Palm Sunday starts with an extra gospel reading to set the scene for the beginning of Holy Week, as Jesus makes his triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11). But our liturgy then quickly pitches us into the later stage of the story, when Jesus is betrayed, captured, tortured and executed (Matthew 26:14—27:66).
Maybe we do need to start with that story sooner rather than later, there’s a lot for us to work at. But we may also gain by pausing just a little while on the threshold, as it were. We will have time to reflect on Jesus’ passion as the week progresses. For now let’s take a moment to consider what’s going on as Jesus arrives, apparently to great applause.
The problem is that the applause is not well founded. Jesus is just the latest miracle worker, the one who will solve all problems. Doubtless the people crying out hosanna were sincere in the moment, but as Jesus had noted in so many parables, God is expecting more than the latest celebrity show. The seed that is sown needs deep roots to survive.
We may be aware of the risk in thinking: “Oh this is the greatest ever …” – whether it be athlete, musician, or political leader. We know such attitudes are doomed to disappointment. But we face a continual battle to avoid the trap – it seems to be built into our human nature to look for a savior, but in the wrong place. We will see the disciples, people who had travelled with Jesus for three years, crash in the same way, their hopes and expectations crushed.
We have the advantage that we are not living through the story. We are looking back at the outcome. We know that Jesus is the greatest ever, greater than we can possibly understand. And that greatness is not shown by appearing as a king to cries of exultation, but in submitting totally to the will of the Father. Submitting to the point of accepting death by crucifixion, as Paul summarizes for his church in Philippi (Philippians 2:6-11). This passage, perhaps building on an existing Christian hymn, shows how quickly the early followers of Jesus came to appreciate how extraordinary was the person they were witnessing to.
We ourselves will progress from the superficial cheers of Palm Sunday to the deep silence of Easter Sunday over the next week. Those who are willing to experience death with Jesus, and then to rise with him, can truly shout out hosanna, finding themselves washed in the blood of the lamb.