As the Guardian’s mother needs support having been in hospital, today’s reflection is by Christopher Belk – thanks to him for it.
Palm Sunday Readings 13 April 2025: Isaiah 50, 4-9a; Psalm 31, 9-16; Luke 22, 14-23; Philippians 2, 5-11.
I was surprised to find that none of today’s readings contains the actual account of Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem on a donkey, with palm branches thrown in front. This usual Palm Sunday theme is often celebrated with joyful processions into church, even accompanied by a donkey, especially where children can be involved.
Today’s readings emphasise a darker theme. At the beginning of Isaiah 50, God seems to debate with himself what to do about sinful Israel. He says “When I called, why was there no-one to answer? Was my arm too short to ransom you?” Then He seems to decide that pure power is not the answer, and the amazing passages about the “Suffering Servant” begin with today’s extract, and go on for four chapters leading up to to the well known chapter 53 “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all”. Although it seems to be about someone else, the context shows it is God himself who will suffer these things.
By Palm Sunday, Jesus had done his divine best, through teaching and miracles, to persuade by power and the word of God, but only some had been persuaded. He knew that God’s plan must involve more, and he would have been deeply familiar with those Isaiah chapters. He identified himself with them, as well as almost incidentally with Zechariah’s prophecy “ Behold your King comes to you, meek and riding on an ass”. Several times earlier he had told his disciples that he must suffer and die, though they did not understand. He did not earlier mention a donkey, but did earlier mention a cross.
Psalm 31 was written by King David, and no doubt expressed his personal feelings at the time, but it is no surprise to find these feelings paralleled by those which Jesus must have experienced as Holy Week began. As he rode his donkey he was surrounded by joyful demonstrations, which he knew were appropriate as he was indeed the King, but it was too soon for joy to be uppermost, notwithstanding the “joy set before him” described in Hebrews 12.2. More likely it was his eager desire to eat his last Passover meal and complete his teaching of the disciples about the meaning of bread and wine before he suffered.
While he was conscious of the crowd of well-wishers he was also very conscious of those other crowds who did not wish him well, or may just have been indifferent. The gospels vary as to the makeup of the Palm Sunday crowd: some say they were those who had been with him on the journey up from Jericho, including many who had been with him all the way from Galilee – these mostly would genuinely have believed in him by then, though not understanding what was to come.
John’s gospel says others who had been with him when he raised Lazarus had spread the news so that those who had only heard about Jesus also came out to welcome him. Others only heard about him when the procession entered Jerusalem, and asked “Who is this?” Some Pharisees objected to the words being sung by the children, resulting in Jesus telling them the stones would cry out if the children didn’t.
It is traditional to suggest that the same crowd which sang Hosanna on Palm Sunday also shouted “Crucify” on Good Friday. I find that idea unlikely. The authorities who arrested and tried Jesus in the middle of the night and then hustled him to Pilate early on Friday morning would hardly have recruited their mob from that source, though I guess their professional mob might have been fringed by some of the indifferent bystanders who were happy just to join the latest protest.
So which crowd is us? Hopefully the ones who celebrate and worship Jesus as King and redeemer because we love him and are loved by him. Hopefully not the ones bent purposely on rejecting him. Or are we the ones who just know about him without much intimacy beyond some knowledge of the Bible? Or are we sometimes open to other influencers who try to recruit us for the latest gossip, habit or fashionable hate? If I am honest I can sometimes identify with most of them. But, as St. Paul advises, let us continually aim to be like Jesus.
A Palm Sunday Prayer
Gentle Jesus, find us today in the welcoming committee.
No stretch Limo – a borrowed donkey, celebrating the humility of divinity, anticipating the victory of victims.
Man of the people. Champion of the underdog.
Gentle Jesus, King of kings, HOSANNA!
(Pete Greig)