Significance of Palm Trees

Genesis 2:9 ESV

And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Palm trees frequently appear in the religious symbolism of ancient Near Eastern cultures, but to Roman onlookers, the use of palm branches were connected to notions of imperial authority. In Rome, the palm branch was a symbol of triumph and mighty deeds. During Roman victory processions, representations of palm branches were prominent. So by “triumphing” (Col 2:15) in this manner, Jesus makes his ministry something the Roman authorities can no longer ignore: Jesus is presenting himself no longer as a mere teacher or prophet, but as an heir of David. In short, by entering Jerusalem in this fashion, Jesus was declaring himself the king of Israel.

This moment is the height of his earthly ministry. The size and enthusiasm of his following is at its peak, and so he is positioned, from the perspective of the Romans, as a potential challenger of the Roman occupation of Palestine. So this day is also called Passion Sunday because it is the catalyst for the chain of events that lead to Golgotha. In fact, only shortly before mounting the donkey, Jesus had predicted his own death (see Matt 20:17–19).