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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 11:7 mean?

Explanation

The verse Mark 11:7 describes the moment when Jesus mounts a colt, which is brought to Him by His disciples.

The act of placing their garments on the colt before Jesus sat on it was a sign of respect and honor, similar to laying out a red carpet for royalty.

This is not just a simple transportation detail but is packed with symbolic meaning.

It signifies the peaceful kingship of Jesus, entering Jerusalem not on a warhorse but on a donkey, which is associated with peace and humility.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Mark 11:7 is part of the narrative describing Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

This event is also recounted in the other three gospels (Matthew 21, Luke 19, John 12).

The use of the colt, the spreading of garments, and the subsequent laying of palm branches (which is found in the verses following Mark 11:7) are fulfillments of Old Testament prophecy, specifically Zechariah 9:9.

The event takes place a week before the Passover festival, a time when Jerusalem would have been filled with pilgrims.

Theological Insights

Different theological interpretations view the actions in Mark 11:7 through various lenses.

Some see it as the fulfillment of messianic prophecy, while others focus on the theme of Jesus as a contrasting figure to political power, emphasizing His peaceful and humble approach.

Reformed theology often highlights divine sovereignty in Jesus' deliberate actions which fulfill scripture.

Liberation theology may focus on the subversive nature of Jesus' kingship versus the oppressive Roman empire.

Practical Applications

Mark 11:7 can inspire believers to practice humility, peace, and to honor Christ's authority in their lives.

The gesture of laying garments on the colt could be seen as a call for Christians to lay down their own ambitions or pride in recognition of Jesus' leadership.

It encourages looking beyond external appearances and valuing the inner qualities of peace and humility that Jesus embodies.

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 21:5: "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass."
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 19:35-36: "And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.

And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the term used for "garments" is "himatia," indicating outer garments or cloaks. This signifies something valuable as people would lay them down for Jesus to sit upon, a gesture of deep respect.

The Greek verb "epiballo" translated as "cast" can also mean to "spread" or "throw upon," further emphasizing a deliberate act of reverence.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Riding on a donkey was a royal tradition in the Near East, but it had connotations of peace rather than war.

Kings who came in peace would ride donkeys instead of warhorses.

In Roman culture, conquerors would enter cities with ostentation and power, but Jesus' entry is marked by humility, resonating with Jewish expectations of a messianic king based on passages from the Hebrew scriptures like Zechariah.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific study does not typically intersect with the exegesis of biblical scripture, as the former deals with empirical evidence, and the latter is a matter of faith and interpretation.

However, archaeological studies help in understanding the historical and cultural settings of biblical narratives.

commentaries

Commentators throughout history have had varied perspectives on Mark 11:7. For example:

Matthew Henry's commentary emphasizes the fulfillment of prophecy and the public acknowledgment of Jesus as King.
The Pulpit Commentary discusses the nature of Christ's kingdom being one of peace rather than earthly pomp and power.
John Calvin highlights the providence of God in the details of the narrative and Jesus' intention to show Himself as the promised Messiah the Jews were expecting.
Contemporary scholars, such as N.T.

Wright, may focus on the historical and political implications of Jesus' actions within the context of first-century Judea under Roman occupation.

Wright would also point to the social upheaval that such a symbolic action would represent, highlighting the confrontational aspect of the triumphal entry.

Mark 11

Mark 11

What does Mark 11:7 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 11:7 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?