What Is Palm Sunday for?

What Is Palm Sunday for?

Author: Chris Castaldo, PhD
March 30, 2023

We Christians certainly know what Easter is all about—the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And by now we probably have a good idea of the purpose of Lent—to prepare our hearts for Resurrection Sunday by reminding us of our sin and need for a Savior.

But what is the Sunday before Easter—Palm Sunday—all about? If you answered that it’s an opportunity for the children of the church to spread palm branches and sing hosannas, then I have some very good news for you. We’ll learn more this Sunday—which, not incidentally, is Palm Sunday—but now I want to whet your appetite by sharing some great insights about this lovely day.

Enjoy!


“We will never know, this side of heaven, what terrible struggles took place in the spiritual world between Palm Sunday and Easter morning.” Rodney Buchanan 

“When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on the back of a donkey, and everyone was waving palm branches and throwing garments onto the road, and singing praises, do you think that for one moment it ever entered the head of that donkey that any of that was for him? If I can be the donkey on which Jesus Christ rides in his glory, I give him all the praise and all the honor.” Unknown

“So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” John 12:13

“The crowd went wild as they got nearer. This was the moment they had been waiting for.

“All the old songs came flooding back, and they were singing, chanting, cheering and laughing. At last, their dreams were going to come true. But in the middle of it all, their leader wasn’t singing. He was in tears. Yes, their dreams were indeed coming true. But not in the way they had imagined. He was not the king they expected. Not like the monarchs of old, who sat on their jewelled and ivory thrones, dispensing their justice and wisdom.

“Nor was he the great warrior-king some had wanted. He didn’t raise an army and ride to battle at its head.

“He was riding on a donkey. And he was weeping – weeping for the dream that had to die, weeping for the sword that would pierce his supporters to the soul. Weeping for the kingdom that wasn’t coming as well as the kingdom that was.” N.T. Wright

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
    Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
    righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9

“In times of war conquerors would ride in chariots or upon prancing stallions. But in times of peace, the king would ride a colt to symbolize that peace prevailed. So, for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem upon a colt is to declare that He is a King proclaiming peace.” Melvin Newland

“Ride on, ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
O Christ, thy triumphs now begin
O’er captive death and conquered sin
Hymn “Ride on, ride on in majesty!” Henry Hart Milman


Chris Castaldo, PhD, is lead pastor of New Covenant Church in Naperville and author of the forthcoming book, The Upside Down Kingdom, from Crossway.
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