So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” [John 12:13 (ESV)]
It was the week before the Passover and Jerusalem was already filled with pilgrims who’d come for the celebration. News of the rabbi who’d brought Lazarus back to life was spreading through the crowd. As they prepared to celebrate their deliverance from slavery in Egypt, they hoped for the promised Messiah who would deliver them from the tyranny of Rome. Could Jesus be the one?
Jesus rode into the city on a donkey as the people waved palm branches, a traditional symbol of victory for the Israelites. As they had done years earlier when Jehu was declared king, the people laid their cloaks on the ground in front of Him. Sort of like laying out the red carpet, this wasn’t the way a rabbi was greeted; it was the way a conqueror or king was welcomed. Indeed, Jesus was both conqueror and king, but the people didn’t understand what He’d conquer or that His kingdom extended far beyond Judea.
There were shouts of “Hosanna” from the crowd. A Hebrew word, “Hosanna” combines yasha, meaning “save” or “deliver,” and anna, meaning “beg” or “beseech.” It was an appeal for deliverance much like, “Help me!” or, “I beg you to save me!” We might shout “Hosanna!” if we’d fallen out of a boat into the raging sea but, because “Hosanna!” was also an expression of joy and praise for deliverance, we also might shout it when someone pulled us back to safety. Those shouts of “Hosanna” tell us the people wanted to be saved and saw the promise of deliverance in Jesus.
They shouted “Hosanna!” but for the wrong reasons. Seeking deliverance from the tyranny of the Roman Empire rather than the tyranny of sin, they saw a champion who would free them from Rome’s rule, not Satan’s. They wanted a mighty warrior who would conquer Rome, not one who would conquer death! Preferring to kill their enemies than love them, they sought revenge for their oppression, not a Prince of Peace who preached forgiveness. They wanted a king who would establish a new kingdom on earth, not the Kingdom of God. They wanted a Messiah on their terms, not God’s.
They didn’t understand, but we do! Let us continue to sing our “Hosannas” in praise and thanksgiving for our deliverance!
Devotions of the Heart 