PALM SUNDAY WINDOW
Matthew 21:4,5 “This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ‘Say to the Daughter of Zion, See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'”
Palm Sunday ushered in Holy Week. Jesus goes into Jerusalem to drive out the money changers. In the temple area people came with their children. The blind and lame came in numbers and Jesus healed them. Pilgrims from all over the world were there. The whole city was awash in the pre-Passover festivities. Perhaps the population was close to a million people at that time.
Into this maelstrom of politics and religion Jesus, the King, rode the unridden donkey. People turned out in record numbers. Jesus’ adversaries were afraid “the whole world” was turning out to welcome the King. They forbad the children from crying out their praises. Jesus told them that if the children were silent and the other people too that the very stones would cry out. You can see the stones in the lower left hand corner of the window.
This account is another display of Jesus’ miracles and power showing that He was God’s Son. He knew that up ahead in the village of Bethphage there would be a donkey tied, with an unridden colt. Zechariah had spoken of this in his Old Testament prophecy. The donkey was there. But anyone who knows about donkeys will tell you that you don’t just get on an unridden donkey and have it take you safely and soundly through a mob of palm branch and garment waving people. Unless you are the Son of God and the Creator too of donkeys, as Jesus was. Jesus was the donkey’s King too.
On the donkey are coats of purple and red. Both are mentioned in the Passion history of Jesus. The red coat was no doubt from a Roman soldier, for some wore this kind of
colored coat. The purple was to signify royalty. Kings commandeered the color for their entourages. If the people used the red and purple coats and clothing to humiliate Jesus in his trial of torment, perhaps they especially used them to honor him when he came as their King. They shouted “Hosannah!” The word means, “Save us now.”
One day soon Jesus will return as The King again. At that time every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father.
Even so, come quickly, Lord—King—Jesus!