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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 11:5 mean?

Explanation

Mark 11:5 depicts a moment during what is often called the Triumphal Entry, as Jesus enters Jerusalem riding a colt.

This event fulfills a prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 which describes the coming of the Messianic king as humble, riding on a colt.

In the verse, bystanders question the disciples about why they are untying the colt.

The question reflects an interest or concern about the appropriateness of the disciples’ actions, taking a colt that does not belong to them.

However, this action was directed by Jesus, who had foreknowledge of the event and had given specific instructions to his disciples, implying his divine authority and orchestrating the events to fulfill Scripture.

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Historical Context

The historical context is the Jewish Passover festival in 1st-century Jerusalem, an occasion for remembering the Exodus from Egypt.

Large crowds assembled in the city, and tensions were often high due to the presence of Roman troops on the lookout for any signs of rebellion.

The colt's use was a symbolic gesture, as kings and important figures in ancient cultures often rode donkeys, mules, or horses to make grand entries into cities.

By riding in on a collet, Jesus was deliberately fulfilling the prophecy and making a messianic claim while simultaneously indicating peace (contrasted with a warhorse).

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse reinforces the recognition of Jesus' messiahship and his control over events, highlighting his divine foreknowledge and authority.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus' identification as the Messiah is progressively revealed, and this event forms a critical juncture in that revelation.

It also reflects the tension between the divine plan and human perceptions of propriety, Jesus' directives may sometimes confront societal norms or expectations.

Different denominations have various interpretations of this event's significance, but it is commonly seen as testimony to Jesus' fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.

Practical Applications

Practically, this verse encourages believers to trust in Christ's instructions, even when they seem unusual or counter-cultural.

It also challenges individuals to recognize the ways in which God's plans might differ from societal expectations and to be prepared to act faithfully in those moments.

Moreover, it serves as a reminder of the importance of fulfilling one's roles in God's greater plan, as the disciples did by following Jesus’ instructions.

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 21:2-3: “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.

And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.”

Language Study

The original Greek word for "loosing" (λύοντες, lyontes) in this context means to untie or unbind, which fits well with the physical action of untying the colt.

The word reflects a literal and figurative unbinding as the colt is not only freed from its restraints but also becomes part of a significant prophetic act.

The Greek word for "colt" (πῶλον, pōlon) refers to a young horse or donkey, in this case, a young donkey, which ties directly back to the prophetic symbolism in Zechariah 9:9.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient Near Eastern culture, riding on donkeys was often associated with peaceful intentions, in contrast to horses which were typically used in warfare.

This intentional choice by Jesus contrasts with other ancient myths where deities or kings might enter a city in a display of military power or grandeur.

In the religious context, it stands apart from mythic victory processions and instead represents a coming in humility and peace.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives do not directly apply to the interpretation of this verse, as it recounts a historical event and prophetic symbolism rather than a statement on the natural world.

However, the behavior and domestication of donkeys could be studied to understand the practicalities of what it meant for Jesus to ride an untrained colt and for the colt to carry him peacefully, which may attest to the unusual nature of this event.

Commentaries

Commentaries on Mark 11:5 often focus on the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and the significance of Jesus' deliberate actions in the lead-up to his eventual arrest and crucifixion.

Scholars such as William Lane and R.T.

France emphasize Jesus' exercise of divine authority and the tension between his messianic mission and contemporary Jewish expectations of a political liberator.

They often discuss the juxtaposition of the seemingly mundane task of untying a colt with the grand cosmic narrative of redemption that Jesus was fulfilling.

Mark 11

Mark 11

What does Mark 11:5 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 11:5 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?