Palm Sunday

 We’re told this large crowd “had come to the feast”

I take that to mean they were not locals, but most likely from the Galilee region where they had followed Jesus' ministry
- being visitors to Jerusalem, they “camped” on the mountains around the city
• and especially the Mount of Olives,
◦ staying in tents, a lean-to, or sleeping under the open sky
- a rumor shuttled through the crowd – Jesus was near
Jesus spent the previous night in Bethany,
• a small village on the backside of the Mt. of Olives
◦ there had already been speculation, whether he’d show up
◦ many people had been looking for him in and around the temple
• a murmur of voices floated down the slopes of the Mount of Olives
◦ breathless anticipation hung in the air
- someone, not yet clued-in, felt it and asked, “What’s going on?”
she was told the rumor, “We think Jesus is here!”
“Where?”
“We don’t know yet, but he’s close”
- then there was some commotion at the crown of the mountain
• a man threw his cloak on the worn path, perhaps hoping Jesus would step on it when he arrived
• that triggered a wave of people carpeting the road
◦ some throwing down their cloaks or a palm branch
◦ others cut more branches and preparing to wave them like banners