Palm Branches and Kernels of Grain – John 12:12-26

It has been a tradition at Easter time, in fact, the Sunday before Easter, Palm Sunday, to recreate Jesus’ Sunday trip into Jerusalem to be welcomed by those crying Hosanna.  LearnReligions.com tells us that “a palm processional celebration was recorded as early as the 4th century in Jerusalem. The ceremony was not introduced into the West until much later in the 9th century.”  It draws such a picture for us to imagine these crowds of people shouting praises to the King of Israel, Jesus.

The next day, when a great crowd came for the feast and heard that Jesus was coming into Jerusalem, they took palm branches, went out to meet him and began crying out, “Hosanna!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel.”

Jesus had found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, “Do not fear, Daughter of Zion.  Look, your king comes to you seated on a colt of a donkey.”

At first his disciples did not understand these things, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that this was written about him and happened to him.  So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead was bearing witness to him.  This is why the crowd came out to meet Jesus, because they had heard he had performed this sign.  So the Pharisees said to themselves, “You can see you are accomplishing nothing.  Look, the world is going after him.”

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.  They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”  Philip went and told Andrew, Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.  Jesus responded by saying, “The hour is coming that the Son of Man will be glorified.  Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a kernel of grain dies in the ground, it remains alone.  But if it dies, it bears much fruit.  The one who loves his own life will lose it, but the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my disciples be.  If anyone does serve me, the Father will honor him.”  (John 12:12-26)

Incredulously, as Jesus goes to death, the scene becomes likened to what his second coming will be, with Israel acknowledging him as her king in fulfillment of prophecy (Zechariah 9:9) and Gentiles, his other flock, also acknowledging him.  Jesus accepts this as his hour to be glorified.  His death will be like a seed planted, that dies and then bears much fruit.  Death leads to glory, suffering leads to life.

Jesus uses this moment to teach his disciples about discipleship.  The true disciple has paradoxically lost his life in order to save it.  He has given up the things of this world that people always seek to guarantee their lives will succeed:  money, fame, love, power.  In so hating their lives they have saved them.  They have become servants of Jesus who follow him even to death, if need be, and who like him will be honored by the Father for their sacrifice.

Discussion Questions

1. What are you favorite memories of Palm Sunday celebrations?  If you have none, what would you find most interesting about participating in such a ritual?
2. What do you think your real expectations might have been if you were a member of the crowd who hailed Jesus?
3. Jesus’ action of riding on a young donkey fits with the prophecy of Zechariah.  Couldn’t Jesus have simply engineered this scene to recall the prophecy?  And if so, does that spoil it?
4. What is the accidental prophecy the Pharisees make?
5. What does Jesus’ statement about losing your life mean metaphorically and literally?
6. Where do you think you might need to consider some hating your life in order to keep it?