Bereansearching Bible Studies

Introduction

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where crowds waved palm branches and shouted “Hosanna” as He rode a donkey. This event, recorded 2,000 years ago, occurred just before His Crucifixion on Good Friday and Resurrection on Easter Sunday. While many know the story, few understand its deeper spiritual significance. This post explores what Palm Sunday truly means.

Palm Sunday: Jesus as the “Lamb of God”

Palm Sunday is pivotal historical account and a central tenet of the Christian faith, appearing in all four Gospels:

• Matthew 21:1-11: “And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem… Jesus sent two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village… ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her… All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass… And the multitudes… cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David…”
• Mark 11:1-11: “And when they came nigh to Jerusalem… he sendeth forth two of his disciples… ye shall find a colt tied… And they brought the colt to Jesus… and many spread their garments in the way… saying, Hosanna; Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord…”
• Luke 19:28: “And when he was come nigh to Bethphage… he sent two of his disciples… ye shall find a colt tied… And they brought him to Jesus… the whole multitude… began to rejoice… Saying, Blessed [be] the King that cometh in the name of the Lord…”
• John 12:12-19: “On the next day much people… Took branches of palm trees… and cried, Hosanna: Blessed [is] the King of Israel… And Jesus… sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt…”

By combining all four Gospel accounts, we can uncover deeper spiritual insights that a surface reading that the “physical” eye might miss. Let’s explore the hidden truths God has interwoven within these texts, supported by related scriptures.

Why Palm Sunday Matters

1. Timing: A Sunday Event

John 12:1 states, “Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany…” John 12:12 continues, “On the next day much people… heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.” Since Passover in 33 AD fell on a Friday (John 19:31), the “next day” after six days prior was a Sunday—five days before Passover. [Using the Hebrew and astronomical lunar calendars, it can be determined that Passover fell on Friday, April 3 in 33AD, and Palm Sunday fell on March 29.]

2. Fulfilling the Passover

In Exodus 12:1-6, God instructs: “In the tenth [day] of this month they shall take… a lamb… without blemish… And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day… and… kill it in the evening.” The Passover lamb was chosen on the tenth day of the first month, five days before its sacrifice. In 33 AD, this would have occurred on the Sunday that we now know as Palm Sunday, when Jesus entered Jerusalem—as evidence of His selection as the Lamb of God to fulfill the Passover.

John the Baptist confirms this in John 1:29: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,” and in John 1:36: “Behold the Lamb of God!” Revelation 13:8 identifies Jesus as “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Jesus did not go up to Jerusalem in 33AD to observe the Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem to BE THE PASSOVER!

Note also that the moment that Jesus died on the cross as the Lamb of God on Passover Day, we read in Matthew 27:51, And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;“. (see also Mark 15:38 and Luke 23:45) This means that the Holy of Holies had been fully exposed, thus signifying the end of the purpose for the Jerusalem Temple and its Old Testament sacrifices and offerings from that point on. Jesus’s death on the cross, as the Sacrificial Lamb of God, had completely and finally fulfilled all of the Law of Sacrifice and Offerings for sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). For more on this, please see: The Holy Temple of God, Will It Ever Be Rebuilt?

3. Fulfilling Prophecy

Matthew 21:4&5 and John 12:14&15 quote the prophesy of Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he [is] just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” Jesus’ triumphal entry fulfilled this prophecy, showing Him as the humble King bringing salvation. John 12:16 notes that the disciples only later understood: “These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and [that] they had done these things unto him.”

Note that the words “daughter“, “Zion“, and “Jerusalem” are cloaked references of salvation coming to the eternal people of God, the Eternal Israel, not National Israel (although a remnant of National Israel will nonetheless be saved).

Spiritual Implications of Palm Sunday

1. “King of Israel”
   The crowds called Jesus the “King of Israel” (John 12:13), even though some may have erroneously thought of Jesus as an earthly “Messiah” to lead Israel to its former glory under King David and to vanquish the Romans. Nonetheless, that claim was correct, as we find Jesus identified in 1 Timothy 6:14-16,: “the King of kings, and Lord of lords,” and in Revelation 19:16: “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Jesus Is the eternal King, above all creation, and not a mere national political ruler.
2. “Meek”
   Jesus’ humility, riding a donkey, aligns with Isaiah 53:2: “he hath no form nor comeliness…” Jesus came the first time as a Suffering Servant and Sacrifice for sin, but he will most certainly come the second time as Conquerer, King, and Judge.
3. “upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass”
   The donkey and colt symbolize God’s people—Old Testament (ass) and New Testament (colt). Exodus 13:13 compares unredeemed humans to an ass, needing a lamb’s sacrifice: “…And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.” Jesus, the Lamb of God, redeems all believers. His authority over the untamed donkeys shows His mastery and authority over them. We should also remember how Samson, as a great “Type” of Jesus, killed a thousand me with “the jawbone of an ass”, “And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith...” Similarly, God uses the mouths of the believers to spread the Gospel to defeat His enemies. It is also interesting that we read in Genesis 49:8-12 of Jacob’s prophetic blessing of his son Judah with these words, “Judah, thou [art he] whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand [shall be] in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. Judah [is] a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.” Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah (descended from Judah), and Jesus is that Sceptre that does not depart from Judah. Jesus also tread the winepress alone and stained his garments red, and we know that in this study, there is a connection with Jesus riding on an ass’s colt as well. And note the consistency with what we find in Job 11:12, “For vain man would be wise, though man be born [like] a wild ass’s colt.” The wild ass’s colt is synonymous with mankind in the natural born, unredeemed, state.
4. “Hosanna in the Highest”
   The word that is translated as Hosanna is from the original Greek word, ὡσαννά (hōsanna)^G5614 meaning “Oh Save“, which is derived from two Hebrew words, of Hebrew origin, יָשַׁע (yāšaʿ)^H3467 and נָא (nā’)^H4994 ; meaning: beseeching to “Save now!” And this is exactly what we read in Psalm 118:25, “Save  (יָשַׁע (yāšaʿ))^H3467 now (נָא (nā’))^H4994, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now (נָא (nā’))^H4994 prosperity. It appears in the Palm Sunday accounts of Matthew 21:9, 15, Mark 11:9-10, and John 12:13, that these words were reflecting cries for salvation, mirrored in Revelation 19:1: “And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:” And let us not forget Psalm 20:9, “Save (יָשַׁע (yāšaʿ))^H3467 , LORD: let the king hear us when we call.”
5. “Branches of Palm Trees”
   Only John 12:13 specifies “palm trees” (φοῖνιξ (phoinix))^G5404, which is also only found in Revelation 7:9-12: “a great multitude… with palms (φοῖνιξ (phoinix))^G5404 in their hands… saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb…” Palms symbolize victory and salvation.
6. Disciples “cast their garments upon the colt…” and “a very great multitude spread their garments in the way“
   The garments/clothes of the two disciples and the multitude (Matthew 21:8, Mark 11:7&8, Luke 19:35&36) represent human works, described as “filthy rags” in Isaiah 64:6. Jesus identifies with them and treads over them, symbolizing His triumph over sin. And the two disciples also represent the church being sent forth to gather in the lost Elect of God before that Great and Terrible Day.
7. “Jesus the Prophet of Nazareth”
   Matthew 21:11 identifies Jesus as “the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.” Some doubted that the Messiah could arise from either Nazareth or Galilee (John 1:46, John 7:40 John 7:52), yet Jesus was indeed the promised Prophet and the Son of David. Interestingly enough, those who questioned Jesus’ credentials were unaware that The Prophet Jonah was also of Galilee, having also lived in the immediate vicinity of Nazareth. Nonetheless, even though Jesus’ birthplace in Bethlehem may not have been well known, the people were aware of Jesus’ lineage (back to David and hence the tribe of Judah) because they called Jesus “Son of David“.
8. “A Place Where Two Ways Met”
   Mark 11:4 mentions “a place where two ways met,” symbolizing Jesus as the confluence of both the Old and New Testaments. John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.“

After Palm Sunday

• Cleansing the Temple (Matthew 21:12&13, Mark 11:15–19; Luke 19:45–48; John 2:13–22 ): Jesus quotes Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11, for purifying God’s House, that is a House of prayer.
• Children’s Praise (Matthew 21:14-17): Children cry “Hosanna” to Jesus to the dismay of the chief priests and scribes and where Jesus referenced Psalm 8:2, “”Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.“, reflecting the purity of child-like faith. Remember Jesus with the children in Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14, Luke 18:16.
• The Fig Tree (Matthew 21:18&19, Mark 11:12-14, 20): Jesus curses a fruitless fig tree, symbolizing judgment on unfruitful apostate National Israel (Joel 1:7) just prior to Judgment Day at the cross. That action also serves as an end time warning to the apostate Church in the Final Tribulation just before the Final Judgment Day, which is coming soon (Revelation 1-3).

Conclusion: Are You Ready?

Palm Sunday points to Jesus as both the Passover Lamb prepared for the first Judgment Day for Jesus’ Elect Church, as well as King of the eternal Israel, Who will come again the last time on the second Judgment Day to destroy His enemies and this creation. Today’s apostasy (as forewarned in Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14), together with the world turning more and more away from God and toward worldly lusts into greater and greater depravity (Matthew 24:12 and Romans 1:18-32), signals that Judgment Day is coming very soon (2 Peter 3:10-12). Nevertheless, the Believers can rejoice as they await the “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13) when the Lord Jesus Christ will return forever, coming on the clouds of glory surrounded by His saints (His Bride, the eternal Church).

Are you ready for Jesus’ Second Coming?

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