(Mark 11:1-6 NKJV) “(1) Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; (2) and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. (3) “And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.” (4) So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. (5) But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?” (6) And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go.”
V1 “Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples…” If one travels east from Jerusalem, they will reach the Mount of Olives. Continuing east, they will arrive at Bethphage, and further east lies Bethany. Map: (https://biblemapper.com/blog/index.php/2020/04/04/bethany-and-bethphage/). The incident we are reading was prophesied hundreds of years previously: Zechariah 9:9 (NKJV) “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Donkeys were very common. Kings had horses or mules. King David ordered his own mule to be used for Solomon’s coronation (1 Kings 1;33). The donkey was usually the animal of the common citizen. Jesus didn’t come as the conquering king. He came as a suffering savior.
V2 “…and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it.” Jesus delegates his disciple to go to town and find a donkey with a colt. If asked what are you doing, reply that the Lord has need of him. Usually, donkeys were 3 years old before being ridden. When a donkey is this young, they stay close to the mother but start carrying small loads of goods.
V3 “And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.” The owner may have already anticipated this, for he had no qualms about letting them borrow the donkey. It was not stolen.
V4 So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it.” As Jesus had told them, they found and did. What Jesus says and/or predicts is always true. Compare Psalm 33:4 and Deuteronomy 32:4.
V5 “But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?” Sure enough, someone asked, and the disciples had the answer.
V6 “And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go.”
Comments:
(MacLaren): “The resurrection of Lazarus had created great popular excitement; and that excitement is the second consideration which throws light upon this incident. The people had rallied round Christ, and, consequently, the hatred of the official and ecclesiastical class had been raised to boiling-point. It was at that time that our Lord deliberately presented Himself before the nation as the Messiah, and stirred up still more this popular enthusiasm.”
(Warren W. Wiersbe): “In fulfilling this prophecy, Jesus accomplished two purposes: (1) He declared Himself to be Israel’s King and Messiah; and (2) He deliberately challenged the religious leaders. This set in motion the official plot that led to His arrest, trial, and crucifixion. The Jewish leaders had decided not to arrest Him during the feast, but God had determined otherwise. The Lamb of God must die at Passover.”
We learn:
- Jesus shows His kingly self.
- Jesus permits His followers to honor Him.
- We can trust God when He sends us on a mission.
Questions:
- How do we view Jesus as Messiah or teacher?
- Do we trust God’s word?
- Would we obey God?