Mark 11:1-11 | Session 43 | Mark Rightly Divided
A downloadable outline can be found here: https://humble-sidecar-837.notion.site/Mark-11-1-11-Session-43-Mark-Rightly-Divided-6493f84414f245f0a25dfcb807be1b09?pvs=4
Mark 11:1-11 | Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem
Verse 1 -
Jesus and his followers, including the 12, came to Jerusalem for what will begin the final week of Jesus' life prior to his crucifixion. The text mentions Bethphage and Bethany, both small villages on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem being on the west side, with the Kidron Valley in between.
While most Bible students take a single-entry to Jerusalem view, some, like E.W. Bullinger, believe that Matthew's account (Matt. 21:1-12) is different than Mark, Luke, and John. There is some merit to this, including that Matthew speaks of two animals (Matt. 21:2, a donkey and a colt) while Mark, Luke, and John speak of one (Mark 11:2). The Matthew passage is consistent in its mention of two animals (v. 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, as well as Zechariah 9:9, which mentions two animals), while the remaining Gospels are consistent in mentioning one animal. Furthermore, in Matthew the people seem uncertain who Jesus is (Matt. 21:10-11) while in John 12, which matches the Mark account, the people know in advance Jesus is coming (Jn. 12:12-13). In Bullinger's chronology, the Matthew event takes place six days before the Passover while the Mark event is 4 days before the Passover. For more information on this topic, see Appendix 153 in The Companion Bible. Note also Appendix 156 in which Bullinger provides his chronology of the final week of Jesus’ life prior to crucifixion.
Verse 2 -
Jesus instructs his two disciples to find a colt which had not been ridden. The Greek word used for "colt" is πῶλος (pōlos), which generally refers to a young animal, specifically the foal of a horse or donkey.
Verse 3 -
It is obvious why someone might ask why they were taking the colt. What is not obvious is why the simple explanation, "the Lord hath need of him," would satisfy the curiosity. As I see it, the options are:
1. The Lord had preplanned this. For such there is no evidence nor much opportunity for Him to have done so.
2. The Lord knew who had a donkey, and knew that the owner knew Him and/or His disciples and would not have concern.
3. The fame of Jesus was so far-reaching that a reference to "the Lord" would indicate Jesus in the mind of the owner and, even if he had never met Jesus, would absolutely agree.
The third option seems most reasonable to me. If this is the case, it is yet further evidence of the heightened messianic expectation of the citizenry at that time.
Verses 4-7 -
These verses, narrative in nature, explain that the disciples did exactly as the Lord had instructed, and the events went exactly as the Lord had predicted. Again, we can speculate how the Lord knew this, and it certainly could have been God's revelation to Jesus. However, it could also have been purely natural, with the people of Judea so expectant of Jesus' arrival and so assured that He was the Messiah that such a response would be fully in line with expectations.
Verses 8-10 -
Whether the entry that fulfills Zechariah 9:9 or a second entry, Jesus is greeted as none other than the Messiah. The people shout, "Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" (v. 9), which itself is a quote of Psalm 118:25-26. The quote uses the first phrase of verse 25, and the totality of verse 26. The word "Hosanna" is the Hebrew quotation of Psalm 118:25, הוֹשִׁ֘יעָ֥ה נָּ֑א (hōšîʿâ-nāʾ), which means "Save, now!" or "Save, please!". The clear testimony of the crowd is that they believe that Jesus is the Messiah and is going to establish "the kingdom of our father David" (v. 10).
Psalm 118 is a prophetic psalm of the remnant sung at the closing days of the tribulation, just prior to the beginning of the Messianic age. It is filled with references to the final days of Israel and the coming days of glory. The psalm begins with Israel praising God for His goodness (vv. 1-4), followed by a memorial of the tribulation, including both distress and confidence in the Lord that He will preserve Israel (vv. 5-21). This is followed by Israel's testimony concerning the crucifixion and the rejoicing that God has made for Israel a new day (vv. 22-24), concluding with a cry for the Lord's salvation and the restoration of the sacrifices in the millennial temple and a high note of praise (vv. 25-29).
Verse 11 -
Jesus entered the temple, looked around, and returned to Bethany, likely staying at the home of Lazarus.
