Palm Sunday

This weekend we celebrate Palm Sunday:

“Six days before the Passover…” Mary took a pint of perfume and poured it on Jesus’ feet—the house filled with the fragrance.     The narrative (John 12) describes the triumphal entry “The next day” (Palm Sunday). It is safe to say Jesus still smelled quite fragrant from the oil.  This being of Jewish telling, in Jewish culture, whilst Jewish people stood on the street as Jesus passed by, they (potentially) smelling the fragrance, resonated the Kingly procession, as they shouted, “Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the King of Israel (v13).

Anointing was a priestly and kingly custom: Moses pouring oil on Aaron’s head (Lev 8:12) and Samuel over Saul (1 Sam 10:1) and the anointing of King David (1 Sam 16:13; 1 Chron 29:22).  Interestingly, Mary anoints Jesus’ feet.  The custom was washing the visitor’s feet from the dusty paths but could (just an observation) the anointing of His feet, (not His head) display the declared Majesty of God—on earth. His Kingly walk among man, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Later as Jesus rides through the cobblestone streets, the crowd begins to yell “Hosanna… Hosanna in the Highest” waving palm branches with enthusiasm.  It was common practice in the ancient world to welcome home a king or war hero by laying down branches in front of them, similar to our ticker tape celebrations today. Hosanna is the Greek version of the Hebrew saying “yasha na” meaning “Save now we pray.” This taken from what is known as the Hallel, (Jewish prayerful readings of Psalms 113-118) specifically here, “O LORD, save us; (HOSANNA!) 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” (Psalm 118:25, 26, emphasis mine).  Can we grasp the impact of what they are saying? Jesus was fulfilling the prophetic words of Zechariah, “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” (9:9).

However, just four chapters later, people were yelling again, but this time; “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” (Mark 15:12-14). Little did they know they were basically yelling the same thing. Both times! For you see beloved, for Jesus to “save we pray” they had to “Crucify Him!” and —He allowed it. He laid down His life for YOU and for me. By this act and He resurrecting from the dead with all Kingly authority and power, He stood in the gap, reaching for your hand and placing it into the hand of the Father.  He is the Restorer of relationship—God and mankind. 

This weekend, may we not allow this moment to pass us by, as we whole-heartedly consider the impact and fulfillment of Hosanna.  JESUS!  He rides an untamed colt in a King’s procession, “SAVE WE PRAY!”  THAT He did!

Move over Easter Bunny behold the Lamb of God!

In Him DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love & good deeds” – Hebrews 10:24).