Palm Sunday

Holy Week has arrived, and it begins with Palm Sunday, the day that celebrates Jesus entry into the holy city of Jerusalem, riding upon a donkey. Much has been made about this dramatic action as a deliberate claim to Jesus' messiahship, but it is possible Jesus had another intention in mind. One of the dark days of ancient Jewish history came around 175 BC when Antiochus Epiphanes captured Jerusalem. He was determined to replace Judaism with Greek culture, so he deliberately profaned the Temple by burning pigs flesh on its altar and making sacrifices to Zeus, even turning the Temple into public brothels. It wasn't until the Maccabees rose against him that the Jews reclaimed their Temple and restored it. In 2 Maccabees 10:7 the rejoicing of that day is described as people carrying ivy-wreathed wands, branches and palms. On that day the people carried their palm branches. From all appearance Jesus had reenacted that day when Jesus entered Jerusalem. Why?

Perhaps Jesus was giving a warning - that he had come to cleans the Temple, not unlike what happened when the Jews reclaimed it and restored it under the Maccabean revolt. Consider what happened when Jesus entered the Temple following the entry, and drove out the money changers saying, "It is written, My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers." - Matthew 21:13 By saying this Jesus was referencing their attention to Jerermiah 7:11. The point of the cleansing is that it took place in the Court of the Gentiles, where Gentiles were supposed to come and discern God in prayer. All this leads me to a question: What will people find in our churches when they come this Easter? Will they find a house of prayer where they can connect with God? What they find may depend on the people they sit next to in the pew. As you prepare for Easter this holy week, remember what is written in Hebrews 10:25 - "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching."