Jesus' Triumphal Entry

In his Palm Sunday sermon, Sanjay Merchant draws a sharp contrast between Jesus’s “Triumphal Entry” and the grand Roman triumphs of the ancient world. He explains that a Roman triumph was a lavish, state-sanctioned parade celebrating military victory, involving war spoils, enslaved enemies, and exalted generals like Julius Caesar. In contrast, Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem in Mark 11 was humble—riding a donkey instead of a warhorse, with followers laying down cloaks and palm branches while shouting “Hosanna.” Sanjay emphasizes that while a Roman triumph was authorized by the Senate, Jesus’s was authorized by God the Father, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9.

Sanjay uses the metaphor of comparing a high school lacrosse game to a kindergarten game to highlight how ridiculous Jesus’s entry might have seemed to Roman eyes—like a kindergarten team claiming championship over elite athletes. Yet Jesus’s seemingly modest entrance held profound spiritual meaning, representing a different kind of kingship—one based on humility, peace, and divine authority rather than military might. He notes Jesus's kingly actions, such as commandeering an unridden donkey and being greeted with gestures of submission, showing that the people recognized his authority. Ultimately, Sanjay argues that what looked like a “pathetic” triumph to the world was in fact the true, God-ordained arrival of the eternal King.