Did the Same Crowd Shout ‘Hosanna!’ and ‘Crucify Him!’?

During Holy Week, one of the most striking contrasts in the Gospels is the shift from Palm Sunday’s joyous celebration to Good Friday’s angry condemnation. Many have wondered: were the same people who welcomed Jesus with palm branches also the ones who, days later, shouted for His crucifixion?

The Biblical Evidence

The Gospels do not explicitly say that the same individuals who shouted “Hosanna!” on Palm Sunday later cried out “Crucify Him!” on Good Friday. However, they do present a dramatic shift in the attitude of the people of Jerusalem.

• Palm Sunday (Matthew 21:9, John 12:13): A crowd joyfully welcomes Jesus, hailing Him as the Son of David and the coming King.

• Good Friday (Matthew 27:22-23, Mark 15:13-14): Another crowd, incited by the religious leaders, demands Jesus’ execution before Pilate.

What Do Lutheran Theologians Say?

Lutheran scholars have long reflected on this contrast. There is a variety of opinions, from matching both groups, overlapping between the two crowds, to the notion that different groups of people were likely involved.

Martin Luther

On the Cross as the Victory of Christ: In his "Sermons on the Passion of Christ" (1529), Luther expounds on the necessity of Christ's suffering and death:

"Christ had to suffer and die to bear the sins of the world. The very fact that He was rejected, scorned, and crucified by the people shows that He was bearing the sins of the world. The crowds, who hailed Him with joy one day, would be the same who demanded His death, for sin is so deeply embedded in human hearts that even the closest followers of Jesus could not understand what He was truly doing."

Luther describes the fickleness of human nature in his Lectures on Galatians:

“The human heart is like a ship tossed to and fro on the waves. Today it is full of joy, and tomorrow it is full of sadness. Today it is ready to sing Hosanna, and tomorrow it is shouting, ‘Crucify him.’”

 

 R.C.H. Lenski – The Interpretation of St. Matthew and St. Luke
Lenski, in his commentary on Matthew and Luke, discusses the nature of the crowd that welcomed Jesus on Palm Sunday and contrasts it with those who demanded His crucifixion.

On the Palm Sunday Crowds (Matthew 21:9)

"The multitudes that went before and that followed after had caught the excitement of the moment. They were pilgrims and residents of Jerusalem who saw Jesus as the great prophet, perhaps even the promised Messiah who would restore Israel. Yet their understanding was shallow, and their faith was not grounded in the truth of His mission."

Lenski notes that the people were moved by enthusiasm and political expectations rather than a deep recognition of Jesus as the suffering servant.

On the Crowd Before Pilate (Matthew 27:22-23)

"This was a different crowd, incited by the chief priests and elders, who worked to turn public opinion against Jesus. Many of those who hailed Him had little knowledge of what was happening in the halls of power. The chief priests manipulated the gathered crowd, many of whom would have had no strong convictions about Jesus either way."

Lenski argues that the crowd before Pilate was likely composed of different people than those who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem. However, he does not rule out that some who were present on Palm Sunday could have also been swayed by the religious leaders and joined in condemning Him. He sees the shift as less about individual betrayal and more about the fickle nature of public sentiment when influenced by authority figures.

 

Paul E. Kretzmann – Popular Commentary of the Bible

Kretzmann, in his Popular Commentary of the Bible, also discusses the contrasting attitudes of the people in Jerusalem during Holy Week.

On Palm Sunday (Matthew 21:9)

"The people were enthusiastic, welcoming Jesus as a King, yet their enthusiasm was misguided. They did not yet understand the nature of His kingdom, which was not of this world. Their acclamation was based on their own desires, not on the true knowledge of Christ’s mission."

Kretzmann emphasizes that their praise was real but rooted in misunderstanding. They expected a political Messiah, not one who would suffer and die.

On the Crowd Before Pilate (Mark 15:11-13)

"The high priests had been working against Jesus for days. They had chosen the perfect moment, in the early morning when the faithful followers of Jesus would not yet be aware. The crowd before Pilate was made up largely of those whom the chief priests had swayed—likely different from the multitude that had welcomed Him. Their cry for His crucifixion was the voice of a mob, easily manipulated."

 Dietrich Bonhoeffer - "The Cost of Discipleship"

Bonhoeffer, a 20th-century Lutheran theologian, addresses the fickleness of human nature in the context of following Christ. In The Cost of Discipleship, Bonhoeffer reflects on the idea of cheap grace and the true cost of discipleship. Although he does not directly address the crowd's shift on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, his reflections on human sin and discipleship can be applied to understanding the crowds' behavior. "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." This speaks to the rejection of Christ and the misunderstanding of His mission. The crowd, who initially hailed Jesus as King, failed to understand that His kingship was not of this world and that His path involved suffering and death for the salvation of humanity.

Hermann Sasse - "We Confess Jesus Christ"

Hermann Sasse was a 20th-century Lutheran theologian who often reflected on the significance of Christ's passion. In We Confess Jesus Christ, he explores the role of the Passion narratives in understanding the nature of sin, redemption, and Christ's work. Sasse argues that the rejection of Jesus by the crowds is part of God’s redemptive plan, revealing both the depth of human sin and the fulfillment of prophecy:

"The rejection of Jesus by the people of Israel...is not a tragic error but is rather the means by which God fulfills His salvation plan. It is through the suffering and rejection of Christ that the world is saved, even as the very people who hailed Him as king now demand His crucifixion."

 

Gerhard Forde - "On Being a Theologian of the Cross"

Gerhard Forde, a prominent Lutheran theologian, explores the meaning of the cross and its centrality to Christian theology in his book On Being a Theologian of the Cross. Forde contrasts the way of the cross (humility, suffering, and rejection) with the way of glory (power, triumph, and domination). Forde speaks to the crowd’s shift from praise to condemnation as an illustration of humanity's misunderstanding of the Gospel:

"The crowd wanted a Messiah who would conquer in the ways of the world, with power and might. But when the Messiah comes in weakness and rejection, the crowd turns against Him. This reveals the true nature of sin: it is a rejection of the God who comes in weakness and humility, and it is only through this rejection that the salvation of the world is brought about."

Robert Kolb - "The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way"

Robert Kolb, a well-known contemporary Lutheran theologian, in his Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way, touches on the role of the crowds in the Passion of Christ. While Kolb doesn’t dwell on the crowds' behavior specifically, he highlights the rejection of Jesus as part of the sinful human condition that needs Christ’s redemptive work:

"The rejection of Christ by the very people who had celebrated Him is a stark reminder that the human heart is darkened by sin. The cries of 'Hosanna' are fleeting, and when the will of God is revealed in the cross, the sinful heart rebels. Yet, it is precisely in this rejection that God's plan of salvation is fulfilled."

 

Whether or not the exact same people were present at both events, the contrast between Palm Sunday and Good Friday reveals deep spiritual truths:

• Human nature is fickle. People are easily swayed by emotions, expectations, and outside influences.

• Sin blinds people to Christ’s true mission. Many who welcomed Jesus expected a political king, not a suffering servant.

• Christ’s rejection was necessary for our salvation. As Hermann Sasse wrote, “It is through the suffering and rejection of Christ that the world is saved, even as the very people who hailed Him as king now demand His crucifixion.”

These Lutheran authors provide insight into the theological and human dimensions of the crowd’s behavior in the Passion narrative. They often emphasize the fickleness of human nature, the role of sin in rejecting Christ, and the paradoxical nature of God's salvation plan through the suffering and rejection of Jesus. While none of these authors may specifically quote or focus on the precise shift from "Hosanna" to "Crucify Him," they all explore the theological implications of such a reversal in light of sin, grace, and the fulfillment of God's redemptive work.