Sunday 24 March 2013

Triumph over sin (The Triumphal Entry)

That magnificent time in the Church calendar has arrived where we all gather in the Church on the Sunday of Hosannas (Palm Sunday) to worship the Lord. This day is the first that brings great anticipation of the coming days of the Holy week that will culminate on the Sunday of the Resurrection (Easter Sunday). With this anticipation of the ‘Holy Week’ approaching, the Church celebrates the entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem. 

Although this day is held in joyful celebration, it may also simultaneously bring a sense of sorrow as it introduces us to the all too familiar events that will follow… The betrayal, suffering and crucifixion that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ experienced; a journey that we will also take part in during this Holy Week.

So as we commemorate the entry of our Lord into Jerusalem today, and remember His coming suffering and death, the Church provides us with the comfort and assurance of the resurrection in the commemoration of Lazarus being the last liturgical day preceding the Palm Sunday feast.

So we enter into Palm Sunday aware of the coming suffering our Lord will endure, but having learned of the assurance of the resurrection that our Lord demonstrated through raising Lazarus from the dead as a foreshadow of the hope to come.

Christ’s entry into Jerusalem is described by a variety of names you may be familiar with such as; ‘Palm Sunday’, the ‘Sunday of Hosannas’ (as mentioned above) and ‘the Triumphal Entry’. There is great significance behind the titles of this event and we will shed some light on the importance of these particular titles that have been passed down since the event took place over 2000 years ago.

Why is it called the Triumphal Entry?

We read of the account of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem in all of the gospels; Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-40, and John 12:12-19 and in some translations, these passages have been titled “the Triumphal entry”. So why is it titled thus?
In the times of old, when an army went to war against the enemy and returned home victorious, they were welcomed by a procession of their native citizens holding palm branches to celebrate their victory and honour the men who had overcome the enemy. It was also a customary way to receive a King into the city.

By the same token we witness our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords receive the same honorary welcome as He enters into Jerusalem to fulfill God's will in overcoming the enemy of our souls by His sacrificial death, burial and resurrection and to once and for all gain ultimate victory for all who believe in Him.

Why is it called the Sunday of Hosanna’s?

Simply, the term “Hosanna” is a shout of praise that was reserved for the 'Son of David'. We draw from its use in Psalm 118:25-26 that it means “save”.
It is upon Christ’s entry into Jerusalem that we see the crowds welcoming the Lord into the city, holding palm and olive branches. Palms were to signify victory and praise while olive branches traditionally symbolized mercy. Holding these they chanted:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest!”

This honorary reception by the crowds demonstrated their desire for the promised Messiah- King, the “Son of David” to enter into the Holy City to save them and restore power to Jerusalem as their ruler. But we learn of Christ’s true salvific mission and the type of victory God wanted to bring to the people by the way that He chooses to humbly enter the city riding on an untamed colt, the foul of a donkey…

St. John Chrysostom explains the depth of meaning behind Christ’s humble actions here:

But let us look also at the prophecy, that by words, that by acts. What then is the prophecy? “Behold, thy King cometh to thee, meek, and riding on an ass, and a young colt; ”not driving chariots, like the rest of the kings, not demanding tributes, not thrusting men off, and leading about guards, but displaying His great meekness even hereby.

But He did these things, as I said, signifying beforehand the things to come. For here the church is signified by the colt, and the new people, which was once unclean, but which, after Jesus sat on them, became clean. And see the image preserved throughout. I mean that the disciples loose[ned] the asses. For by the apostles, both they and we were called; by the apostles were we brought near. But because our acceptance provoked them also to emulation, therefore the ass appears following the colt. For after Christ hath sat on the Gentiles, then shall they also come moving us to emulation (follow their example). 1

Christ’s taming of the colt is another great typification of how He can tame our rebellious ways when we submit to Him and allow Him to take the “reigns” in our life in order to be lead to a victorious eternity.

This Palm Sunday let us welcome Christ our Lord into our hearts and lives by waving palm branches of praise for His victory over sin and death, and olive branches with which we beseech Him for His mercy. As we remember our Lord humbly riding into the Holy City on an untamed colt, let us emulate Him through the Church’s teachings and continue to tame our souls as we have been doing during the Great Fast.
For just as our Lord Jesus Christ experienced sufferings, trials and ultimate victory, so too we who abide in Him will gain victory over our sins, sufferings and trials and gain redemption by His mercy.

Lead me to the Cross: Brooke Fraser



1.        St. Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library