Palm Sunday

John 12:12-19

In the events preceding our opening Gospel this morning, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. This news of resurrection spread and captivated the people of Jerusalem, who then gathered to welcome Jesus that first Palm Sunday with palm branches in their hands and loud shouts of Hosanna from their lips, meaning “Save us now!”

Little did the people know or understand in what kind of way Jesus’ salvific work would occur by the week’s end, a gory death upon a cross. A death that would now give life.

It’s for this death and resurrection of Jesus that the early Church, all the way back to the Fourth Century, would traditionally gather outside the city of Jerusalem each year on Palm Sunday to process into the city with palm branches, repeating the words of Scripture, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (John 12:13)

Throughout the centuries that have followed these first practices, churches throughout the world have continued the tradition of processing into their sanctuaries with palm branches in their hands; in fact, since the ninth century, it has been tradition to make this yearly pilgrimage by singing the hymn “All Glory, Laud, and Honor,” as we did this morning.

But what’s up with the palm branches? Where did they come from, and what is their significance?

Well, first, the palm tree is a symbol of magnificence, grandeur, and steadfastness. In some cases, a palm tree may live for around 200 years, and for this reason, in Biblical times, it was seen as a symbol of life and immortality.

In Exodus, after Moses led the people of Israel through the Red Sea and into the wilderness, the people were thirsty and in need of water. But it was a desert all around them. Yet, in this desert were palm trees with springs of water to quench the thirst of God’s people. These trees often signaled to those lost in the wilderness of life and an oasis near to them.

In other accounts throughout the Old Testament, Palm trees and their branches were a refuge and protection for God’s children. As time went on, the tree was minted on coins and placed in temples. The palms were an intimate part of history and life, known to all.

So, how do we regard the continued use of these palms today?

They are a symbol of God’s victory and triumph.

As St. Augustine wrote,

See how great the fruit of [Jesus’] preaching was and how large a flock of the lost sheep of the house of Israel heard the voice of their Shepherd. . . . “On the next day many people that came to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees.” . . . The branches of palms are psalms of praise for the victory that our Lord was about to obtain by his death over death and his triumph over the devil, the prince of death, by the trophy of the cross.

I love this line from Augustine: “The branches of palms are psalms of praise.” In other words, these palms are songs and hymns of praise to God. They tell a story even today.

It’s the story we sing of in the Sanctus as our voices unite before the Lord’s Supper, “Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.”

For this reason, these palms and their hosannas are the church’s song. They direct our voices of faith in calling out to Jesus to save us—to save us now.

To save us from discord and strife among one another, from pestilence and famine, war and bloodshed, calamities of fire and water, and even sudden and evil death.

This is all why Jesus came, isn’t it?

As today’s epistle said,

Being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross… so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:8, 10-11)

He humbled Himself and came to suffer your death and put an end to death itself.

And this is where this great week leads us, the cross of Jesus, with palms in hand, singing hosanna all the way.

But it’s also interesting to note that palm branches are only mentioned twice throughout the New Testament. Once in the opening Gospel today and secondly in the book of Revelation, as St. John writes,

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)

In a fascinating way, the first palms appear after the raising and resurrection of Lazarus. They continue as a means of welcoming Jesus, the resurrection, and life into Jerusalem and then find their way into the hands of God’s children, who now stand in His eternal presence.

For this reason, besides the cross, there may not be a more profound symbol of Christ’s victory than the palm branch.

So don’t be bashful, but join the train of God’s Church on earth processing to the cross and grave of Jesus this Holy Week with palm branches in hand and hosannas on your lips—trusting that God has saved you through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

And then, as you look and see these palms throughout the year as they hang behind your crosses, permit them to be a reminder that you, as all the faithful who have gone before,

[are] blessed heirs of heaven,
You’ll hear the song resound
Of endless jubilation
When you with life are crowned.
In your right hand Your maker
Will place the victor’s palm,
And you will thank Him gladly
With heaven’s joyful psalm.
(Entrust Your Days and Burdens, St. 5, LSB 754)

So do not grow weary and weighed down, but pick up your palms, sing hosanna, and like Lazarus, know that God will raise you too. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Tomah, WI