The Final Week of Jesus Part 3: Palm Sunday (Sunday, March 29, AD 33)
A Dramatic Arrival: Palm Sunday and the Heart of Jesus
Palm Sunday begins the final week of Jesus' earthly ministry, a period laden with theological, historical, and prophetic significance. Traditionally dated to March 29, AD 33, this day sets the stage for the climactic events of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. Central to Palm Sunday are three key moments: Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, the enthusiastic acclamations of the crowd, and His sorrowful lament over Jerusalem. Jesus' entry into Jerusalem was not a spontaneous event but a deliberate fulfillment of prophecy. Every action He took that day carried deep symbolic meaning, reinforcing His messianic identity and divine mission.
Significance of the Donkey
Riding on a donkey was a conscious decision that fulfilled Zechariah 9:9:
"Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
He is righteous and endowed with salvation,
Humble and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Unlike a warhorse, which signified military conquest, a donkey symbolized peace. By choosing this humble creature, Jesus declared that His kingship was not based on political or military power but on spiritual salvation. In contrast to earthly rulers who sought dominion through force, Jesus' entry signifies a kingdom founded on humility and divine authority. Jesus' descent from the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem was a purposeful act steeped in prophetic significance. The Mount of Olives was long associated with the coming of the Messiah (Zechariah 14:4), and His path into the city echoed Solomon's royal procession centuries earlier (1 Kings 1:32-40).
The Significance of the Crowd's Cries
As Jesus descended the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem, the crowds joyfully spread robes and palm branches before Him, proclaiming Him as their Davidic King with shouts of "Hosanna" (Matt. 21:9; Mark 11:10). Their public acclamation challenges both Roman authority and the religious establishment. Refusing to silence the crowds despite the Pharisees' demands (Luke 19:39–40), Jesus sets events that lead to his death in motion; he knowingly crosses the point of no return.
The crowd's reaction to Jesus's arrival was a powerful expression of messianic expectation. Their actions and words reflected their hope that He was the long-awaited deliverer from the line of David.
They spread their cloaks on the road, an ancient gesture of submission to the king. Spreading garments and palm branches before Jesus mirrors the biblical precedent in 2 Kings 9:13, where people laid down their cloaks to honor Jehu when he was anointed king of Israel. In the same way, the crowd in Jerusalem recognized Jesus' royal authority, declaring Him to be the "Son of David"—a clear messianic title.
They waved palm branches, which served as an improvised red carpet, a sign of honor and recognition of Jesus as a king. According to some theologians, this act recalled the Maccabean Revolt when Simon Maccabeus entered Jerusalem as a liberator (1 Maccabees 13:51).
They shouted "Hosanna!" which means "God, save us!"—a plea for deliverance found in Psalm 118:25-26, a Psalm often associated with messianic hope.
While the crowd praises Jesus as the Davidic King, their expectations are primarily political. They longed for a ruler who would overthrow Roman oppression, not one who would suffer and die. This display of public support also provoked the ire of the religious leaders, who feared Roman reprisal and sought to silence Jesus (Luke 19:39). When the Pharisees demanded that Jesus rebuke His the crowd and followers, He responded:
Jesus replied, "I tell you, if these stop speaking, the stones will cry out!" (Luke 19:40)
This statement underscored the inevitability of His mission. The acknowledgment of His kingship could not be suppressed—it was a divine necessity. However, Jesus understood that the crowd's adulation was superficial. The same people who hailed Him as king would, within days, cry out for His crucifixion.
Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem
Amidst the celebration, Jesus paused to weep over Jerusalem—a moment recorded only in Luke 19:41-44. His tears revealed the depth of His sorrow, not for Himself, but for the city and its people.
When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you had known on this day, even you, the conditions for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will put up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground, and throw down your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation."
Why Did Jesus Weep?
He foresaw the city's destruction and predicted that Jerusalem would be besieged, encircled, and utterly devastated (fulfilled in AD 70 when the Romans, under Titus, destroyed the city and the Temple).
The people failed to recognize their moment of salvation.
Despite the prophecies and His miracles, Jerusalem rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Their spiritual blindness led to their downfall.
His love and compassion for the lost.
Jesus' lament echoed the Old Testament prophets who grieved over Israel's repeated unfaithfulness to God (Isaiah 29:1-4; Jeremiah 6:6-21).\
Josephus describes these judgments in great detail (Jewish Wars). In AD 70, Titus of Rome overran the city. The final act was a great siege, the essence of which Jesus summarizes here. Jesus' reference to "the days will come" indicates a prophetic oracle (1 Samuel 2:31; 2 Kings 20:17; Isaiah 36:9; Jeremiah 7:32-34; Jeremiah 32:38; Jeremiah 33:14; Jeremiah 49:2; Zechariah 14:1).
Josephus, The Wars of the Jews Book V, Section 512
So, all hope of escaping was now cut off from the Jews, together with their liberty of going out of the city. Then did the famine widen its progress and devoured the people by whole houses and families; the upper rooms were full of women and children that were dying by famine, and the lanes of the city were full of the dead bodies of the aged; the children also and the young men wandered about the marketplaces like shadows, all swelled with the famine, and fell down dead, wheresoever their misery seized them.
Flavius Josephus. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by William Whiston, A.M. Auburn and Buffalo.1895.
The oracle of doom: An embankment will be built around the city when the enemy finally enters the city, and many will be slaughtered. This is precisely what Titus brought.
Theological Implications
Darrell Bock highlights that Jesus does not merely foresee calamity—He proclaims the inevitable curse of covenant unfaithfulness (Psalm 137:9; Isaiah 29:1-4; Jeremiah 6:6-21; Jeremiah 8:18-22; Nahum 3:10). His warning echoes Deuteronomy 28-32, where God solemnly declared that persistent rebellion would bring divine judgment through foreign nations.
Covenantal Rejection: Israel's rejection of Jesus was not just defiance—it was a breach of their sacred covenant with God. As foretold in Deuteronomy, this disloyalty invited devastation.
Prophetic Fulfillment: Jesus' lament was more than sorrow—it was a prophetic decree, intertwining divine justice with mercy, underscoring the inescapable consequences of rejection and the enduring call to repentance.
Palm Sunday embodies a profound paradox: triumph and tragedy.
It is a day of celebration, as Jesus is hailed as King.
Yet, it is also a day of mourning, as He foretells impending judgment.
It signifies hope as the Messiah enters His city.
Yet, it foreshadows betrayal, suffering, and crucifixion.
Jesus' kingship defies human expectations. He was not a conquering warrior but a suffering servant, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy.
Palm Sunday is not an isolated event but the gateway into Holy Week, the final week of Lent. As the culmination of the Lenten journey, Holy Week invites believers to reflect on Christ's passion, suffering, death, and resurrection, which form the foundation of the Christian faith.
Lent, traditionally a season of repentance and preparation, echoes Jesus' forty-day fast in the wilderness. This period of self-examination reaches its peak in Holy Week, where the passion narratives unfold in solemn remembrance.
From Palm Sunday's triumph to Friday's sorrow to Ressurection Sunday's joy, the events of Passion Week encapsulate the heart of the Gospel:
Jesus Christ, the humble King, willingly walked the path of suffering to secure redemption for humanity.
Conclusion: The Invitation of Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday compels us to ask:
Do we truly recognize Jesus for who He is, or do we, like the crowds, impose our expectations upon Him?
Are we willing to follow Him beyond the celebration—through suffering, through the cross, to the empty tomb?
Do we heed His call to repentance, recognizing "what would bring us peace" before it is too late?
Let us not merely cry "Hosanna" in fleeting enthusiasm but commit to following Christ with genuine faith, even when the road leads to the cross.
Works Consulted
Bock, D. L. (1996). NIV Application Commentary: Matthew. Zondervan.
Josephus, F. (1895). The Works of Flavius Josephus (W. Whiston, Trans.). John E. Beardsley.