John 12:13, commentary and pictures

The verse describes the Passover crowds going forth to meet Jesus on His entry to Jerusalem, waving palm branches as emblems of victory, strewing boughs and garments in His path, and shouting loud hosannas to Him as the King of Israel coming in the Lord's name. It was the fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy of the promised heir to David's throne coming lowly to Jerusalem riding on a donkey's colt. Jesus accepted this public homage as Messiah and King, which He had never permitted before, so that prophecy would be fulfilled and unbelieving people would have evidence of His divine mission. The multitude and even the disciples took it as the crowning day of a temporal prince who would free Israel from Rome and reign on David's throne, yet even in this one triumphal scene He remained true to His life of humiliation, for His kingdom was not of this world. The praise was short-lived, and many who waved palms and shouted hosanna soon joined the cry to crucify Him only a few days later, crushing the disciples' hopes until they revived at His resurrection, while the startling ride was meant to bring Him before every mind so that after His death the searching of the prophecies would prove Him the Messiah.

Passover Entry and Welcome

The welcome belongs to the journey to Jerusalem for the Passover, beginning with the stop at Bethany six days before the feast. The entry itself took place on the first day of the week as Jesus resumed His journey to join in the feast. It was the beautiful season of the year, when trees were clothed in verdure and blossom shedding delicate fragrance, and many visitors had already gathered. Vast Passover crowds fueled the welcome, for multitudes that had flocked to Bethany to see Jesus were eager to witness His entry and accompanied Him. They were continually joined by other companies on their way to the city to keep the Passover, while thousands of Hebrews gathered at Jerusalem went forth from the city to meet and escort Him, making a continually growing procession.

Excitement was stirred by reports brought back from Bethany, by His fame as a prophet spread through all the land, and especially by the raising of Lazarus. People asked who the wonderful Teacher was and where He had come from, whether Lazarus who had been raised from the dead would accompany Him to Jerusalem, and whether the great prophet would be crowned king at the feast. Attention was entirely fixed on Jesus and His wondrous works, with the crowd's interest greatly stirred and all anxious to see and hear Him. The crowd waved palm branches, nature's emblem of victory, and with them gave joyful homage and royal tribute. They cut spreading palm boughs and waved them aloft, strewed leafy olive and palm boughs in the way, and spread outer garments as a carpet in His path and branches before Him.

The welcome was a loud, swelling triumph of repeated shouts of triumph, hosannas, and sacred song echoing and re-echoing from the surrounding hills and valleys. It was a continual shout that swelled as new people constantly joined the procession, with few exceptions all catching the glad inspiration of the hour. The vast multitude seemed to seek to excel one another in answering a call from the prophetic past, as newcomers constantly sought to add to the acclamation. Jesus rode seated on a colt, the foal of an ass on which no man had ever sat. Two disciples had been sent to bring it and had spread their garments upon it and placed Him thereon, while rejoicing people pressed on leading the way.

Unlike the processions of earthly conquerors, there was no train of mourning captives, but the trophies surrounding the Saviour were labors of love for sinful people. The palm branches were broken off and waved most actively by the cripples He had healed, while the blind to whom He had given sight pressed on leading the way, and the hosannas were shouted loudest by the dumb whose tongues He had loosed. Captives rescued from Satan's power joined in praising God, widows and orphans exalted His name for mercy, and lepers cleansed by His word spread their untainted garments in His path and hailed Him as the King of Glory. Those awakened from the sleep of death were in the throng, including Lazarus restored from corruption in the grave to full strength, who guided the humble beast on which his Liberator rode. The demonstration drew such numbers that the priests' trumpet for evening service at the temple found few to respond, and the rulers were alarmed, saying the world had gone after Him. They saw they were losing their hold on the minds of the people, and as time passed they grew excited and restless and their rage increased.

Hailed King Fulfilling Prophecy

The shout that met Him was a coronation cry, hailing Him as Israel's King and Messiah, the Son of David, the One who comes in the name of the Lord, taking up again a prophetic call from the past. Palm boughs waved aloft were understood as nature's emblem of victory, and with hosannas they gave Him joyful homage as King. This was the fulfillment of Zechariah's and other ancient prophecy, that the King would come to Jerusalem, the promised heir to David's throne, coming lowly and riding on a donkey's colt. He who had long refused royal honors now came openly in that character.

He accepted on that day the public homage as Messiah and King, and with it the office of King and Priest, which He had never permitted before. In doing so He gave an unbelieving people evidence of His divine mission, for prophecy had to be fulfilled. When priests and elders demanded the shouting be stopped, the answer was that even the stones would cry out if the people held their peace. Yet even in this one triumphal scene of His earthly life He stayed true to the life of humiliation He had accepted. He would not appear escorted by heavenly angels and heralded by the trumps of God, but bore the burden of humanity until His life should be given for the life of the world, for His kingdom was not of this world.

The people and the disciples read the hour otherwise, expecting Him to free Israel from Rome, restore it as an independent nation, and begin a prosperous reign as temporal prince on David's throne in Jerusalem. They took that day as the crowning day of their lives and His acceptance as the sign that His kingship would now be recognized in Jerusalem. In that glad triumph the disciples forgot His repeated warnings of certain sacrifice. They did not know, nor did the crowd understand, that the rejoicing was only a prelude to His suffering and death.

The crowd's joy therefore contrasted with His grief as He looked upon the city. When the people would have placed Him on the throne as King, He withdrew from the temple and went to Bethany.

From Hosannas to Calvary

The palm branches and hosannas belong to the occasion just before betrayal and death, only a few days before the crucifixion, and they give words of Christ to present before large assemblies. The crowd welcomed Him into Jerusalem with joyful hosannas and palm branches, His followers crying Hosanna and spreading their garments and palm branches in His way. That praise was short-lived for many, for some who joined the popular celebration and acclaimed Him as Israel's king soon cried for His crucifixion. Many who praised Him then later joined the cry for His crucifixion, showing their praise was often driven by popularity rather than lasting loyalty.

The disciples' hopes rose high at the entry, for they understood the welcome as signaling that He would take the kingdom and reign as a temporal prince over Israel on David's throne. But as they later followed Him to Calvary in grief, their hopes were blighted when they saw their beloved Master humiliated and stretched on the cruel cross beneath mocking, taunting Pharisees. They followed at a distance, filled with fear and despair, their high hopes crushed and the darkness of death closing about them, a disappointment greater than any later disappointment of His followers. Their joyful hopes died with Him, yet revived when He rose and appeared to them. He remained true to His promises, giving sweet consolation to His people and rich reward to the true and faithful.

The startling events of the triumphal ride with palm branches and shouts of Hosanna formed the one triumphal scene of His earthly life, meant to be the talk of every tongue and to bring Jesus before every mind. After His crucifixion those events would be joined to His trial and death, prophecies would be searched and would prove He was indeed the Messiah, and converts to faith in Jesus would be multiplied in all lands.