Palm Sunday – The Son of David

God, our hope of victory,
whom we constantly betray
grant that us so to recognise your coming
that in our clamour
there may be commitment,
and in our silence
the very stones may cry out aloud in your name. Amen.

Son of David

David, the ancient king of Israel, had become for many Jews at the time of Jesus a prototype of what kingship should be like. Indeed, for those yearning for freedom, the reign, and the geographical extent of it, may have seen like halcyon days. The majority of Jews who were expecting a messiah would have thought in terms of a Davidic identikit image.

For those who lived by the Dead Sea at Qumran, the Davidic figure was also a healer and teacher. It is therefore not unusual for Jesus to have become associated with David, whether this be on the lips of Bartimaeus, the blind person, calling for help or the children singing hosannas to Jesus in the temple courts; and of during the triumphal entry itself.
Biblical Text – Mark 11

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” 4 And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. 5 And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. 8 And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. 9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

Questions

1. There are many scholars, myself included, who think that the triumphal entry was a prophetic action, announcing the immediate coming of God’s kingdom. How would those in authority, whether pagan (Roman) or religious (Jewish) have interpreted such a sign?

Reflection for Palm Sunday

Hail to the Lord’s anointed, great David’s greater Son!
Hail in the time appointed, his reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression, to set the captive free,
To take away transgression and rule in equity

(c) James Montgomery, 1771-1854
Based on Psalm 72