Jesus is the king people weren’t expecting Him to be

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, it was the equivalent of walking the red carpet at the Oscars. He was at movie star status. Except, in this case, the red carpet was made of palm fronds spread out for Him to walk on. 

Palm fronds were a sign of respect and adoration but also insurrection. The Jewish people had been waiting for the Messiah, their promised deliverer who would save them from oppression (Isaiah 9:6-7). They looked to Jesus to be their liberator and future king.