What is Palm Sunday? (The Triumphal Entry of Jesus)

Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, is when we remember Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when

He entered the city on a colt to the people shouting, Hosanna, Hosanna, blessed is the King who comes in the name of the

Lord. Now you probably picture this event with people lined up at the city gate waiting for Jesus to enter, then throwing down their coats and palm branches, hence the name

Palm Sunday. But this procession actually started way up on the Mount of Olives, and a crowd of people wasn't waiting for Jesus, they were going with Him, a crowd of His disciples who'd seen

His miracles. And Jesus wasn't riding on a donkey per se, but rather the donkey's colt, too young to leave its mother, so there were two animals there, not just one.

The Bible says the colt had never been ridden, just as in the Old Testament certain animals were set aside for sacred purposes.

Jesus told the disciples where to find the colt and its mother, and to tell the owners the Lord needs them. Whenever a king entered a city on a horse, it was a symbol of war, but a colt signified peace.

This was according to the prophet Zechariah, who said your king is coming to you, righteous and having salvation as he, humble on a donkey's colt.

And when they entered Jerusalem, the Jews didn't know what was going on. Matthew 21, 10 -11 says the whole city was stirred up saying, who is this?

And the crowds with Him said, this is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee. The triumphal entry was

Jesus' public declaration that He was the promised Messiah, King of Israel. And upon entering

He went not to the palace, but to the temple, the house of God, because He is King of kings and Lord of lords, when we understand the text.