The city was in the mood for a celebration. Streets jammed with people from all corners of the world. The Holy City was a frenzy of activity; voices pitched a little higher than normal; children scampering about with greater abandon; people talking and greeting and gathering. The crowd had formed, larger than a normal Passover crowd; large enough to worry the Roman soldiers; large enough to worry good old Pilate. Listen to the crowd: "Can you see him?" "Look, here he comes!" "Hail, Son of David!" "Finally, someone to free us from these Roman butchers." "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

People are putting palm branches in his path, some are even putting their own robes down. "Oh, what a great day this is for Israel!" "The Romans will be crushed; we will be free once more."…