Matthew’s account of Palm Sunday
It is always a relief when we celebrate Palm Dominicus from Matthew or Mark'due south account. Luke 19.36 in his account talks simply the garments, and does non mention palm branches, so in those years nosotros have to telephone call it Garment Dominicus (which doesn't accept the same ring about information technology). In fact information technology is only John, the supposed 'spiritual' gospel, who specifies the palms. But if you are reading or preaching from Matthew's account, what stands out?
Matthew's account of the events leading to the entry into Jerusalem is slightly briefer than Mark's or Luke's, with the exception of the improver of the fulfilment of prophecy in Matt 21.4–5. Matthew, and to a lesser extent Luke, omit some of the 'heart-witness' details establish in Marking'due south account—the exact question the disciples will exist asked (Mark 11.3), the asking of it (Mark eleven.5), the fact that the branches were 'leafy' (Marker 11.8; Mark uses the discussionstibas suggesting leafy palms, rather than Matthew's more full generalklados). Matthew's account is more 'stream-lined' in order to brand the points that he thinks are pregnant.
A hitting feature is the emphasis on the impact that Jesus has. The 'large crowd' that has followed Jesus from Jericho in Matt twenty.29 has become a 'huge oversupply' in Matt 21.8. (Some translations render this 'many of the crowd' simply this is not the all-time translation of the unusual phrase.) Information technology is worth noting that, though many versions title this episode 'The Triumphal Entry' or some such, the acclamation happens earlier Jesus enters the city. When he does final come into Jerusalem, Matthew lone notes that 'the whole urban center was stirred' in verse 10. Hither he highlights the divide between the Galileans, the pilgrim crowd, who acclaim Jesus, and the local Judeans who do not. I have always felt was much more historically plausible as an explanation of what is happening.
Reverse to the hymn 'My Song is Dear Unknown' (Sometimes they strew His fashion/And His sugariness praises sing…Then "Crucify!" is all their jiff…) it is non the same crowd that praised him this calendar week who call for his crucifixion the side by side, but unlike groups responding to Jesus differently (something which John'due south gospel draws out more explicitly). And the Galilean crowd emphasise that this king-similar person is non local, simply from Nazareth; whereas Judea was ruled straight past Rome through a prefect, Galilee was a separate region ruled by Herod as tetrarch. So the political threat would have been all the more obvious.
Upwards to this point, Jesus has walked everywhere with his disciples on foot—and it appears that the expectation was that Passover pilgrims should arrive at the city on foot. And then Jesus' riding on a donkey would have been very conspicuous amongst the crowds; he could have called to remain incognito by walking if he had chosen. The use of a donkey was not a sign of poverty as such; information technology was the most common animal at the time for a range of work roles. Its primary significance is constitute in the fulfilment of the conflated prophecies in Zech nine.nine–x with the opening phrase from Isaiah 62.11. The Zechariah text in turn alludes to David's entry into the city afterwards the defeat of Absalom in 2 Sam 19. The true king arrives, not as conquering hero merely proclaiming peace, not presuming to impose his will, but hoping to be welcomed willingly. In this sense Jesus is demonstrating by his ain example the teaching he has been giving in Matt xx.25–28. Though he has forbidden declaration of his identity in Matt 16.twenty, his actions speak louder than their words.
There is no particular need to think of thearrangements equally miraculous; we know from John xi and John 12 that he has contacts in this area.Themention of an donkey and a colt here (comparedwith simply ane animal in the other accounts) looks similar Matthew's characteristic doubling—in many of Jesus' miracles, he deals with two people in Matthew where Mark and Luke only mention one. At that place is no unproblematiccaption for this—Davies and Allison mention nine possibilities intheir commentary, none of which they believe satisfactory! Information technology is worth noting that, in many cases, it is historicallyplausible; those in demand tend to grouping together. And if the colt here has never been ridden earlier, it would exist quite natural that its female parent comes with it. Matthew would know how to read Hebrew parallelism in Zech 9, and so it is rather odd to suggest he has misunderstood the passage. But, similar others of his twenty-four hours, he shows an interest in the fulfilment of the passage in its grade, not but its content, and mentioning both animals helps to emphasise this.
Fulfilment of Scripture is a repeated theme for Matthew, and here the citation takes the place of the explicit acclamation of Jesus as king in the other gospel accounts. The fact that he is 'a prophet' (Matt 21.9) has already been highlighted by Matthew'southward placing him on a mountain in Matt 5.1 (rather than a 'level place' in Luke vi.17) and organising his teaching into five blocks.
So Jesus is presented every bit fulfilling the purposes of God. Having silenced those who proclaimed him before, he now makes no secret of who he is. Although his claims had inevitable political implications, Matthew focuses on his role as the Son of David and the prophet who was to come. His inflow draws a huge post-obit—but it also divides people in their loyalty. Jesus is non someone who encourages sitting on fences!
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