PrevMark 11:6Next

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 11:6 mean?

Explanation

The verse Mark 11:6 describes an event when Jesus' disciples were sent to fetch a colt for him to ride into Jerusalem.

According to the Gospel, Jesus had instructed his disciples that if anyone questioned them while taking the colt, they were to respond that "The Lord hath need of him." In this verse, the disciples encounter individuals who question them as Jesus predicted, and they give the response as Jesus had commanded.

The individuals then allow them to take the colt without further objection.

At a literal level, this verse is describing a straightforward interaction.

The deeper meaning of this verse, however, is seen in fulfillment of prophecy and Jesus' exercise of divine authority.

The disciples' ability to take the colt with such an explanation suggests recognition of Jesus' authority.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

During the time of this narrative, Jerusalem was under Roman occupation, and this moment falls within the week leading up to Jesus' crucifixion.

Possession was significant during this time, and taking someone else's animal could have been seen as theft had the situation not been divinely orchestrated.

The event occurs during the preparation for what is commonly called the "Triumphal Entry,” which fulfills the messianic prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9 that a king would come, "riding upon a colt, the foal of an ass."

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints can draw various insights from this verse. One perspective may focus on the prophecy fulfillment aspect and Jesus as the Messiah. Another may consider Jesus' divine providence and how He directs events to serve His purposes, even in what seems like small details.

Furthermore, the obedience of the disciples to Jesus' seemingly unusual request may reflect the notion of faith and unquestioning trust in divine instruction.

Practical Applications

The practical applications of this verse may include:

Trusting in God's directions even when they do not seem to make sense.
The importance of obedience to God’s instructions.
Recognizing that God's plans often come with provision and authority.
The willingness to let go of possessions for God’s use when He requires them.

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.”
Luke 19:32-34: "And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.”
Matthew 21:2-3: "[Jesus] said 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.”

Language Study

In the original Greek, the phrase "even as Jesus had commanded" uses the word "καθώς" (kathōs), meaning “just as” or “even as,” emphasizing strict adherence to instructions.

The word "ἀφῆκαν" (aphēkan) translates as "they let them go" or "they released," indicating that the individuals gave their permission or released their hold on the colt without further objection.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various ancient cultures, the usage of an animal like a donkey or a colt had significant symbolism.

In the Near Eastern context, riding on a donkey was often associated with peace, as opposed to riding a horse, which was associated with war.

Within Jewish religious interpretation, the act of Jesus riding a colt can be seen as intentionally contrasting the humble Messiah with the conquering worldly kings.

Scientific Perspectives

The interactions between Jesus, his disciples, and the bystanders, from a scientific perspective, may touch on aspects of human behavior, such as the influence of authority on compliance.

Social psychology examines how people respond to authority figures, and in this context, the response "The Lord hath need of him" may have elicited compliance due to the perceived authority behind the request.

commentaries

Commentators have various perspectives on this verse:

William Barclay notes the combination of majesty and humility in this event, as a king would usually ride a horse, but Jesus chose a colt.
John Calvin emphasizes the sovereignty of Christ over all things, including the possessions of men, implied by their willingness to let the colt go on Jesus’ behalf.
Matthew Henry comments on the disciples' faith and the providence of God in providing the colt as needed.
Theologian R.C.

Sproul discusses the preeminence of Jesus, that all things are under his dominion, as reflected in the readiness of the owners to surrender the colt.

Mark 11

Mark 11

What does Mark 11:6 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 11:6 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?