Sunday, April 14, 2019
1 Kings 1:32-37, Matthew 21:1-9
The coming of Spring brings the budding and blossoming of various trees. Spring foliage speaks to a new season, new hope and new life. Careful reading of the Holy Week Gospel seems to take us through an arboretum in Spring, with palm trees, fig trees, olive trees and a thorn bush. Palm Sunday starts with the palm branches, Holy Monday brings the account of the fig tree, Holy Thursday highlights the olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane, and Good Friday tells of the crown of thorns.
Christ Is Constantly Establishing Connections. Christ riding into Jerusalem on a donkey was a connection to Solomon. King David arranged Solomon’s coronation, who rode in a royal procession on a donkey. Jesus, who is greater than Solomon, was also a ‘son of David’ as one of his descendants. Although King of Kings, Jesus wants to connect with us, for us to acknowledge His kingship, and lay our burdens before Him.
Get A Read Of The Trees Throughout Holy Week. The palm trees provided the leaves which the crowd used to welcome Jesus to Jerusalem. There was also the fig tree. Many Bible scholars believe that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was a fig tree, and Adam and Eve clothed themselves with fig tree leaves. Partaking of the Fig Tree brought about a curse; Jesus cursed the Fig Tree during Holy Week because He would be nailed to Calvary’s Tree and be made a curse for us. The Garden of Gethsemane was also called ‘Oil Press’; the Anointed One would have to be crushed like olive berries to release the ‘anointing olive oil’ of salvation from sin.
Repeat Over & Over Again “Via Dolorosa”. Via Dolorosa – The Way of Suffering. Holy Thursday and Good Friday bring out the suffering of Jesus and His great sacrifice. The ride on the donkey on Palm Sunday gave way to Him walking through the same narrow streets carrying His Cross to Calvary.