Triumphal Entry (Palm Sunday-alt)

Jesus’ choice to arrive in on a lowly donkey is intentional and meant to be a counter-procession to the Roman war horses arriving on the opposite side of Jerusalem.

Jesus isn’t riding into Jerusalem to pursue worldly power. He comes to speak truth to power, to both the Empire and the religious establishment.

After receiving a royal welcome, Jesus speaks that “his hour” has come. He knows his anti-imperial kingship and alternative kingdom will lead to danger and threat. His entrance and death are purposeful in their relationship to the powers of the Empire.

The people in this crowd are not the only ones to lay their expectations onto Jesus. How often do we want to make God into our image instead of allowing ourselves to be made into God’s image?

We are happy to wave palms and sing God’s praises as long as Jesus fits our kind of King. What expectations do we put on Jesus? What do we expect from Jesus?

Jesus arrives, just not as the King we expected. We want a powerful warrior. The best thing we can do during Holy Week is give up our expectations and instead follow Jesus’ journey to the cross.

The crowds expect a national, political, imperial King. They gather and yell out, “Save us!” They want a showdown. Yet that’s not what they get. Instead of fighting, Jesus willingly chooses the cross.

The shouts of “hosanna” by the crowds (Psalm 118) and Jesus arriving on a donkey (Zechariah 9) fulfills Scripture. With these details, we see that Jesus is the King God intends for humanity.

The crowds and the disciples don’t understand what Jesus is doing. It was only after Jesus is glorified on the cross that the crowds and disciples understand Jesus isn’t the King we expected; instead, Jesus is the King we need.