Music & the Spoken Word: ‘This is Jesus’ More than two millennia ago, as Jesus approached Jerusalem, a crowd gathered to greet Him. They spread their cloaks and palm branches on the road, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” When He entered the city, the people hailed Him as the prophet of Nazareth, declaring, “This is Jesus!” (Matthew 21:9–11). This moment, now known as Palm Sunday, marked a pivotal point in His journey. The crowd’s cry of “hosanna,” meaning “save now,” reflected their hope that the Messiah would deliver them from Roman rule. They had heard of His miracles and believed He had arrived to fulfill their longings for liberation. Yet, as Jesus surveyed Jerusalem, He wept over the city’s future, knowing that many who had cheered Him would soon call for His crucifixion. The crowd’s misunderstanding of His mission foreshadowed the conflict that would follow. Jesus’ suffering, though painful, was part of God’s plan to offer eternal freedom to all humanity. Through His sacrifice, He atoned for the sins of the world, ensuring that every person would have the opportunity to live again. Today, the word “hosanna” retains its original meaning of “save now,” but it has also evolved into an expression of joyful praise. It acknowledges the triumph of Jesus over sin and death, inviting believers to raise their voices in gratitude and hope. The cry of the crowd on Palm Sunday echoes through history, reminding us that Jesus is both the Savior of the world and the King of kings. The scriptures promise that when Jesus returns, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess His divinity. The question once asked in Jerusalem—“Who is this?”—will be answered beyond doubt: “This is Jesus—the Son of God, the Savior of the world.#christianity #palm_sunday #jesus #matthew #hosanna
