HOSANNA

“Hosanna” was this week’s name in the ongoing series Above Every Name. Pastor Mark reminded us of the events of Palm Sunday as Jesus and his followers approached Jerusalem, he instructed his disciples to obtain a donkey and a colt. This act was to fulfill Messianic prophecy from over 900 years prior. (Zechariah 9:9) “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, you king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Jesus was letting those who were paying attention know that he was God. (Matthew 21:3) “If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord (Kúrios) needs them’ and he will send them at once.” It signified peace as he rode atop the donkey, unlike kings or rulers who rode horses to declare war. As he approached Jerusalem, believers laid palm branches and cloaks on the road to honor him as part of his triumphal entry into the city. The crowds that amassed began shouting “Hosanna!” A phrase meaning, “Save, we pray! Or Save Now, Save Us!” issued as an utterance of praise. “Hosanna” appears five times in the bible, all in the New Testament, related to Palm Sunday.

Hosanna is directly tied to the name YHWH (Psalm 118:24-26) “This is the day the lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. Lord (YHWH) save us! O Lord we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.” Jesus used both the sacred name of the Old Testament (YHWH) and the common tongue of his time, Koine Greek (Kúrios), to let both Jews and Gentiles know he was God. As the children in the temple shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:16), Jesus replied, “Yes, have you never read: ‘You have prepared praise from the mouths of infants and nursing babies?” A direct quote from Psalm 8:2. Jesus knew what was coming as he performed events of prophecies and became ever closer to the cross. The shouts of “Hosanna” would be answered, but not as a conquering king; instead, as a lowly servant willing to sacrifice his life for us.