Matthew 21:9

This crowd of non-Jerusalemites preceded Jesus and followed Him as He approached Jerusalem.

"Apparently the Galilean pilgrims accompanying Jesus and the Jerusalem crowd coming out to greet him formed a procession of praise." [Note: Carson, "Matthew, p. 439.]

Undoubtedly word of Jesus’ coming had preceded him, so the people of Jerusalem were anticipating His arrival. Since Jesus was an obedient Jew, He visited Jerusalem for the three required feasts annually. The Synoptic writers gave no hint of this, but John mentioned ministry that Jesus had in Jerusalem during these visits. Therefore many people who lived in Jerusalem had seen and heard Him before He entered Jerusalem in the Triumphal Entry. The population of Jerusalem, which covered only about 300 acres, normally numbered between 200,000 and 250,000. But during the feasts, this number swelled to near 3,000,000. [Note: Edersheim, The Life . . ., 1:116-17.]

The people’s words of praise came from Psalms 118:25-26. The Jews used this psalm at the Passover as part of "the great Hallel" (Psalms 113-18) and at the feasts of Tabernacles and Dedication. "Hosanna" transliterates the Hebrew word for "Save us now!" (cf. 2 Samuel 14:4; 2 Kings 6:26). It had become an acclamation through usage (cf. Revelation 7:10). [Note: Gundry, The Use . . ., pp. 41-43; Dalman, p. 221.] "Son of David" is the messianic title that stressed the kingly role that Messiah would play. "He who comes in the name of the Lord" is likewise a messianic reference (Matthew 23:39; cf. Matthew 3:11; Matthew 11:3; Psalms 118:26). [Note: Carr, p. 242.] "Hosanna in the highest" probably meant "Glory to God in the highest" (Luke 2:14). [Note: Carson, "Matthew," p. 439.] This quotation voiced praise to God for sending the Messiah and cried out to Him for deliverance.

"The enthusiastic multitudes thus acclaim Jesus as being blessed by Jehovah, not merely with a verbal benediction, but, as Jehovah always blesses, with the gifts and the treasures implied in the benedictory words; and they acclaim him as coming and bringing all these blessings to them and to their capital and their nation." [Note: Lenski, p. 809.]

However the people, like the disciples, did not understand Messiah’s role as the Suffering Servant who would have to die. They did not appreciate the universal, contrasted with the national, scope of the kingdom either.