Mark 11:1-11
When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany on Mount Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: “Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you’ll find a colt tethered, one that has never yet been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ say, ‘The Master needs him, and will return him right away.’”They went and found a colt tied to a door at the street corner and untied it. Some of those standing there said, “What are you doing untying that colt?” The disciples replied exactly as Jesus had instructed them, and the people let them alone. They brought the colt to Jesus, spread their coats on it, and he mounted.
The people gave him a wonderful welcome, some throwing their coats on the street, others spreading out rushes they had cut in the fields. Running ahead and following after, they were calling out,
Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in God’s name!
Blessed the coming kingdom of our father David!
Hosanna in highest heaven!
He entered Jerusalem, then entered the Temple. He looked around, taking it all in. But by now it was late, so he went back to Bethany with the Twelve.
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:39 am
kind if wierd reading this passage so soon after Easter, though it does really bring home the contrast between the crowds acclaiming him as their conquering hero and then baying for him to die.
Intriguing too that this kind of reaction was exactly the thing Jesus had resisted and feared to that point knowing the kind of reaction it would provoke in the authorities. But he now deliberately goes well and truly “onto the radar” and heads towards his death.
I seem to spend a lot of time and energy avoiding pain or hardship, but there’s no escaping here what following Jesus means!