Palm Sunday

Wilmer McLean lived on the site of the first Civil War battle of Manassas. Because of his dislike for the war he moved in hope of escaping the war, however, four years later his house would be site of the surrender of General Robert E. Lee to General U.S. Grant. That surrender was signed on Palm Sunday April 9, 1865.[i]

The war had dragged on for four years, and the toll it exacted from the nation was horrendous. By 1865 Grant’s army had rooted the Confederates from Petersburg and Richmond where they had been entrenched for ten months. Lee’s army was in want as supply lines were cut off, and the men were literally starving to death.

Finally, on that Palm Sunday the two generals met, and the surrender took place. Lee was dressed in a clean, pressed full uniform, while Grant, who had just finished a 16 mile ride, was dressed in a common soldier’s attire except for the stripes that bore the rank of Lieutenant General. With the signing of that document, the war would end. Still to this day we are baffled by the losses: 620,000 dead, 476, 000 wounded, another 400,000 taken prisoner, and an estimated 50,000 civilian deaths. That day was none-the-less a very unique celebration as Grant ordered the men to celebrate without firing volleys. The terms had been lenient and generous as Lincoln wanted them to be. However, before another week had passed, President Lincoln would be assassinated.

Travel back two thousand years to the first Palm Sunday and see another unique celebration. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as the Prophet Zechariah prophesied he would do. Jesus’ humility was clearly in view as the people cried “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Matt 21:9) as David prophesied they would do. However, within days Jesus would be crucified. These two Palm Sundays may have some striking similarities with the unexpected deaths of Lincoln and Jesus, but that is as far as the comparison goes. Jesus, on the third day, arose from the dead and is alive today. He is the first and the only one to have been raised from the dead. Others have been resuscitated, but only Jesus has conquered death forever.

Easter is our celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. We know that because he arose from the grave, we, too, will one day see our bodies raised from the grave. Paul writes: “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor 15:20).

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[i] Varon, Elizabeth R. (2013-09-06). Appomattox: Victory, Defeat, and Freedom at the End of the Civil War (p. 53). Oxford University Press, USA. Kindle Edition.