Today in our walk through Mark, we look at Mark 11:1-11, the Triumphal Entry, Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday:

11 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” 4 They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, 5 some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,
“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
11 Then 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.

One of the things that we miss here in the West when we read the Bible is that we read it through eyes that are American.  We see things sort of as we see them here.  An example of this for me personally is when I read about Jesus going into the wilderness to be tempted, me being someone that grew up in south Mississippi, when I thought of wilderness, I thought of trees.  It’s just what I pictured in my mind when I thought of wilderness.

Well, when you go to Israel you see that the wilderness that Jesus was tempted in wasn’t trees and forest it the most dreary and desolate desert that you’ll ever see.  Understanding the land and the context really helps you to understand the Word.

Today’s passage is another one that understanding the context really helps you understand.  We see in this Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a donkey, and think of conquering western kings or armies parading into town on the back of a horse or coming in great triumph.

So we see Jesus do this and think – oh, look at Jesus’ humility!  Now, it is true that Jesus is humble, but that’s not what is happening here.  Jesus is not being humble, in coming into town on a donkey, in fact He’s doing just the opposite.  He’s declaring Himself as king.

The triumphal entry is an act of humbleness, sure, but in that context it’s an act of kingly humility. It’s the act of a king.

If someone ever tells you that Jesus never declared Himself as the Messiah, point right to this passage.  That’s exactly what He is doing here.  He is telling everyone who He is.  He is king.

And notice the reaction from the people.  They call Him the one that is to to come from David.  They understood what was happening.  They understood what Jesus was saying.

They understood that He was king.

But, what we will see is that He was not the king that they were expecting.

Today, though, we see Jesus getting the praise and worship that He deserves.  We see Jesus as king.

May He be king in our lives as well.

Tomorrow we’ll look at Mark 11:12-14.

What questions do you have?  How does this strike you?  Shoot me an email, comment below, or connect with me through social media.

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