As we come upon Holy Week once again in the church year, we praise Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:61). On Sunday Jesus rides a donkey down from the Mount of Olives. He did this so that on Friday he could carry his cross up to Mt. Calvary.
The Hymn of the Day for Palm Sunday is “Ride On, Ride On in Majesty.” There is a reason this hymn has been included in almost 600 hymnals. It conveys the truths of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem that began the triumph and tragedy of Holy Week.
Verse one: “Ride on, ride on in majesty! Hark! All the tribes hosanna cry. O Savior meek, pursue your road, with palms and scattered garments strowed.”
In the beginning of the week, Jesus is praised as a king with palm branches in the air and robes thrown on the ground. On Friday the soldiers mock Jesus as a king with a purple robe, a crown of thorns and a sign above his cross that reads, “The king of the Jews.”
Verse two: “Ride on, ride on in majesty! In lowly pomp ride on to die. O Christ, your triumphs now begin o’er captive death and conquered sin.”
Two verses of this hymn contain the striking phrase “lowly pomp.” Lowly pomp? A humble display of magnificence? Yes! Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, not on a war horse. Lowly. But in the ancient Middle East, kings would ride donkeys if they came in peace. Pomp.
This Sunday we learn of Jesus riding into Jerusalem as King to bring peace between we sinful humans and our holy God. Jesus goes into battle against Satan and sin to bring peace to our troubled lives through his death on the cross. He goes to war against Death to bring us eternal peace after Death claims us. Jesus is a King who comes to bring peace. Lowly pomp. Humble majesty.
Verse three: “Ride on, ride on in majesty! The angel armies of the sky look down with sad and wond’ring eyes to see th’ approaching sacrifice.”
On Sunday Jesus rides past the walls of Jerusalem carried on a donkey. On Friday Jesus’ corpse is on Golgotha’s hill, being carried by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, so he may be buried in a borrowed tomb. This was the greatest miracle of all time! The King dies for his subjects. The Shepherd lays down his life for sheep who love to wander. The Creator allows his creatures to crucify him. And the angel armies watch these events of salvation unfold with both sad and wondering eyes.
Verse four: “Ride on, ride on in majesty! Your last and fiercest strife is nigh. The Father on his sapphire throne awaits his own anointed Son.”
Zechariah prophesies, “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). There is both a simplicity and a depth to the entrance of Jesus on Palm Sunday. If Jesus came in the fullness of his glory with his voice like thunder and his eyes like fire, we would surely run from him in fear. When Isaiah saw the Lord’s glory, he came undone (Isaiah 6). When Jesus stilled the stormy sea, the disciples were terrified (Matthew 8). When Jesus ordered the fish to jump into their nets, the disciples demanded that he depart from them (Luke 5). So, Jesus humbled himself and became a servant (Philippians 2:8).
Jesus humbled himself and came as a servant so that we would not fear him, but trust in him. He did not enter Jerusalem on a gleaming white steed to rule over us, rather he came gentle and riding a donkey because he was being obedient to Another – his Father on his sapphire throne.
Verse five: “Ride on, ride on in majesty! In lowly pomp ride on to die. Bow your meek head to mortal pain, then take, O Christ, your power and reign.”
Jesus rides into Jerusalem. He is riding on as a King in majesty. At the same time, he is riding on to a criminal’s death. A death that will make centurions and governors shake, but a death that will take a criminal to paradise.
Jesus enters Jerusalem as King. The people putting their cloaks on the ground and waving palm branches in the air recognize this. Even as a King, Jesus still enters with humility and gentleness.
The next time Jesus comes, it will not be with humility and gentleness. “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him” (Revelation 1:7).
On Palm Sunday, the people praise Christ with palm branches. One day, we will gather with the saints in heaven to wave palm branches in victory around the throne of Christ (Revelation 7:9). There will be no gentleness or humility … only glory and victory. For Christ reigns now and forevermore as our King of kings and Lord of lords.