The Triumphal Entry #86

The triumphal entry is the scene in which Jesus rode into Jerusalem a few days before his crucifixion while crowds welcomed him as the coming king. It is recorded in all four Gospels and is remembered by many Christians on Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week.

Biblical Account

As Jesus approached Jerusalem from the east, near Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples into a village to find a colt that had never been ridden. He told them to say, if asked, that the Lord needed it (Mark 11:1-6). The disciples brought it, spread their cloaks on it, and Jesus sat on it (Luke 19:28-35). Matthew mentions both a donkey and a colt and connects the scene to the prophecy, “Behold, thy King cometh unto thee… lowly, and riding upon an ass” (Matthew 21:1-5; Zechariah 9:9).

The crowds spread their cloaks and leafy branches on the road. John identifies the branches as palm branches (John 12:13). They shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”, quoting Psalm 118:25-26, and Matthew and Mark add references to the “Son of David” and to the kingdom of David (Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:9-10). Luke records that some Pharisees told Jesus to silence his disciples, and he answered that if they were silent, the stones would cry out (Luke 19:37-40). Luke also says that when Jesus came in sight of the city he wept over it and foretold its destruction (Luke 19:41-44). John notes that the disciples did not understand the significance of the event at the time but remembered it after Jesus was glorified (John 12:16). Mark says that Jesus entered the temple, looked around, and then went out to Bethany with the Twelve (Mark 11:11).

Theological Significance

The scene is rich in symbolism. In the ancient Near East, a king riding a donkey could signal peace rather than war, and Zechariah describes just such a king who would speak peace to the nations. Jesus deliberately staged the entry, and by accepting the crowd’s acclamation as Messiah, he publicly claimed the title he had earlier asked his disciples to keep quiet. At the same time, the kind of kingship he offered was not the military deliverance many expected.

The Gospels also portray irony in the events that follow: the same city that welcomed him with praise would within days see him arrested and crucified. Interpreters have often pointed out that the shouts of Hosanna, which means “save, please” in Hebrew, express a plea for deliverance that Jesus would accomplish in a way the crowd did not foresee. The event is therefore read as both a fulfillment of Old Testament hope and the opening of the passion narrative.