Mark 11:1-11 — Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Mark 11:1-11

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’”

And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”

And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go.

And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it.

And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields.

And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

 

Comments:

I love to read this passage... with all the drama and celebration it contains. The people shouting "Hosanna!" and laying their garments on the road for the donkey to walk on (a 1^st Century red carpet welcome) the palm branches . . . what a sight! 

It reminds me of the Palm Sundays I spent in the church as a child when we would get to wave palm branches. Their cries of “Hosanna!” acknowledged their belief that Jesus was the Messiah they had long awaited. The very word means "save now" and they looked to Jesus. already proven as a great prophet, teacher, healer, and miracle worker, to deliver them from their Roman oppressors. However, Jesus planned to save them from something more—their sins.

 

Jesus also didn't focus on the crowd. He knew that while their praise was sincere it was also temporary. His eyes were set on doing his Father's will and work not on catering to the crowd. He went into Jerusalem and into the Temple. Then what did Jesus do? He "looked around at all things". He inspected the work that needed to be done, much like Nehemiah did in Nehemiah 2, and however, the work here was spiritual rather than physical.

 

It was late and Jesus returned to Bethany for the night. I never considered it before but Jesus probably returned the donkey to the donkey rental lot that same evening.

Then the next day he got to work cleaning the temple.