Solomon, son of King David, had been recognised as King when he rode on his father’s mule amidst the acclamations of the people (1 Kings 1:38). Jesus similarly rode a donkey into Jerusalem, establishing himself also as its rightful King. The people would have recognised the prophesy of Zechariah, and they waved palms as a symbol of triumph. The triumph that they were looking forward to, however, was the restoration of David’s Kingdom and the end of Roman rule. The contrast between this victorious parade and the procession to the cross is a stark reminder that God had a very different victory in mind.
The Roman conquerors would have come into the city with chariots, war horses, many servants and perhaps parading victims of conquest. Jesus had rejected worldly might in the desert. However, we see today that this lesson still has not been learnt. The true victory came not on Palm Sunday but on the following Friday. Unlikely people appeared in support of Jesus: Pilate’s wife, Simon of Cyrene and the Roman centurion who - in spite of being part of a worldly empire - acknowledged in Jesus something far greater. The rich man, Joseph of Arimathea, came out of the shadows to ensure that Jesus received an honourable burial.
Matthew used dramatic imagery to describe the magnitude of what had happened. The temple veil was torn in two. The New Covenant had begun and Jesus was now the Temple.