Hosanna – Palm Sunday

This coming 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 (See below—the perfume, “myrrh”).   The narrative describes the triumphal entry (Palm Sunday) “The next day” (John 12). 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 road 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 David (1 Sam 16:13).  Interestingly, Mary anoints Jesus’ feet.  Could it be (just an observation) the anointing of His feet, not His head, was displaying 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 is 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” (Psalm 118:25, 26, emphasis mine).  Can we grasp the impact of what they were seeing and  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, for Jesus to “save we pray” they had to “Crucify Him!” —He allowed it. He laid down His life for YOU and for me. By this act and His resurrection from the dead with all Kingly authority and power, He bridged the gap between man and His God.  He is the Restorer of fellowship—God and His children, 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!

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

For more about the perfume: Myrrh | Inspired Fountain