It was the feast of Passover in Jerusalem, and the city was more crowded than normal. Five days earlier, Jesus had ridden into the city on a donkey. Crowds were waving palm branches in the air and laying their outer garments on the ground as a type of “red carpet” entry for their King, their Messiah. They shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord”, because they truly thought that He would take up David’s throne as King of Israel, banish the Roman presence in their country, and establish the kingdom of Israel once again.

But this was not Jesus’ plan, and five days later this same crowd was shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” after He had been arrested and sent to stand trial. Pontius Pilate – the Roman governor in Judaea at this time – could find nothing against Jesus that warranted His arrest, but wanting to remain in the good books of the Jews, Pilate asked the crowd what they wanted, and they shouted, “Crucify Him!”

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