The Story

The next morning the people were gathering to go over the hill and into Jerusalem. The Lord sent two disciples to a neighboring village for a young ass, and He rode on the ass as kings and judges used to ride, while joyful people carpeted the road with their clothes and with green branches. People in Jerusalem heard that the Lord was coming and went up the hill to meet Him, waving palms and crying, "Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord."

The time had come and the Lord was making His last journey to Jerusalem. Can you tell me of other visits to Jerusalem, that are described in this Gospel of John? At each visit the rulers were more angry and jealous; so that until "His time was come" He could not go there again.

We learned in our last lesson of the Lord's stopping somewhere on the way; can you tell where it was? And the people of the little town did Him honor; they made Him a supper. But the greatest honor was paid Him by Mary. Can you tell what she did? This was perhaps the Sabbath evening after the sun had set, and the Jewish observance of the day was over.

The next day, the first day of the week, our Christian Sunday, the Lord and His disciples continued their journey to Jerusalem. Multitudes of the people were journeying to Jerusalem also, and they had been hearing of the wonderful things that the Lord had done, especially His raising of Lazarus from the dead; and they were sure that this must be the Messiah.

The other three Gospels tell of the Lord's sending two of His disciples to bring Him an ass and its colt, and upon this colt He sat as He came over the Mount of Olives and up to Jerusalem. Kings and judges rode upon asses, and Zechariah had prophesied saying, "Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion; shout, 0 daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." (Zechariah 9:9) This prophecy the disciples remembered when the Lord had risen.

We will once again think of this glad, gay company surrounding the Lord. Think of them as they came in sight of the beautiful city with its temple of white and gold glistening in the sunshine; the people shouting, "Hosanna: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord." Then they cut branches of the palm trees, great feathery leaves of the date palm, and possibly other flower-covered branches, as it was in the springtime, the time for blossoms. With these they carpeted the Lord's way, throwing down their "garments," or outer cloaks, as well. Such things were also done to honor kings in their journeys.

And soon a second multitude came out of the city gates to meet him. They too had palm branches in their hands, and they cried, "Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord." It was a wonderful sight. It comes back to us as we look from the city gate down over the Kidron valley and up to the Mount of Olives, seeing the very same path that the Lord and the multitude must have followed. What a wonderful sight! What a sad one when we think of what happened later.

This Sunday has been called Palm Sunday in the Christian Church in memory of the multitude with their palms and their hosannas. It is the Sunday before the Easter Sunday.

1. What event of the Lord's life is remembered on Palm Sunday?

2. Why did the Lord ride on an ass when He came to Jerusalem as King?

3. How did the disciples and the people show Him honor?

4. What did those who welcomed Him carry in their hands? Of what are palms emblems?

Spiritual Study

Palms have been emblems of victory from very ancient days. In the Bible, they are emblems of victory over evil through the saving power of the Lord. Trees correspond to intelligence of many kinds. The palm, with its single tall stem, corresponds to a knowledge of one single, lofty theme - the Lord. It is a tree of the deserts, growing in the hottest places, wherever there is water for its roots. It stands for such knowledge of the Lord as springs up and grows in times of spiritual trial and temptation - the knowledge of the Lord's power to save. The leaves of the palm are the grateful acknowledgments of His power. The people who met the Lord as He rode into Jerusalem cried "Hosanna," which means "Save now." It is a confession of His power to save. The palms in their hands have the same meaning. Read also in Revelation 7:9, 10 of the great multitude with palms in their hands, who cried, "Salvation to our God who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." Here also the palms are interpreted by the voices. They are joyful acknowledgments of the Lord's saving power. (E. 458; R. 367; A. 8369)

It is always with palms, with experience and acknowledgment of His power to save from evil, that the Lord is received into the soul as King. From this experience of His power, we can go on to enjoy other blessings of the Lord's kingdom and of obedience to His laws. There is a similar meaning in the fact that Jericho, the city of palm trees, was the first city taken at the gateway of the promised land. (A. 5323)

Kings and judges in the old days rode on mules and asses. Remember David's mule on which Solomon rode when he was anointed king. (1 Kings 1:38) The animals of travel represent affections for the mental labor of thinking and understanding. The horse represents the noblest, spiritual understanding, and the ass the understanding which carefully examines and judges of things of this world and natural life. That was the work of a judge and of a king. When the Lord rode on an ass into Jerusalem, it meant that He was bringing His truth to the simple, natural understanding of men, and was bringing the power of His truth into the things of natural life, to make them orderly and right. (A. 2781)

The rejoicing of Palm Sunday was of an external kind. The hope of the people was chiefly hope of a worldly kingdom, but the Lord would not rebuke it for it was a picture of spiritual rejoicing for victories in His strength. In Revelation 7:9-17 we see another multitude with palms in their hands, ascribing salvation to the Lord. They are those who have come out of great tribulation and know the Lord's power to save. There was the picture and promise of such deeper victory and rejoicing in the Palm Sunday scene. (E. 458; R. 367; A. 8369)

There were certain Greeks (probably native Greeks, converted to the Jewish faith) who desired to see Jesus. They told Philip, and Philip and Andrew told the Lord. The Greeks were an intellectual people, fond of philosophy. This desire of certain Greeks stands for the desire in any mind to come to the Lord and to Divine things intellectually. Philip, to whom the first came, also represents intelligence. Philip alone could not bring them to the Lord, but Andrew and Philip; and Andrew represents obedience to what we know. This brings us to the Lord (and to the Divine love which the name Jesus especially expresses), and not intelligence without obedience. Remember what we have already learned about Philip and Andrew, when they first followed the Lord (John 1:40-45), and at the feeding of the five thousand. (John 6:5-9) It was Andrew, and not Philip, who found the bread which the Lord could bless to satisfy the people.

Now we are prepared for the Lord's answer, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die," which might seem at first to have no direct connection with the wish of the Greeks to see Him. The Lord was giving to men much more than a system of truth, and to come to Him and become followers of His required more than the acceptance of certain forms of truth and philosophy. Truth in the understanding only is a corn of wheat abiding alone, but it becomes fruitful when taken into the heart and life. So, as the Lord was glorified, we may be regenerated, laying down our selfish natural life to receive a nobler life from Him. So we may serve the Lord, and follow the Lord, and be with Him. (A. 880, 5115)

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