Palm Sunday is a day of both great joy and celebration as we look forward to celebrating Christ’s resurrection from the dead on Easter. Many of those celebrating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday were “patriotic souls”[i]—people who believed Jesus would lead a movement against Roman occupation. Up to this point in Jesus’ ministry, He often tried to fly under the radar. While He frequently confronted the Pharisees, publicly healed on the Sabbath, claimed to be one with the Father, and so forth; there were many times where He sought to keep what He was doing quiet [Matt 8:4, Matt 12:16, Mark 9:9, Luke 8:56, John 2:4, John 7:30]. It is this shift from “flying under the radar” to public praise which marks the timeline of Jesus’s preparation for the cross. Shortly before His death, Jesus is heading to Jerusalem for the Passover, as we see in John 12:1 “Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.” And it’s here, in Bethany, just one day before the triumphal entry, that this account begins.

Jesus’ anointment reminds us that Jesus is worthy. (John 12:1-8) 

Here we see the actions of Mary as she pours perfume on Jesus’s feet and wipes His feet with her hair. It is important to call attention to a few notable things within Mary’s actions. First, the perfume is measured as a “pound” (in our language this would be approximately 11 ounces) and made from the oil of the Nard plant grown in India. This is a significant amount of high-quality perfume, making it notably expensive. Second, the act of Mary taking down her hair in that culture and time would have been “most unseemly.”[ii]. In other words, it would have been considered inappropriate and usually would have resulted in “social disapproval.”[iii] Mary showing she is willing to risk social ridicule by cleaning Jesus’ feet shows her love for Him. By doing both of these, Mary is showing she is willing to give Jesus everything – her possessions, her social standing, anything. 

This act of worship and devotion should remind us that Jesus is truly worthy of our worship, even more than Mary realized. Jesus is worthy of your worship. Not just of your piety, or your good works; He’s not merely worthy of your Sunday mornings, or even a mere few minutes every morning – He is worthy of your all (Rev 5:9, Rev 5:12, Phil 2:8-10). He died on the cross to conquer your sin, to redeem you and free you from eternal condemnation. Jesus could not possibly be more worthy of all the praise and adoration we can give, with both our lives and lips. This event, where Jesus is anointed is only the beginning. From here, Jesus moves to enter Jerusalem; and when He does, He receives a welcome fit for a King. 

Jesus’ entry reminds us that Jesus is King (Matt 21:1-11) 

Jesus rides into the city on a humble donkey as the crowds worship Him. The disciples and the crowds lay down cloaks and palm branches as a kind of “ceremonial carpet” for the king to ride in on.[iv] Today, we might think of rolling out the red carpet. These people are worshiping and venerating Jesus as their king, not their heavenly king, not their spiritual Lord, but their earthly king. They believed Jesus to be the Messiah, the deliverer in the sense of political freedom. Yet this was not why Jesus came, and we see this fact simply in the way that He entered the city, on a simple donkey. This detail is important to note because had Jesus been a political warlord, He would have entered in on a horse or a grand chariot. Jesus came at this time not to conquer people, but to conquer sin. He didn’t come to save Isreal from Rome, but to save Israel and ultimately all who call on Him for their sins. The Triumphal Entry is the first time the public accepts Him as any kind of True King; yet they have rejected His true purpose for coming to earth. They did not understand He is King.

Revelation 19:16 says He is “King of kings and Lord of lords”. Truly, He rules over all things and people. Have you submitted to His rule? He is your King! He is worthy of all we have! So, bow before Him, worship His Holy name, and submit to His desires for your life. Jesus is your King. Let’s step back for a moment. Up to this point in Jesus’ life, He was not trying to rile up the Jews. So, why then does He allow these crowds to celebrate His arrival in such a way? 

Jesus’ anger reminds us that He is the Son of God (Matt 21:12-17). 

Shortly after His entry, Jesus goes to the temple where two key events take place. First, He casts out the moneychangers. Jesus is angry that they have turned the House of God, the place of worship, into a house of merchandising. The problem was the money changers took advantage of the situation (the time of Passover and requirement of correct currency to the thousands of tourists arriving from all over Israel) by charging an often-exorbitant commission for every exchange. Jesus, angered by this corruption taking place in His Father’s house, flips their tables, making a massive scene. Second, Jesus begins healing people as they come to Him in the temple – publicly, not trying to hide it. The children, excited by Jesus’ triumphal entry, cry out “Hosanna to the Son of David” referring to Jesus. He does nothing to stop them. When confronted about allowing the children to proclaim this, Jesus responds that they are speaking the truth. Jesus is the Son of God. 

Conclusion

Why did Jesus do all of this? We see that Jesus has become more public with His work – accepting Mary’s worship, the triumphal entry, and His actions at the temple – are all a large shift in how He has carried Himself and His actions before. The answer is that Jesus’ time had finally come. He didn’t stop Mary from anointing His feet because it would prepare His body for the grave. He didn’t stop the people from shouting “Hosanna” because He knew it would agitate the Pharisees. He didn’t shy away from confronting the moneychangers or healing in the temple because he knew it would further frustrate the Jews against Him. Jesus came with a clear and eternal purpose: to seek and to save the lost, fulfilling God’s plan from the very beginning by giving His life as the sacrifice for our sins. Because He is the Son of God, His death is sufficient to redeem us, and through faith in Him alone we can receive forgiveness and eternal life. He willingly went to the cross when His time had come, and one day He will return in glory. So, the question remains: are you ready? Have you turned to Him in faith, and are you worshipping Him with your whole life? Bow your heart before Him and give Him the devotion He alone deserves.