Hosanna?

We usually don’t think much about the meaning of this word, and because of it’s use in our current worship music and culture, we may be tempted to think the word means “Glorify him” or “Praise His Name”, but the word Hosanna doesn’t mean either of these things.

Hosanna means "Save Us"

The word Hosanna literally means, “Save us”. It’s a cry for help.

Psalm 118:25–29 ESV

Save us, we pray, O Lord! 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. The Lord is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

It's the cry of all true seekers of Christ. It's the cry of those who long for Jesus.

But

Not Everyone Seeking is Seeking Him

We’ve often heard the refrain in popular music or in a sermon that those who shouted Hosanna on Palm Sunday shouted Crucify him on Good Friday, but that is probably not true. These two groups, though possibly having some overlap were made up of two groups.

The first group, the ones shouting Hosanna are made up of particular people, those coming to Jerusalem for Passover week. These are Jews who were seeking the Lord passionately, they were those who desired his presence, and most of all, they were followers of Jesus.

John 12:12–13 ESV

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!”

These people came to the road leading through the Golden Gate on the Eastern Side of Jerusalem from Bethany. These were people who were seeking Jesus. They were people who believed in him, his followers, disciples, and pilgrims who wanted to see Jesus.

The other group, the ones on Good Friday were made up of political elites. This gathering was a yearly meeting of Pilate and the leaders of Jerusalem. These would have those who came for political or social gain They came not to see Jesus, but to see Pilate. They were seekers, but they were seekers of power and position and not God.

True Life-changed Begins with Hosanna

"Hosanna". The word hosanna literally means "Save us." It's the cry of all true seekers of Christ. It's the cry of those who long for Jesus, who long for him to touch their lives and to change them.

It's the cry of the Father who begs Jesus to heal his son in Mark 9 when he cries our, "I believe, Help my unbelief." (Mark 9:24).

It's the cry of the leper in Matthew 8 when he says, "Lord if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean (Matt 8:2)

And it's the heart of the blind man who cried out, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Mark 10:47)

Those who are truly seeking Christ are the ones who cry out Hosanna, "Save me."

Hosanna or Crucify Him

SO which are you? Will You Shout Hosanna on Palm Sunday or Crucify Him on Good Friday?