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Palm Sundays

 


Today celebrates our Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem prior to His crucifixion. The text of this is very short, 

“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,

“Fear not, daughter of Zion;

    behold, your king is coming,

        sitting on a donkey’s colt!” (John 12:12-15). 


Now there is debate over what the crowds said. The older Alexandrian (Egyptian) manuscripts say: 

“Took the branches of the palm trees, and went out to meet Him, and began to cry out, “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:13)

The Textus Receptus and Byzantine Text (KJV) says,

“Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (John 12:13). At a glance it looks like the passages are just realigned, with King of Israel at the beginning or end. But there is a difference between declaring Jesus King of Israel or saying is even King of Israel, the first is declarative, the second is subjective, like saying is even like. This matters because Pilate crucifies Jesus because He is King of the Jews (John 19:19). If the people placing palms before Him had not been declaring King of Israel, then there would not have been a case against Christ politically and federally (Roman), it would have been just a religious squabble to the Romans otherwise. Another important matter is the Alexandrian Text says “blessed is he who comss in name of the Lord,” while Textus Receptus says “King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord,” which connects the two, that Jesus is The Lord God, The Word of God and King of Kings. Thus the King James Bible conveys the truth better.  


I believe its important to have a Alexandrian Text Bible (NASB, NIV, and most Bible Translations) and Textus Receptus & Byzantine Text translation (King James Version/KJV). In this case however, King James which is Textus Receptus and Byzantine Text is the more accurate. The Palms had to be for more than a prophet, but a King, the Anointed of David promised  by the Prophets who is the Christ and Messiah. 


Palm Sunday for us is a moment to acknowledge that our God and Savior Jesus is King of Israel, it the Son of David according to the flesh and the Son of God by the Spirit (Romans). It is the moment we are to cry out Hosanna Melech Messiach Jesus! That He is King of The Universe, that He is King of Israel and shall rule Israel in the flesh when He returns (Revelation 20:4-5). Amen. 


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