Palm Sunday: The Triumphal Entry
A Reflection by Jesse Steven Wheeler*
Though not always acknowledged, Holy Week is brimming with theo-political significance. Simply consider the subversive brilliance of the events in the following passage, when contrasted with the opulent, militaristic splendor of an imperial parade (or triumphus) for a returning or conquering king. In this act, surrounded by the poor of the land, Jesus represents in every way the antithesis of Caesar and his modern equivalents:
When Jesus and his disciples came near Jerusalem, he went to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives and sent two of them on ahead. He told them, “Go into the next village, where you will at once find a donkey and her colt. Untie the two donkeys and bring them to me. If anyone asks why you are doing that, just say, ‘The Lord needs them.’ Right away he will let you have the donkeys.”
So God’s promise came true, just as the prophet had said, “Announce to the people of Jerusalem: ‘Your king is coming to you! He is humble and rides on a donkey. He comes on the colt of a donkey.’” The disciples left and did what Jesus had told them to do. They brought the donkey and its colt and laid some clothes on their backs. Then Jesus got on.
Many people spread clothes in the road, while others put down branches which they had cut from trees. Some people walked ahead of Jesus and others followed behind. They were all shouting, “Hooray for the Son of David! God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hooray for God in heaven above!” When Jesus came to Jerusalem, everyone in the city was excited and asked, “Who can this be?” The crowd answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."
—Matthew 21:1–11 (CEV)
Everyone in Jerusalem, celebrate and shout! Your king has won a victory, and he is coming to you. He is humble and rides on a donkey; he comes on the colt of a donkey. I, the Lord, will take away war chariots and horses from Israel and Jerusalem. Bows that were made for battle will be broken. I will bring peace to nations, and your king will rule from sea to sea. His kingdom will reach from the Euphrates River across the earth.
—Zechariah 9:9–10 (CEV)
How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.
—Luke 19:41–44 (NLT)
Through enacted parody, Jesus excoriates the Roman imperial machine and makes a mockery of those who would pursue political and religious status by means of violent conquest. As New Testament scholar N.T. Wright tells us,
This is a very carefully staged piece of theologically motivated street theatre. And it works like that. And Jesus knew exactly what buttons he was pressing and what was going to happen.
The Roman triumphus, upon which later royal and military processions are based, was a sign and celebration of imperial religion whereby a general or emperor would receive public adulation and divine blessing in response to a recent military victory. The returning king, in symbolic purple dress to emphasize his near-divine status, would parade through the city as a conquering hero ahead of his army and an opulent display of foreign captives and the treasures of war.
This public spectacle would culminate in a consecration ceremony at the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, the empire’s most sacred temple. As immortalized on the Arch of Titus standing in Rome to this day, just such an event occurred after the Roman armies laid waste to Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD in retaliation for the Jewish uprising. This parade featured 700 captive Judeans, the Menorah and the “Table of the Bread of God’s Presence,” and public executions. Failing to heed the words of the prophet and falling victim to the seductive allure of armed struggle (the very tool of empire) the Judeans failed to recognize “that which would make for peace,” the way of cruciform sacrifice. And, it would bring down the full wrath of Roman imperial might upon their city, their temple, and their entire way of life—an act of destruction from which they would ultimately never recover.
Reflect
How does a knowledge of the Roman imperial context impact your understanding of Palm Sunday? What light might such an historical understanding shed on the events of Good Friday and Easter?
Consider your own socio-cultural context. In what ways do you find religion being employed in the service of the powers that be and/or violent conflict?
Pray
With the Psalmist, let us proclaim:
I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.
Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you.
The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
—Psalm 118:21–29 (NIV)