Treasures New and Old

Meanings Behind Aspects of Christ’s Triumphal Entry

Palm Branches on Triumphal Entry Day – Why?

I have drawn together the verses to answer this question primarily from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. But I did so by merging them into a single narrative. This allows the reader to see what all four gospel writers said, but also gives us a flavor of the moment since the crowd would have been shouting continuously (over and over) the same phrases for the full length of the procession. So that you can see which words come from which gospel writer, I have encompassed them in brackets of different types and colored them as follows:

Matthew 21:1-11, [Mark 11:1-11], {Luke 19:28-44}, and |John 12:12-19| (Matthew – red, Mark – blue, Luke – green, John – black):

|[M]uch people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, | And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the |palm| trees, | and went forth to meet him | and strewed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, {And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;} saying, Hosanna to the son of David: | Blessed is the King of Israel [;] | Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. [Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.] {Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.}

Did they wave just palm branches or the lulav – or both?

The waving of the lulav is a positive commandment from the Torah (Leviticus 23:40) to gather together the Four Species during Sukkot – the Feast of Tabernacles in the fall that lasted a week (and other events); “And ye shall take you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook, and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days” (The Holy Scriptures: A New Translation (JPS 1917)).

“The first day” refers to the first day of Sukkot. “Fruit of goodly trees” refers to the etrog (citron). “Branches of palm trees” refers to the lulav. “Boughs of thick trees” refers to the myrtle (hadasim). “Willows of the brook” refers to the aravot or hostanot.

The four are lumped together under the inclusive term lulav, since the lulav is the largest and most prominent. Thus, while the mitzvah is to wave the lulav, this actually refers to the four taken together as one. It is quite possible that not just the lulav (palm branches) were waved that day, but that all four in the full lulav were waved. Another tradition on Sukkot was the singing of Psalm 118 which has the very same words that the crowd was crying out that day. Because of this, many scholars believe that at least some of the crowd may have been waving the full lulav, not just palm branches.

Hosanna is a word used in some songs of praise, particularly on Palm Sunday. It is of Hebrew origin and was part of the shout of the multitudes as Jesus entered Jerusalem: “Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:9b).

Hosanna is often thought of as a declaration of praise, similar to hallelujah but it is actually a plea for salvation. The Hebrew root words are found in Psalm 118:25, and the people were actually quoting that Psalm: “Save now [hosanna], I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD” (Psalm 118:25-26; emphasis added).

So the verse is saying, “Save us, we pray, O LORD!” The Hebrew words yasha (deliver, save) (Strong’s H3467) and na (beg, beseech) (Strong’s H4994) combine to form the word that, in English, is hosanna. Literally, hosanna means “I beg you to save!” or “please deliver us!”

So as Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem, the crowds were perfectly right to shout, “Hosanna!” They were acknowledging Jesus as their Messiah, as shown in their address, “Son of David.” Theirs was a cry for salvation and a recognition that Jesus is able to save.

What is the significance of the lulav?

The etrog (citrus), which possesses both good taste and pleasant fragrance, symbolizes those who possess both scriptural truth and do the truth (good deeds). The palm branch (lulav) possesses taste (dates) but no fragrance, symbolizing those who possess truth but do not perform the truth (good deeds) – hearers of the Word only.

The myrtle is the inverse of the palm, possessing no taste (no eatable fruit), but having a pleasant fragrance; this is likened to those who do not know the truth but do good deeds (a good moral man who is not saved?).

Finally, the willow has neither good taste nor good fragrance and is poisonous to eat, symbolizing those who possess neither truth nor good deeds.

By waving the lulav at Sukkot and possibly on the entry of the Lord Jesus Christ as He presented Himself that day to all of Israel (and the world), we get a sense that all kinds of people are represented – indeed, God is not willing that any should perish.

We, of course, as Believers in Jesus Christ, want to be the etrog, possessing both truth and doing the truth (obedience).

Later that day, Jesus was in the temple, and the children present were again shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David” (Matthew 2:15b)! The chief priests and the teachers of the Law were displeased: “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, ‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” (Matthew 21:16; paraphrased). In saying, “Hosanna!” the people were crying out for salvation, and that’s exactly why Jesus would be hanging on a cross in a few days as our Savior.

Why did Jesus ride a donkey that day?

Question: “Why would a king ride a donkey instead of a warhorse (Zechariah 9:9-10)?”

Answer: Two good reasons

First: Many have wondered why the king mentioned in Zechariah 9:9-10 would ride a donkey into Jerusalem rather than a warhorse. It seems an odd choice for royalty. Kings ride chargers, don’t they? In the ancient Middle Eastern world, leaders rode horses if they rode to war, but donkeys if they came in peace. 1 King 1:33 mentions Solomon riding a mule on the day he was recognized as the new King of Israel. Other instances of leaders riding donkeys are in Judges 5:10; 10:4; 12:14; and in 2 Samuel 16:2.

Zechariah 9:9-11: “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. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.”

Note the many details symbolic of peace:

• Take away the chariots: an end to the main vehicle of war.
• Take away the warhorses: no need for horses used in war.
• The battle bow will be broken: no need for bows or arrows for fighting.
• He will proclaim peace to the nations: His message will be one of reconciliation.
• His rule shall be from sea to sea: the King will control extended territory with no enemies of concern. Jesus fulfills this prophecy of Zechariah perfectly!

Second: Jesus presented Himself to Jerusalem (and by extension all of Israel and the world) on the 10th day of Nissan: the first month of the Jewish religious year. The significance of this is that in Exodus 12 all of Israel was to take a lamb without blemish of the first year on the 10th of Nissan which is Passover. Jesus was literally presenting Himself to the world as THE PASSOVER LAMB! He didn’t come as the Royal King the first time, but as the Suffering Messiah. Jesus’ death is premeditated – He came to save by His sacrifice!

Wow – the people were crying Hosanna – Save us – and that is exactly why Jesus came, to save them from their (and our) sins!

May God bless you all!

Bro. Joe

References

The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text: A New Translation with the Aid of Previous Versions and with Constant Consultation of Jewish Authorities. Public Domain. Retrieved from www.sefaria.org. Taken from opensiddur.org

Strong, J. Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries. Meyers, R. (2005). e-Sword. [computer software] . Franklin, TN: Equipping Ministries Foundation. (Original work published 1539)

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