace that far exceeds the temporary peace we find when circumstances go the way we want.
Here’s how Bible teacher Jennifer Rothschild explains this deeper peace of Jesus: “The Hebrew word for peace (shalom) can also be translated as completeness, soundness, or welfare…We have wholeness, soundness, and welfare from God because we have peace with God through Christ.”
She ties this to God’s promise to the Jews who were re-building the temple in the book of Haggai: “‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” (Haggai 2:9, NIV)
The triumphal entry was the official presentation of Jesus as the Messiah—the rightful descendant of King David who had been prophesied throughout the Old Testament. His arrival on Palm Sunday brought the glory and peace of the Lord to the temple that had been proclaimed in the time of Haggai as well as many other parts of Scripture.
The crowd clamored to worship Jesus when He first entered Jerusalem. Sadly, a few days later they called for His crucifixion when He didn’t bring the version of peace they expected. I wonder sometimes, how are we like the crowd on Palm Sunday? Are we more interested in a Jesus who provides quick fixes for our current circumstances? Do we join with the crowd in praising Him, hoping He’ll give us what we want? Are we quick to reject Him when He doesn’t give us the kind of circumstantial peace we think we deserve?
Simple faith in Jesus leads to lasting peace. This doesn’t mean life will be perfect or easy. In fact, not long before His crucifixion, Jesus explained “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NIV) When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we find deep peace that doesn’t depend on our circumstances but on lasting hope found in Him.
God’s glory exists all around us and His peace dwells within everyone who follows Him. Where do you need to take heart, look beyond the world, and embrace the deeper peace of Jesus today?
Take a deep breath and enjoy a five minute worship moment listening to “Peace” by Bethel Music. Click here to listen.
Jennifer Rothschild, Take Courage: A Study of Haggai, Lifeway Press 2020, 145-6.
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