Mark 11:1-11
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’” 4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” 10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve. (Mark 11:1-11)
This story reveals to us the one occasion in the life of our Lord in which He deliberately, and to the fullest degree, drew public attention to Himself. This remarkable moment is recorded in all four Gospels — something that underscores its meaning and importance. Through His actions on this day, Jesus consciously revealed Himself to the people as the Messiah, the long-awaited King. This took place four or five days before His death. By openly entering Jerusalem, Jesus showed that He did not fear the power and hatred of His enemies. Jesus did not slip into the city incognito or hide His identity. The chief priests and the scribes had no need to send spies to find out where He was. Jesus entered the city openly, and in doing so He surely encouraged His disciples to be bold and not to fear their trials and their enemies. Although Jesus knew that He would be betrayed, tortured, condemned, and killed, He entered the city not only openly but with joy. Fully assured of His final and complete victory, Christ came to Jerusalem as a conqueror.
The Gospel text draws our attention to four main moments in Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem:
- The bringing of the colt (vv. 1-6);
- The mounting of the colt (v. 7);
- The welcome of Jesus by the crowd (v. 8);
- The praise of the crowd (vv. 9-10).
These four moments reveal to us four distinctive characteristics of our Heavenly King. The first of these four characteristics is the authority of Jesus.
THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS
If we look carefully into the whole situation, we will see that the bringing of the colt was in fact a miracle that reveals the authority of Jesus over circumstances. Notice the confidence with which He speaks as He gives instructions to His disciples:
2 Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. (Mark 11:2)
Here the omniscience of Jesus stands out. God had arranged events in such a way that the colt His only-begotten Son needed would be in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. And indeed, when the disciples trusted their Teacher and went to look for the little colt, they found it precisely at the place He had described to them (v. 4).
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. (Mark 11:4)
Besides the authority of Jesus over circumstances, in this case we also see His authority over the will of human beings (v. 3).
3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ (Mark 11:3)
We do not know whether the owner of the colt knew the Lord Jesus or not. But he lets his colt be untied and led away without any resistance. Just picture the scene. The colt stands tied to something by the door of the house. Two strangers come along, and without any explanation they untie it and start to lead it away. The owner of the colt stops them: “Hey, what are you doing? Where are you taking it?” They answer, “The Lord needs it.” And he says, “Well, if it’s for the Lord, no problem, take it.” (vv. 5-6)
5 Some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. (Mark 11:5-6)
The explanation “The Lord needs it” was entirely sufficient for the owners of the colt.
Astonishing is the authority that Jesus has — not only over circumstances, not only over people, but even over animals. Verse 2 notes that the colt had never before been ridden. Nevertheless, and despite the stressful setting of the shouting of the crowd and the waving of the palm branches, when Jesus mounts it the colt most obediently goes straight in the direction He wishes. Is this not a miracle? It is as though in this moment Jesus fulfills Psalm 8:4-8:
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? 5 You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, 8 the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. (Psalm 8:4-8)
Jesus exercised kingly authority — authority over people, authority over circumstances, authority even over animals. He, however, unlike earthly kings, exercised His authority not to satisfy His personal whims, but to fulfill the Scriptures. In Matthew 21:4-5, where the same event is described, Matthew quotes the prophecy of Zechariah about the coming of the Messiah:
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” (Matthew 21:4-5)
THE HUMILITY AND POVERTY OF JESUS
Jesus possessed kingly authority, but while He was on earth He had renounced His kingly wealth. He did not enter Jerusalem mounted on a white stallion, saddled with an exquisite, diamond-inlaid saddle. No, in verse 7 it says:
7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. (Mark 11:7)
The way in which Jesus chose to enter Jerusalem emphasized both His character — that He was gentle — and His mission — that He had come to bring peace. Jesus entered Jerusalem just as He had chosen to live in this world — in poverty. In 2 Corinthians 8:9 the apostle Paul says:
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a borrowed little donkey — without a saddle, seated on other people’s clothes. All of this was in harmony with the way He lived on this earth — an astonishing blend of humanity and divinity, of weakness and strength, of poverty and wealth. He who was tempted in every way cast out demons with ease. He who raised the dead died for us on the cross. He who caused a human multitude to escort Him to Jerusalem rode a borrowed little donkey. Jesus was born in a borrowed manger, preached from a borrowed boat, celebrated the Passover in a rented room, and was buried in a borrowed tomb. Though He was a true King, He was not a rich king — He had voluntarily chosen to be poor.
From His poverty we can learn three important truths. First, Jesus is not only our king, but also our high priest and intercessor — one who can understand the weaknesses of others and sympathize with them. At the same time He is a mighty king who can perfectly save those who call upon Him in faith.
Second, there is nothing shameful in poverty. What is shameful are the human weaknesses that lead to poverty — vices such as drunkenness, gambling, extravagance, and laziness. But honest, hardworking people who are poor are just as worthy of respect as honest, hardworking people who are rich.
Third, as true followers of Christ, we too, like Him, must abound in the grace and generosity of giving. In 2 Corinthians 8:7 the apostle Paul says:
7 But since you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you — see that you also excel in this grace of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7)
We are speaking about the qualities of Jesus as King that are seen in the account of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We noticed the authority of Jesus, which is displayed in the way the colt was brought — authority over circumstances, over people, and over animals. Then we dwelt on the poverty of Jesus. He rode a borrowed little donkey saddled with other people’s clothes. The poverty of Jesus, however, in no way diminishes His importance.
THE IMPORTANCE OF JESUS
The way in which Jesus was welcomed by the crowd at His entry into Jerusalem testified to the importance of His Person. As He drew near, the people made a carpet for Him out of their own clothes. In verse 8 it says:
8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. (Mark 11:8)
These were gestures of honor and respect that were shown only to royal persons. And Jesus did not resist them. Why? As a rule He did not like to draw public attention. In Mark 1:43-44, when He healed a man who had leprosy, He commanded him not to spread the news of what had happened. On another similar occasion, when after the miraculous multiplication of the food the people wanted to make Him king, Jesus withdrew into solitude (John 6:15). Until this moment Jesus had tried to avoid popularity, even though the crowds followed on His heels. But in the case of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, He arranged things so that the eyes of everyone would be turned toward Him. Why was there this turn in Christ’s behavior? What was the reason for seeking such enormous publicity? Evidently Jesus wanted the people to understand unmistakably that He is the Messiah of whom the Old Testament Scriptures speak (Zechariah 9:9). Through His triumphal entry He declared that He is precisely the long-awaited Anointed of God. This was exactly the reason for the enthusiasm of the people who welcomed Him.
Besides this, Jesus drew attention to Himself in order to underscore the paramount significance of the things He was about to do during that dramatic week. He wanted people to grasp the exceptional importance of His sacrifice as the Lamb of God, delivered up to death for our sins. Jesus entered Jerusalem as a King in order to die on the cross for us and to become our Redeemer and Savior. What gives us eternal life is not so much His birth as His death. What gives us hope is not so much His Second Coming as His death. The ordinances He established — water baptism (Romans 6:3) and the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:26) — are meant to help us never to forget His sacrificial death. Through His death Christ delivered us from sin, obtained for us “eternal redemption,” and bequeathed to us the New Covenant (Hebrews 9:11-28).
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance — now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. 16 In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:11-28)
THE GLORY OF JESUS
Jesus is the most important King in the whole universe. But He is not only important, He is glorious. Regardless of His humility, the crowd welcomed Him with stormy ovations (vv. 9-10):
9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” 10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Mark 11:9-10)
The words with which the crowd praised Jesus are from Psalm 118. This is a psalm from the group of the Passover psalms, one that is exceptionally prophetic and messianic. There, in verses 22-26, it says:
22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 23 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. 25 Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. (Psalm 118:22-26)
The words “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” are first of all words of prayer. “Hosanna” means “Save us now!” Beyond that, they declare the deity of Christ. They glorify Him as the One “who comes in the name of the Lord” — as the Anointed of God. And finally, these words are words of blessing, for it says: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” When the crowd shouted “Crucify Him!” it was being manipulated. Here, however, we see the true and spontaneous attitude of the people toward Jesus.
In another prophetic psalm — Psalm 24:7-10 — it says that the Messiah is not merely a glorious king, like David for example. He is not only a glorious king. He is the King of glory!
7 Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty — he is the King of glory. (Psalm 24:7-10)
Jesus not only died for our sins, He rose again for our justification (Romans 4:25). He will come again to this earth and will reign forever with His saints.
On this festive day, as we once again commemorate His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, let us lift up our spiritual eyes and gaze upon Him Himself. Let us behold His universal authority! Let us reflect on His humility and on the voluntary poverty in which He chose to live for our sake. Let us grasp His exceptional importance! Without Him as the Lamb of God offered in sacrifice for us, we would have no salvation and no eternal life. Let us bow before His Glory and give Him the true honor that He deserves! And let us, like the multitude that welcomed Him, say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”