What Is the Meaning of Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of an important and sacred time in the Christian calendar—the Holy Week, leading up to Easter Sunday. The meaning of Palm Sunday can be drawn from the Bible and the observances of the Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox churches, where this commemoration is celebrated.
While these denominations may celebrate on different dates (considering the Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar), the significance of Palm Sunday is still universal. On this day, the congregation engages in traditions like waving palm branches and processional walks outside the church to commemorate Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
Here, we will examine the meaning of Palm Sunday and why it holds such an important place in Christian tradition.
Biblical Meaning of Palm Sunday
All the four canonical Gospels record the biblical events that inspired Palm Sunday. However, each provides a slightly different perspective on the biblical meaning of Palm Sunday.
Let’s explore the narratives, highlighting the differing perspectives of the authors and the significance they suggest about the meaning of Palm Sunday.
Mark and John
In Mark 11:1-3, the Bible recounts Jesus’ instruction to His disciples to bring Him a donkey:
When they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, “Go your way into the village that is opposite you. Immediately as you enter into it, you will find a young donkey tied, on which no one has sat. Untie him, and bring him. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs him;’ and immediately he will send him back here.” (Mark 11:1-3)
The disciples did as instructed, and as recorded in all other narratives, the scene of Jesus’ arrival at Jerusalem as He rode on the donkey was nothing short of glorious.
Some even spread their garments on the way for Jesus to walk on. This is more like the contemporary red carpet welcome that dignitaries receive in special events today. According to John’s account, the people took palm branches and kept shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!”
Luke
The Gospel of Luke adds an interesting angle to the biblical definition of Palm Sunday. It captures Jesus’ emotional response to the Pharisees, who asked Him to rebuke the multitude as they celebrated and hailed Him.
He answered them, “I tell you that if these were silent, the stones would cry out.” When he came near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you, even you, had known today the things which belong to your peace! But now, they are hidden from your eyes. (Luke 19:40–42)
The first part of Jesus’ comment implies that He was pleased with how the crowd praised Him and acknowledged the divinity of His ministry. It may have been thousands of years since this happened, but the annual Palm Sunday celebration allows us to do exactly what the multitude did: affirm Jesus’ Lordship and praise His name.
Beyond adoring God, the Palm Sunday event is also a call to self-reflection and repentance. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because its citizens were uninformed of what was needed for their peace. Too often in life, we focus on meeting our needs while ignoring the most important thing—the kingdom of God. (Matthew 6:33)
The Bible doesn’t condemn working hard to make a good living or acquiring earthly possessions. God sure wants us to flourish materially, but He doesn’t want it to be at the expense of our spiritual well-being. In order of priority, His kingdom should come first in our lives.
Matthew
Matthew’s narrative sheds some light on the crowd’s perspective of Jesus as He entered Jerusalem, and a close examination of this may help us reach a more accurate definition of Palm Sunday and its significance to our faith.
When he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” The multitudes said, “This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” (Matthew 21:10-11)
The crowd here recognized Jesus as a prophet, confirming His ministry as of God. By implication, this provides additional evidence that Jesus had an authentic anointing of God to redeem humanity from sin. This acknowledgment of Jesus’ identity is the backdrop on which we celebrate our modern Palm Sunday festivities.
Old Testament Prophecies and the Meaning of Palm Sunday
The biblical event of the first Palm Sunday also fulfilled some Old Testament prophecies. Matthew 21:4 records that Christ’s triumphant entry took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:
‘Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”
This prophecy, taken from Zechariah 9:9 and Isaiah 62:11, underlines the significance of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey. At that time, the people were anticipating a revolutionary leader—a politician or warrior of sorts—to emerge and overthrow the then-prevalent Roman rule. But Jesus’ mission was far greater.
He did not come to overthrow or conquer man-made governments; instead, He came to conquer sin, death, and the devil by offering himself as a living sacrifice—the sacrificial Passover lamb.
His triumphant entry into Jerusalem set the ball rolling, heralding the events that led up to His crucifixion, where He eventually triumphed over the forces that bound humanity since the fall of Adam and Eve.
Significance of Palm Sunday in Modern Christianity
The primary significance of Palm Sunday to modern Christianity is that it marks the beginning of the Holy Week, the solemn period during which Christians reflect on Jesus’ final days before His crucifixion and resurrection.
Palm Sunday’s meaning in Christianity highlights the duality of joy and sorrow. As we wave the palm branches and sing “Hosanna in the highest,” we are reminded from the Bible that earthly praises are only fleeting and that we should focus on the more reliable promise of salvation.
Jesus’ experience (especially how He handled the joyous reception at Jerusalem) is an invitation for us to embrace humility and selflessness, even when faced with the highest accolades.
Investigating the meaning of Palm Sunday is incomplete without explaining the significance of waving the palm branches. Palms are a symbol of victory, and the church uses them as a constant reminder of the victory Jesus won for us.
In Revelations 7:9, the Bible uses the imagery of palms to represent triumph and eternal life, which further points to the fact that the message of Palm Sunday is a message of hope and salvation to the modern Church.
For Modern Christians, the meaning of Palm Sunday goes beyond being a day of celebration; it is also a day of sober reflection. It gives us an opportunity to remember the selfless love Jesus demonstrated by willingly undergoing torture and facing death to bring salvation to us.
Although it is a moveable holiday, as its date changes every year based on the timing of Lent, the true Palm Sunday meaning in Christianity, its traditions, and its significance remain unchanged.
How Is Palm Sunday Celebrated?
Palm Sunday is celebrated with traditions and rituals that vary from denomination to denomination. Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox churches all have unique customs for celebrating this special day, but just as the Palm Sunday meaning in Christianity is universal, so is the common goal of this celebration: remembering Jesus Christ as King and Savior.
The celebration typically begins with the blessing and distribution of palm branches or fronds, as the case may be. This symbolizes the palm fronds laid before Jesus as He entered Jerusalem.
This symbolic practice dates back to the late third century in the ancient Jerusalem church, where Palm Sunday celebrations featured hymns, prayers, and Bible readings at various holy sites in Jerusalem.
Modern Palm Sunday services have continued this tradition, with congregants receiving palm branches or crosses made from palm fronds as they enter the church on that day.
The Palm Sunday services often also include the singing of hymns, reading of scripture, and processions that mimic the actions of the crowd in Jerusalem. It is a significant way for the modern church to honor Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and carry on the ancient traditions of the church.
Around the world, Palm Sunday is celebrated in various ways. In some churches, congregants may wave palm branches while singing “Hosanna in the highest” to mirror the joy and excitement of the original event.
In other churches, the focus of Palm Sunday may be on a sermon dedicated to discussing and explaining the symbolisms in Christ’s triumphant entry.
Embracing the Call to Faith
As we celebrate this important event in Christian history, we are encouraged to reflect on the true meaning of Palm Sunday: Christ, through His entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, was both a savior and humble king.
As such, we must emulate Jesus by treating others equally and selflessly, regardless of status, like the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem. This blessed day is more than a celebration of the triumphant entry. It is a call to reflect on how to be more like Jesus in our daily lives.
By riding on a donkey instead of a prestigious horse, Jesus laid a standard for us: to live a modest, humble life and not draw unnecessary attention to ourselves.
The Palm Sunday celebrations also challenge our faith walk to welcome Jesus into our lives with the same enthusiasm that the crowd in Jerusalem showed.
This would mean celebrating Jesus in good times, standing by his teachings, and living his example in times of difficulty. By doing so, we can honor Christ’s legacy and continue his mission of spreading his light and love across the world.
