GOSPEL MEDITATION # 212

The Triumphal Entry-Mark 11:1-11

(also see Zechariah 9:9 and John 12:12-19)

1. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace.
2. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer
3. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
4. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
5. Reread it. From memory, determine the central points.
6. Zechariah presents an interesting, even contradictory account, on the surface anyway, of the arrival of the Messiah—oddly both a king and also a humble man—at once.
7. At the point of history under discussion, the potential arrival of the Christ, was at a fever pitch especially given the situation with the hated Romans.
8. That there was a man who healed, cast out demons, and raised the dead (especially see John 12:9-10) on his way with throngs of followers to Jerusalem had everyone in an uproar.
9. Jesus had arranged, without his disciples knowing it, for a young male donkey that had never been ridden be accessible to him, shows Jesus was thinking ahead.
10. When the disciples saw what was taking place they must have thought, “This is it.” He is going to announce his kingship today.
11. Jesus let the disciples and the crowd have their way. He accepted their praise and adoration since he was in fact was the Messiah and was doing exactly what the prophet Zechariah had announced centuries earlier.
12. “Hosanna” even, Lord save us. The shout that the Messiah is now here was made loud and clear.
13. For quite a time Jesus did as the people expected; he enter the gate, made his way to the temple, and merely “looked around at everything.” That is all he did.
14. Mark says it was “already late” so Jesus simply returned to the Bethany, likely to the home of Mary & Martha.