Palm Sunday

by Morgan Durick

Palm Sunday is one of the great dichotomies the world has ever known—the triumphant entrance of a humble king. As the city of Jerusalem awaited their promised Savior, they held onto hope Jesus would bring peace to political disarray, order to chaos, and relief to years of oppression under Roman rule. 

This joyous day is recounted in all four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. As I studied the intricacies in each, I learned, by way of Dr. Thomas L. Constable notes on Luke, that every author tells of Jesus' entrance to the city gates of Jerusalem . . . with the exception of Luke. Luke’s account focuses on Palm Sunday from a different point of view. 

“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.’” (Luke 19:41–42 NIV)

Jesus wept. This citation is one of the three times Jesus is recorded crying in scripture, the other two being John 11:35 and Hebrews 5:7. He didn’t weep because he knew what brutal death was awaiting him five days later. He wept for an anticipating city, full of weary souls, looking for peace in all the wrong places. 

His heart broke for the people’s blatant rejection of salvation, the only thing that makes way for peace untethered from circumstances. He knew they’d be praising His name, just a few miles down the road, with hope He would provide circumstantial relief—rather than a soul-saving sacrifice. 

But relief isn’t peace. Jesus is.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27 NIV) 

As we enter into Holy Week, let us remember peace is a person—not a condition. And by the grace of God, we can dwell in Him for all of our days. Hosanna!

*Constable, T. L. (n.d.). Notes on Luke. https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/luke.pdf