Reflection Palm Sunday 2024

Reflection

‘Everyone in Jerusalem, celebrate and shout! Your king has won a victory, and he is coming to you. He is humble and rides on a donkey; he comes on the colt of a donkey.’ Zechariah 9.9

Some Biblical scholars would argue that this event we know as Palm Sunday  was written into the Gospel account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem but probably never happened.   Personally, I am willing to take it at face value. I am willing to see that this is exactly the type of thing Jesus would do. There was a long tradition of prophets living out or enacting their message. From smashing pots, Jeremiah 19, giving your children significant names, see Hosea, or a naked Isaiah, cf. chapter 20, or hiding your underpants in the cleft of a rock, Jeremiah 13.4.

Jesus was sending a very clear message of whom he considered himself to be, and he was inviting people to recognise this and proclaim it.  The time for obfuscation and the ‘messianic secret’ was over, now in this final week, it was time to be clear on intent and purpose, calling and vocation. 

I am equally okay with accepting that Jesus timed his entry into Jerusalem, coming from the east and through the North Gate just as another triumphal procession was entering throughn the opposite Western Gate.  Pilate would come to Jerusalem from his home in Caesarea for major feast, and they didn’t get more important than this one, celebrating the Passover.  Pilate would be riding a war horse, with a cohort of soldiers to bolster the standing army stationed in Jerusalem. And Pilate would be sending a strong message to any who might think of starting an insurrection. You can well imagine the trumpet blasts, the stomp of hob nailed sandals, people being pushed roughly to the side.

And Jesus, Jesus comes humbly riding on a donkey. In the ancient world entering a city on a donkey was a sign that the person is coming in peace.

Pilate’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem is not hard to imagine. It has continued throughout the age, and you have only to see the news and

you will see it is still happening in many places across the world.

And you and I, we have a choice. Which ‘king’ are you going to give your allegiance to, which king are you going to follow, which kingdom are you going to give the whole of your life to see it become a reality.

Before you say yes to follow King Jesus go and take a long hard look this Holy Week at the preceding chapter 10 of Mark’s account of Jesus’ triumphal entrance in chapter 11. 

May your journey through Holy Week be reflective, full of pondering, may you be able to embrace the 'cost' of Good Friday, may you be able to sit in the utter hopeless dereliction of Holy Saturday, and having made that journey, our rejoicing will carry far mor meaning as we proclaim that 'The Lord is Risen.'