Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday, celebrated the Sunday before Resurrection Sunday, Easter, marks Jesus's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, starting Holy Week. In the city, the people waved palm branches as Jesus rode into the city on a donkey. He is a humble, peaceful King, fulfilling prophecy. Crowds of people welcomed Jesus, spreading their cloaks and palm branches on the road, shouting, "Hosanna to the son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord".
Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
The use of a donkey rather than a horse signifies humility and peace rather than warfare. If a king or ruler came on a donkey, this means his he came in peace and with no plan to battle or rule over the town.
Jesus is also said to have ridden a white horse: Revelation 19:11 "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war".
Why did most of the Jews who saw Jesus reject Him as their Messiah? The rabbis read the BIble and saw two promises of the coming Messiah: 1) A Messiah that would come on a donkey, that would be the suffering servant in Isaiah 53. 2) A Messiah who would come on a white horse, be a conquering king, and bring peace on Earth. Since the Jews were under the rule of the not-so-kind Romans, most Jews wanted a conquering King who would overcome the Roman rulers. Many rabbis debated how the Messiah could be both a suffering servant in Is 53 and be the conquering King in Zechariah 9:9 . Jesus came and answered the paradox: there is one Messiah, and He comes two times. First as the suffering servant to take away the sins of the world. The second time as the conquering King who will end all evil, suffering, and take those who had Faith in His love and mercy.
Some of the Jews understood and humbled themself and had faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. These were the members of the early Church who took this faith to the whole Roman Empire and then to the East, now the whole globe. See God of the Bible See Who is Jesus
Matthew 21:1-9 "As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
(Hosanna : A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise;