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Mark 11

And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,

And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.

And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.

And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.

And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?

And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.

And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.

And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.

And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:

Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

And when even was come, he went out of the city.

And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,

And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.

And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?

But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.

And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

What does Mark 11:4 mean?

Explanation

Mark 11:4 describes an event where Jesus' disciples find a colt, as Jesus had predicted they would.

This verse is a part of the narrative that takes place right before Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, often referred to as "The Triumphal Entry".

Jesus instructs two of his disciples to go into a village, where they would find a colt tied up near a doorway at a street intersection.

They are to untie it and bring it to Him.

The literal meaning of the verse is clear as it describes the physical actions that the disciples take to acquire the colt.

However, deeper meanings can be derived from the fulfillment of prophecy and the symbolic nature of Jesus choosing to ride on a colt, which signifies his peaceful intent and royal status.

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Historical Context

The historical context of Mark 11:4 is set in the period of Jesus' ministry, specifically during the week leading up to His crucifixion, which Christians commemorate during Holy Week.

The event occurs in Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, outside of Jerusalem.

During this time, Jerusalem would have been preparing for the Jewish festival of Passover, a time when many Jews made pilgrimages to the city.

It was a period of heightened messianic expectation, and Jesus' entry on a colt would have been seen as a messianic act, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies, such as Zechariah 9:9.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints might interpret this verse and the event it describes in various ways.

From a Christian perspective, it demonstrates Jesus' divine knowledge and sovereignty, as well as His intentional fulfillment of prophecy.

Traditional Christian theology holds that Jesus is actively orchestrating events to align with messianic predictions.

Other scholars might view this as an example of how New Testament writers used events from Jesus' life to retrospectively demonstrate his messianic qualifications.

Liberation theologians may emphasize that Jesus' mode of entry, a donkey rather than a warhorse, signals a message of peace and justice opposed to oppressive powers.

Practical Applications

Practical applications from Mark 11:4 could involve lessons in obedience and trust.

The disciples’ willingness to follow Jesus' instructions without question can serve as an encouragement to modern believers to have faith in their spiritual leaders' guidance, as well as in the directions they believe they receive from God, sometimes even in unusual situations.

In a broader sense, the peaceful manner in which Jesus enters Jerusalem can inspire individuals to approach their own endeavors and challenges in non-confrontational and humble ways.

Cross-References

Zechariah 9:9: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."
Matthew 21:2: "Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me."
John 12:14-15: "And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt."
Luke 19:30-31: "Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither."

Language Study

In the Greek text, the key phrases to analyze would be:

"tied by the door" (προσδεδεμένον πρὸς θύραν) signifies that the colt is literally tied up at a doorway, suggesting a specific and easily identifiable location.
"without in a place where two ways met" (ἔξω ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀμφόδου) indicates that the colt was outside (ἔξω) at a street intersection or crossroads (ἀμφόδου), a public and open space.
"and they loose him" (καὶ λύουσιν αὐτόν) describes the disciples untying or releasing the colt, which is a straightforward action but carries the symbolic act of enabling Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Culturally, the entrance of a king or an important person on a donkey instead of a horse was unusual, as horses were seen as animals for war and royal pomp.

In Judeo-Christian culture, however, the donkey was a symbol of peace and humility, and a king riding a donkey signified a ruler who comes in peace rather than conquest.

In terms of religious comparisons, other ancient figures in myths may be portrayed arriving in elaborate chariots or riding on mythical creatures, in contrast to the humble arrival prophesied and exhibited by Jesus.

Scientific Perspectives

The scientific perspective on Mark 11:4 would primarily focus on the naturalistic aspects of the verse, such as the behavioral patterns of domesticated animals like donkeys.

The fact that the colt was tied and had never been ridden (as indicated in other Gospel accounts) suggests that it would likely have been difficult to mount and ride, contradicting the peaceful entry described.

This contrast may highlight a potentially miraculous element of the narrative or the tameness and docility of a young colt in certain conditions.

Commentaries

Various Bible commentaries provide different insights into Mark 11:4:

The Pulpit Commentary suggests that this was a miraculous foreknowledge demonstrated by Jesus, as the circumstances were quite precisely fulfilled.
Matthew Henry's Commentary emphasizes the importance of the fulfillment of prophecy in this event and points out the readiness of the disciples to obey Jesus' seemingly strange request.
The MacArthur Study Bible notes that since the colt was tied in a public place, it probably belonged to someone who would have known about Jesus and thus was willing to let the disciples take it for the Lord's use.
The New International Commentary on the New Testament reflects on the theological significance of Jesus' mode of entry and its implications in asserting His messianic identity in a way consistent with Old Testament prophecy.

Mark 11

Mark 11

What does Mark 11:4 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 11:4 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?