What is Palm Sunday?

(CMR) Palm Sunday celebrates the significance of Jesus' triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem before His crucifixion and resurrection.

It is usually celebrated during Holy Week, celebrated from March 28 to April 3 this year.

Christian Post writer Anugrah Kumar looks at five things to know about Palm Sunday. These are presented below:

1. Palm Sunday is about peace and salvation.

The then Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, would come into Jerusalem with his soldiers for Passover, showing his strength through the arms his men carried. Jesus, however, came on a donkey with all His disciples unarmed, to demonstrate the Kingdom of God and His peace.

It was customary that a king would ride on a donkey during a time of peace, while a king would come sitting on a white horse after the victory in a battle, as suggested in Judges 5:10 and 1 Kings 1:33. So Jesus came as King but not to judge the people. He came to demonstrate God's grace.

2. Palm Sunday is the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy.

Matthew 21:4-5 notes, “This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: ‘Tell the people of Zion, ‘Look, your king is coming to you, unassuming and seated on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey,'” referring to Zechariah 9:9 in the Old Testament.

3. People accepted Jesus as Messiah.

Through how Jesus entered Jerusalem, He publicly declared Himself as the Messiah — the Savior that God had promised to the Jewish people. And He was accepted, at the time, by the people.

John 12:12-13 records, “The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna!' ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!'”

4. People misunderstood Jesus' message.

Evangelist Billy Graham once explained why the same crowd that welcomed Jesus turned against Him at the time of His crucifixion.

“One reason the crowds turned against Jesus was because He refused to be the kind of king they wanted — a political and military leader who would free them from the hated Roman government,” Graham wrote on his website. “Roman soldiers had occupied their land for decades, and they hoped Jesus would lead them in a successful revolt.”

Jesus made clear to them that His goal was different. His purpose was far greater than any mere political or military victory. His goal was to establish another kingdom — the Kingdom of God.

5. Palms represent immortality.

There was a tradition of people carrying the palm to funeral processions in Egypt as it represented eternal life. The palm branch was also a symbol of spiritual triumph over death.