Hosanna - Crucify Him- Hallelujah!

Holy Week starts tomorrow.

Palm Sunday commemorates the triumphant entry into Jerusalem of Jesus out to fulfill his mission to save/restore humankind to God through his passion/crucifixion/resurrection.

How did people respond to Jesus and his mission of love and obedience then?

These words – “Hosanna - Crucify Him- Hallelujah” – as food for thought/reflection this Holy Week.

HOSANNA. In Matthew (21: 4-11, a jubilant crowd met Him, shouting - “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’

“The disciples went, brought the donkey/and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.

“A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” "Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

“The whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’

“This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Notes: 1.) H?sanná is a transliteration from two Hebrew terms (hôsî-âh-n?), meaning "Oh, save now!" or "Please save!" 2.) “In Biblical times, it was common for diplomatically inclined royalty to travel by donkey, a symbol of peace”.

CRUCIFY HIM. Just a few days after Jesus’ triumphant entry in Jerusalem, a hostile, angry mob, instigated by the chief priests, demanded Pontius Pilate to crucify him.

From Mark 15:1-15: “Very early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away, handed him over to Pilate.

“Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “You have said so,” Jesus replied.

“The chief priests accused him of many things.

“Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.” But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.

“It was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.

“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him.

“But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.

“What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.

“Crucify him!” they shouted. “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

“But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

“Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.”

HALLELUJAH. A transliteration of two Hebrew words: “hallelu”, meaning “praise” and “Yah”, meaning God. Combined, they convey “Praise Yahweh” or is used as an expression of gratitude to God!

From Luke (24:7) “Upon entering the tomb and not finding Jesus’ body, they remembered His words – “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”

HALLELUJAH!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)

HALLELUJAH. “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!”

Through Christ’s love/passion/crucifixion/resurrection, God’s love/redemption triumphs over death! HALLELUJAH!