There are certain words that have become almost seasonal in their use. For example, “Emmanuel” is an Advent word, “Gloria” is a word commonly sung by saints and angels on Christmas, “Alleluia” is arguably liturgical but, according to Handel, “Alleluia” is most properly proclaimed in the season of Easter, and then there is “Hosanna”. “Hosanna” seems to exclusively belong to Palm Sunday. Today I am going to try to set one of these words free from its seasonal shackles. As you might have guessed by the hymn of the day, the word upon which we will focus our attention is the word “Hosanna”.
“Hosanna” is an interesting word. I don’t think we have a word like it in our English language. “Hosanna” is a word that means two drastically different things at the same time. In the New Testament the word “Hosanna” is only used in five verses and all those verses describe the crowd’s reaction as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (which is why we tend to think of “Hosanna” as a Palm Sunday word). In Luke’s account of the event, we are told the crowd “joyfully praised God in loud voices”.[1] With that context in mind we might assume the meaning of the word “Hosanna” is an ancient form of “yahoo” or “yippee”. Now to be sure the ingredients “yahoo” and “yippee” are baked into the word “Hosanna”, as is evidenced by the way the Palm Sunday pilgrims used the word. However, the word “Hosanna” was not and is not simple a proclamation of praise. The word “Hosanna”, which the Palm Sunday pilgrims shouted, comes from Psalm 118 but that is not the only place the word is found in the Old Testament. There the word “Hosanna” is much more common, in fact it is used 205 times in the Old Testament. However, the vast majority of times the word “Hosanna” is used in the Old Testament, it does not mean “yahoo” or “yippee”. Rather than being a proclamation of praise, the word “Hosanna” is used as a cry for help. “Hosanna” was shouted by soldiers in battle, it was shouted by victims of persecution, and it was shouted by the ailing or infirm who sought relief.
In the Old Testament “Hosanna” meant “help me!”. In the New Testament “Hosanna” meant “praise you!”. About the only thing the Old Testament use of “Hosanna” has in in common with the New Testament use of the word is both the people of the Old and New Testaments shouted the word to the Lord. Which is how the word “Hosanna” can mean two drastically different things at the same time. You see, God’s people noticed when they asked the Lord to help them, He always answered, maybe not when or how they hoped, but always in a way that worked out in the end for their good. The Lord was so consistent, so reliable, so unfailing with His deliverance that the peoples’ cry for help gradually morphed into a proclamation of praise. They knew the Lord would give them the help they needed so “help me” became “praise You”.
This is how the Passover pilgrims used the word “Hosanna”. Rome ruled Jerusalem with an iron fist. In addition to political oppressions like taxes and forced labor, the Romans mocked God’s people for the way they worshiped, they ridiculed their beliefs, and in general made their lives miserable. God’s people continually cried out for the Lord to send the Messiah-King who was prophesied to “take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem” who would “proclaim peace to the nations.” Whose rule would “extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.”[2] So, you can imagine the excitement that swept through the crowd as Jesus entered the city on Palm Sunday. Rumor had it Jesus was the Messiah-King they had been asking God to send them; people were saying Jesus was to be the one who would deliver them from the iron fist of Rome. So quite naturally shouts of “Hosanna” were randomly heard coming from the crowd. 9 “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” [“Hosanna!”] 10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest!” Imagine yourself in that crowd. Imagine how excited you would be to catch a glimpse of the one to whom the people shouted “Hosanna!”. But then imagine you saw Him. I mean, someone in that crowd had to be thinking to themselves, “Is that it?!?”. That guy is supposed to be our Messiah-King?!? He’s literally ridding a donkey. How is the donkey ridder going to deliver us from the Romans?!?” When you think about it, It’s sad but not really surprising that in a little less than a week’s time the Passover pilgrims stopped shouting “Hosanna”.
I don’t think this was the first time something like this happened to Jesus. I imagine 30 years prior to His Palm Sunday arrival in Jerusalem, the streets of the little town of Bethlehem echoed with “Hosannas”. Though Bethlehem was the historic home of Israel’s greatest king it was a quiet, unassuming, country village. Sheep herding was the closest thing they had to commerce and industry. The people of Bethlehem were simple and poor. But I imagine these poor people were proud. I imagine every single resident knew of the prophecy that said, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”[3] So imagine the excitement that spread through the streets that first Christmas night. As the Shepherds walked through the streets of Bethlehem praising God for all the things they had heard and seen the people of Bethlehem no doubt filled with excitement, for the Messiah-King had come to deliver them from their poverty. As I imagine it, the lateness of the hour and curtsey for a sleeping baby, compelled the crowd to exchange boisterous shouts with excited whispers. 9 “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” [“Hosanna!”] 10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest!” Imagine yourself in that crowd. Imagine elbowing your way to the front of the crowd that gathered around that manger so that you could get a glimpse of the one to whom the people whispered “Hosanna!”. But then imagine you saw Him. Imagine you saw a weak, helpless, vulnerable baby, laying on a bed of straw with the stench of sheep manure hanging in the air. Someone in that crowd had to be thinking to themselves, “Is that it?!?”. That baby is supposed to be our Messiah-King?!? When you think about it, again it’s sad, but not really surprising two years after Jesus is born the only “Hosannas” we hear about in the little town of Bethlehem come from the lips of three out of town kings.
The Passover pilgrims and the citizens of Bethlehem were not and are not the only ones who had and have occasion to shout “Hosanna!” to the Messiah-King. We also have plenty of reason to cry out to the Lord for help. “Help me, Lord.” “I live in a world full of violence and hate and prejudice and bigotry.” “Help me, Lord.” “I live in a world where babies die, children are abducted, women are raped, and men are murdered.” “Help me, Lord as I try to live with myself.” “I hurt the people I love, I disappoint people who count on me, I’m an embarrassment to myself.” “Help me, Lord.” “I can’t keep myself from sinning and every time I think I manage to do something kind or decent or deserving of your recognition I stain it with my pride and arrogance.” “Help me, Lord!”
Thankfully the Messiah-King also has a familiar prophecy for us. He says to you and to me, “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”[4] Which means we have reason to excitedly shout, 9 “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” [“Hosanna!”] 10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest!” But as you shout your “Hosannas” and eagerly look to the heavens to get a glimpse of your Messiah-King you see… nothing. There is no divine intervention, no celestial assistance, no miraculous solution, there is just nothing. You can’t help but wonder if you are the only one in the crowd thinking to yourself, “Is that it!?!” “How am I supposed to believe that an unseen Messiah-King is going to help me?” It’s sad, but once again not really surprising that still today we are tempted to stop shouting “Hosanna”.
Thankfully you have the benefit of hindsight or perspective or whatever you want to call it. you have the benefit of Scripture which gives you more than a glimpse of our Messiah-King. You get to see God’s plan from beginning to almost end. You see that weak, helpless, vulnerable baby living in a world just as full of violence, hate, prejudice, and bigotry as yours is. But unlike you, He did not conform to this world. Though every other baby born in Bethlehem, every other child who grew up in Nazareth, every other person who has walked the face of the earth couldn’t keep themselves from sinning, Jesus somehow did. He never sinned. Not once in all the years He lived. The people gathered around that manger in Bethlehem didn’t see the perfect life that baby was going to live in their place, but you do. With eyes of faith, from the pages of Scripture, you have seen it. But that is not all you see. You see Jesus ridding into Jerusalem not simply to rescue you from the iron fist of an empire but to rescue you from the cold grip of death. You see Jesus pierced, crushed, wounded, and killed in your place. You see Jesus pay your debt of sin in full. You see Jesus writing your name in the book of life. The Passover pilgrims didn’t see that Jesus rode into Jerusalem to give His life as payment for their sins, but you do. With eyes of faith, through the pages of Scripture, you have seen it.
When you look up to the heavens you may not see divine intervention, celestial assistance, or miraculous solutions. But what you have seen is your Messiah-King answering His people when they cry for help. Maybe not always when and how they wanted Him to answer but always He has answered in a way that is good for them in the end. You have seen it so often and so consistently that you know; you are convinced that He will answer your cry for help as well. Which means you need a word that means “help me” and praise You” at the same time. That is why I am suggesting we free the word “Hosanna” from the seasonal shackles of Palm Sunday. That is why on this the first Sunday in Advent we still shout 9 “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” [“Hosanna!”] 10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest!” Amen.
[1] Luke 19:37
[2] Zechariah 9:10
[3] Micah 5:2
[4] Psalm 50:15