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![a]”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[b]
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.
Question 1
Have you ever seen a king or queen parading/marching? Did you watch King Charles’ coronation and see the soldiers and royalty marching through London?
Question 2
What do you think Jesus was trying to teach here?
In Mark 1:1-8, we saw John the Baptist doing a messenger’s work of preparing the way for the King. But he didn’t look like an ordinary messenger, and as we’ve seen many times, Jesus wasn’t the kind of king people expected – he’s poor, he’s humble and he serves others.
Now, as Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, the centre of the Jewish religion, in order to achieve what he had come into the world to do, he still doesn’t look like the kind of king the world would admire. Instead of riding in, looking mighty on horseback, Jesus chooses to sit on the back of a small donkey.
But while he doesn’t look like we would have expected, Jesus was once again fulfilling things that had been said about him by the prophets hundreds of years earlier. The prophet Zechariah (9:9) had said that this was exactly how the King would enter Jerusalem.
The people seem to have listened to Bartimaeus, because they give credit to the one who comes to sit on David’s throne. They show him respect by placing their cloaks and branches under the donkey’s feet. At the same time they call out to God to save them, and give thanks that Jesus is King.
But this happy scene won’t last long. While many joined in the celebration and excitement as Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, in a few days the crowd will be shouting very different words. Instead of giving Jesus credit, they will call on the Romans to kill him on a cross. Do you remember the rocky soil of in Mark 4:1-20? These people accepted Jesus gladly one minute, but because their faith is not deeply rooted in Jesus, they just follow the crowd.
Question 3
Is there a danger that sometimes we do good or bad things because everyone else does them?
Question 4
Why were the people calling on God to save them?
Pray
giving praise to God. Jesus is glorious, and his kingdom is great.
