JESUS' ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM

Mark 11:1-19
Key Verse: 11:9b

    "`Hosanna!' `Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

     The key verse of the last chapter was Mark 10:45. It says, "For even
the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his
life as a ransom for many." We are happy when we serve.  Hosea Lee, the
youngest in his family, began to care for his two sons.  He found the joy
of life. His joy of life extended to his wife who is American born and
a Columbia University graduate. She had a cross-cultural problem with
him. But now she is happy. She looks as beautiful as she was. Without
learning Jesus' servantship, no one is happy in the world.  Once, French
people had an average of five Vietnamese slaves at their colony. But
they were all drunkards and arrogant slaves of money.  They had almost
everything in the colony. But they did not know true happiness when
they had only been served by the slaves. Today's passage tells us that
Jesus enters into Jerusalem to fulfill God's will for world salvation
through his death on the cross. On the way to Jerusalem he ordered his
disciples to bring someone else's donkey. Here we learn the Lordship
of Christ. The story about Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is simple. But
its meaning is deep. So we want to study the meaning of Jesus' entry
into Jerusalem riding on a colt. This passage also tells us that Jesus
clears the temple. We will see why Jesus cleared the temple in such a
drastic way. May Jesus enter our hearts, destroy the fortress of Satan
and give us a triumphal life every day.

I.  Jesus' triumphal entry (1-10)

First, the two disciples' obedience (1-6). Look at verse 1a. "As they
approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount
of Olives..." The geography of Mark's Gospel tells us that Bethphage
and Bethany were satellite towns of Jerusalem, where there were
lodging places for pilgrims who came for the Passover. We remember the
beautiful friendship at Bethany between Jesus and the sisters, Mary and
Martha. Jesus frequently visited their house and taught them the word of
God. Also, he and his disciples received their warm hospitality and food
when they were hungry. Frequently, the disciples' hunger was allayed in
this way. We also remember Jesus' prayer on the Mount of Olives before
taking the cup of suffering and death (Lk 22:39-44).

     At this point, Jesus was getting ready to make his entry into
Jerusalem. What did Jesus say to two disciples? Look at verses
1b,2. "Jesus sent two of his disciples, 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.'" What a difficult instruction for his disciples to obey! What a
dangerous instruction to carry out! To bring someone else's colt--without
even asking the owner's permission--was an uncouth thing to do as his
disciples, and, legally speaking, it was an act of stealing.

     How did the disciples respond to Jesus' order? Look at verses
4,5. "They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a
doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, 'What are
you doing, untying that colt?'" They said, "The Lord needs it," as Jesus
had told them to. What happened to them next? The owner of the colt let
them go without saying a word. To Mark's eyes, this small event was a
striking event. Mark saw the two disciples' obedience. To the disciples,
it was very hard to obey Jesus' words to untie and bring someone else's
colt without the owner's permission, for it seemed to be contradictory
to Jesus' teachings. But they did not argue about this matter in their
hearts. Seemingly, the order was very unthinkable. But the disciples did
not argue about this with Jesus out of their self-righteousness. They
were not psychological; they understood Jesus' order spiritually in their
hearts. They were ready to obey his order, like a well-disciplined soldier
who is always ready to obey his commander.  It is surprising that the
two disciples were not perplexed about what to say to the owner of the
colt; they did not worry about being arrested for larceny. There was a
possibility that they would end their careers with the record, "donkey
thieves." Nevertheless, without question, they obeyed and carried out
his order. It was an act of obedience. Obedience comes from faith. Faith
comes from love. It was not easy for them to do so because man wants to
understand before doing something.  People want to think about whether or
not it is beneficial before doing something. During the time of struggling
between the reactor system and the effector system, people lose their
chance to obey the voice of truth. However, despite their spiritual
immaturity, the two disciples did not lose the chance to obey Jesus'
order. We learn that we can obey Jesus' words when we have absolute faith.

Second, the owner's consent (4-6). The colt was tied at a doorway.
Maybe the owner of the colt was deeply attached to his colt. Maybe his
daily joy was to stroke the colt's head and rub its chin several times. It
may be that, to its owner, the colt was as precious as his grandson. So
it was not easy at all for him to say, "Okay, you can take it." But to
our surprise, he said, "Okay." It is unbelievable that he said so. But he
could say, "Okay," anyway because he was greatly moved by the disciples'
absolute obedience toward Jesus' command. Probably the owner wanted to
give them not only his colt but also his daughters when he saw their
absolute obedience toward Jesus' command. When the disciples had faith
in Jesus' words, they could have spiritual authority over the owner of
the colt. In the past, the two disciples had no spiritual authority at
all. But when they obeyed Jesus' words they could experience spiritual
authority over the owner of the colt. Here we learn that we can have
spiritual authority when we obey the word of Jesus absolutely.

Third, the Lordship of Christ (1-3). "The Lord needs it." This short
sentence tells us the Lordship of Christ excellently. The Lordship of
Christ means that God is the Creator and we are his creation. The Lordship
of Christ means that God is the Owner and we are his possessions. The
Lordship of Christ means that God is our Father and we are his
children. The Lordship of Christ means that God is our Sovereign
King and we are his royal subjects. Verses 1-3 illustrate best the
Lordship of Christ. Look at verses 1-3. "As they approached Jerusalem
and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent
two of his disciples, 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. If anyone asks you,
"Why are you doing this?"  tell him, "The Lord needs it and will send
it back here shortly."'" Jesus was going up to Jerusalem to become a
ransom sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus had no donkey on which
to ride to enter Jerusalem.

     From the owner of the colt, we also learn the Lordship of Christ.
Of course, the owner thought that the colt was his own possession--and
indeed, he was the owner of the colt. When the Lord asked him to give him
his colt for his entry into Jerusalem, he gave it to the Lord without
reservation. He is an exemplary person who put the Lordship of Christ
into practice. However, it is not easy for us to put this basic faith
into practice, living in an ungodly society. But we must know that life
is God's gift to each person, bestowed for a certain period of time,
during which one can live for the glory of God and enjoy happiness. But
these days, many think they were born because of their parents' mistakes,
and no more. We must know that man has an inborn knowledge about the
Lordship of Christ. One day God tested Job by striking his animals and
servants. Job 1:20,21 say, "At this, Job got up and tore his robe and
shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked
I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave
and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.'" Not
only the Biblically holy man Job, but we also must master the Lordship
of Christ. Otherwise, we become egoistic and selfish people. There was
a wealthy and stupid man. His name was Nabal. He thought that he was his
own man; there was no one greater than himself. His servants were feeding
his sheep and cattle in the wilderness. King David, in his fugitive life,
as a political criminal to the King Saul, protected Nabal's shepherds
and animals well. After much service, David sent several of his men to
Nabal to ask his favor. In other words, David sent his men to get from
him some supplies to feed his followers. But 1 Samuel 25:10,11 says,
"Nabal answered David's servants, ‘Who is this David? Who is this son of
Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Why
should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my
shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?'" Later, when
he heard that David's people came to him, Nabal died of heart attack. He
lost his beautiful wife Abigail, not to mention all his possessions. These
days there are many who die from heart attacks. Some of them may be as
selfish as Nabal. The world is relative. Human relationships are based
on relativism. Most young people send their parents to nursing homes.
One rich young man had a chance to take care of his mother for the last
seven years. But he completely ignored her by sending his mother to his
sister who has been a missionary and who is carrying a great burden in
God's ministry. Sending one's parents to the nursing home or helping one's
dying parents with a little money is reasonable in this country. But in
reality, that's not the way to those who know the Lordship of Christ.

     On the other hand, there are those who know the Lordship
of Christ. And their number is countless. For example, there is a
missionary in Hongo Japan named Peter Hong. Recently, his wife Ayako
Hong was discovered to have cancer. She wanted to go to a faith healing
service in Korea. But Missionary Peter Hong told her, "Don't go. God
can heal you here. Stay and serve students through one-to-one Bible
study. If you die as a martyr, it will be a great encouragement to
Japanese students; it will be a great encouragement to me; it will be a
great encouragement to yourself. Most of all, it is the way to follow
our Lord's footsteps." Anyone who knows Jesus' coming to this world
to save us from sin and take us back to his home cannot be selfish.
Rather, he wants to serve others sacrificing himself, even sacrificing
his wife–who is a cancer patient–as a good influence. How beautiful it
is to recognize the Lordship of Christ.

Fourth, "Hosanna!" (7-10). When the disciples brought the colt to Jesus
and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their
cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the
fields (8). Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted. Look
at verses 9b,10. "'Hosanna!' 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord!' 'Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!' 'Hosanna in
the highest!'" In the ancient time, worldly kings marched into capital
cities as a part of inauguration ceremonies. A king usually rode
on a white charger with a large entourage accompanying him and with
the national guard marching behind him. This scene reminds us of King
Solomon's inaugural procession (1Ki 1:28-40). When Solomon rode before
the people on David's mule to succeed King David, all the people went
with him playing flutes and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground shook
with the sound. When the trumpet blew, the people shouted, "Long live
the king!" This time of the king's inauguration was indeed triumphant
and majestic. In this part we must remember that our Lord Jesus is the
God of Hosanna. Jesus Christ is the Savior King.

     Even though Jesus was the King of kings who was marching into Zion,
he did not have even a donkey, much less a horse or a mule, for he was not
a political king but the spiritual King and he was the humble King. When
he entered Jerusalem, he had to borrow someone else's donkey. In God's
right time, God's promised Messiah came; the King was proceeding toward
his eternal throne of dominion. Therefore, his entry was the time of
great joy for all the people of the world, because the humble King on
a colt was marching into Zion to take his throne.  Luke 1:32b,33 says,
"The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will
reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." But
Jesus did not march into Jerusalem as the worldly kings did. Jesus rode
on a colt of a donkey. His way of entering Jerusalem conveys several
things of Biblical significance.

     The word "Hosanna" summarizes the whole meaning of his entry.
Look at verses 9b,10. "'Hosanna!' 'Blessed is he who comes in the name
of the Lord!' 'Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!'
'Hosanna in the highest!'" "Hosanna" means in Hebrew, "save now!"
When the people shouted "Hosanna," it was a cry to God to break in and
act to save his people from the hand of Satan (Zec 9:9).

     Jerusalem was once the holy city of God. God wanted to make this
city the Bible center of the whole world, into which all people of all
nations would stream to study the Bible. Isaiah 2:3 says, "Many peoples
will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we
may walk in his paths.' The law will go out from Zion, the word of the
Lord from Jerusalem." Ultimately, God wanted his people to be a kingdom
of priests and a holy nation. Exodus 19:6a says, "you will be for me
a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." But when his people disobeyed
God, it became the stronghold of Satan. All the children of God had been
cast into the dark dungeon of Satan's kingdom. There, the characters of
God's children had become crooked, distorted and perverse on account of
their long suffering under Satan's rule. Jesus entered into Jerusalem
to save them (Mt 4:15,16). The people of Israel liked King David and
longed for his coming back again to save them.  Now the Son of David,
Jesus, entered into Jerusalem to save his people from their sins (9,10).

     His entry into Jerusalem is called the "Triumphal Entry." God had
promised to send the Savior of the world. Our Lord Jesus, even though he
was the Son of God, came to this world and was entering Jerusalem on a
colt of a donkey to die on the cross in obedience to God's will. Up until
now, the world--both man and nature--was under Satan's rule.  Satan was
like a slave driver, and man was like a slave under the constant whipping
of a taskmaster. Jesus' entry into Jerusalem was to conquer and destroy
man's enemy, Satan, through his death on the cross. This is the reason
his entry into Jerusalem is called the "Triumphal Entry." The triumphal
entry demanded much suffering from him, his crucifixion on the cross,
and finally his glorious resurrection. In other words, Jesus had to lose
humanly and win over Satan with the love of God. Therefore, the triumphal
entry is for the sake of spiritual victory. The triumphal entry is to
destroy the fortress of Satan.

II.  Jesus clears the temple (11-19)

First, Jesus curses a fruitless fig tree (11-14). What did Jesus do
first when he entered Jerusalem? He went to the temple, the house of
God, and looked around at everything, and, since it was already late,
he went out to Bethany with the Twelve (11). The next day, as they were
leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree
in leaf, he went to find if it had any fruit. When he reached out, he
found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then
he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." Jesus
cursed the fig tree, and the disciples heard him say it (12-14).

     Why did Jesus curse the fig tree when it was not the season for
figs? As verse 11 indicates, at that time the temple was on Jesus' mind.
Jesus must have associated the temple with the fruitless fig tree. It was
beautiful in its outward appearance. But in reality, it had no fruit. When
we study the Bible, we learn that God curses those who are worthless
or fruitless (Ro 3:12; Isa 5:2). God wants us to be indispensible and
abundantly fruitful (Jn 15:15).

Second, Jesus clears the temple (15,16). "On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus
entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying
and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and
the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry
merchandise through the temple courts." In part one, we studied about
the humble King Jesus. He does not break broken reeds or put out lights
flickering before the wind. He binds the wounds of all kinds of men
inflicted by Satan's assaults. How can it be that Jesus was so indignant
that he overturned the tables and drove out all the merchants? We must
know that Jesus is merciful, and at the same time he is righteous. Jesus
was furious when his chosen people, especially their leaders, who should
be Bible teachers for all nations, made the holy Jerusalem the fortress
of Satan, and the temple of God a marketplace. The leaders of Israel
were very corrupt. They loved money more than God. When the leaders
disobeyed God, the people under them all disobeyed God. When the leaders
were corrupted, naturally the people under them were all corrupted. His
people deserved God's righteous anger.

Third, the temple is a house of prayer. Look at verse 17. "And as he
taught them, he said, 'Is it not written: "My house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations"? But you have made it "a den of
robbers."'"  Jesus teaches us here the true meaning of the temple. The
temple was supposed to be the place where men could listen to God's word
in prayer. Jesus declares that the temple was a house of prayer. When we
carefully meditate on this verse we learn that Jesus wants his people to
pray for all nations, not to mention their own nation. Jesus said this
because God's will for world salvation was on his mind. When we don't
pray for all nations, God's will for world salvation might be impossible.
But when we analyze modern people's prayer, their prayer does not reach
the standard of Jesus' saying, "My house will be called a house of prayer
for all nations." Most modern people eloquently expound their request
for welfare benefits. And churches are used for social gatherings. We
must repent and pray that the church function as a Bible house or prayer
house or as monasteries did in the early centuries.  This is a Biblical
constant. But when Jesus went into the temple, it was not a house of
prayer for all nations; it was a den of robbers. So Jesus could not but
reveal his righteous anger.

     In this passage we learn the Lordship of Christ. At this moment,
we must recognize our Lord Jesus Christ as the Lord and ourselves as
his loyal subjects. Most importantly, we learn that Jesus' entry into
Jerusalem is the triumphal entry. May Jesus enter into our hearts and
destroy the fortress of Satan and give us peace.


STUDY QUESTIONS

1. Read verses 1-2. Why was Jesus going to Jerusalem? (10:45) When they
   were in the Jerusalem area what errand did Jesus give two of his
   disciples? What was potentially difficult about this command?

2. Read verses 3-6. What did the disciples say and do? What was the
   response of the people standing there? Why is "the Lord needs it"
   sufficient reason? What does this event teach about the Lordship
   of Christ?

3. Read verses 7-10. Why did he want to enter Jerusalem in this way?
   (Zech 9:9-10) Describe the people's response. What does "Hosanna"
   mean? Why is this called the "Triumphal Entry"?

4. Read verse 11. After arriving in Jerusalem, where did Jesus go?
   Why? What did he see? Then where did he go? Read verses 12-14.
   What did Jesus do? How was the fig tree like the temple? (Compare Ro
   3:12; Isa 5:2)

5. Read verses 15-19. What did Jesus do? Why was he so furious?
   Think about God's purpose for his city and people (Isa 2:3; Ex
   19:6a). What did Jesus teach about the true meaning of the temple?
   (17) For what should God's people pray?