Save Us, Please!

Dear Worshipers,

That’s what the choir will be shouting as they enter the sanctuary Sunday morning carrying palm branches. For anyone with a little church background that will not seem that strange since they will recall the biblical accounts of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of what we now call Holy Week. But before we dismiss this as something we know all about let’s think for a minute why this event, and particularly this exclamation was so significant.

This is true of the word transliterated “Hosanna” because of what it represented.

Our English word is a transliteration (using English letters) of a Hebrew one-word sentence meaning, "Save us, please!" John's Greek text also transliterated hosanna from Hebrew to Greek. The word is part of Psalm 118:25a where it is part of a prayer addressed to the Lord. It is not likely that John failed to appreciate the meaning of the crowd meeting Jesus with the words of a prayer the Old Testament addressed to God. In the course of time the Hebrew meaning of hosanna was forgotten and the word simply became a Christian exclamation of praise. This is the way most of us have heard hosanna; it may be that its use in the very celebrative Triumphal Entry led to this later praise use. [An excerpt from a longer article with an informative section on “John 12:12-19 - The Triumphal Entry” see that subheading about halfway down the page “The Voice” Roger Hahn]

This is very helpful for us who know this word Hosanna from our Palm Sunday chants. For those who were shouting it and hearing it on the road into Jerusalem, there was no mistaking they were heralding the arrival of their Messiah. His riding on a donkey was another fulfilled prophecy that pointed to His Kingship. [Zechariah 9:9]

It has always struck me how quickly the crowds turn on Jesus. It is only days later when the crowd says “Crucify him!” These seems like such a strange turn of events, but for the mind of the Israelite crying out to be saved from the Roman oppression Jesus simply must not have delivered quickly enough. We can be fickle like that as well, can’t we?

So what will your response be as the crowds shout Hosanna this weekend? Will you place your expectations on the Savior as to how and when and from what He should save you? Or rather, will you humbly cry out to Him to have his way and save you on His terms? May there be many who choose the latter response! Will you join me in it?

Jesus, as we have sung recently and will sing again this weekend, “Come have Your way among us. We welcome you here Lord Jesus!” Hosanna! You are the God who saves us. You’re worthy of all our praises.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy