Page 114 - Demo

The Entry into Jerusalem by Ulrich Henn
Each year on Palm Sunday, Christians recall this entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Jesus enters in triumph, but he enters humbly, not on a horse but on a young colt. The description evokes a passage from Zechariah, which describes a king who comes to save God’s people, but not like a warrior: “Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! / Behold: your king is coming to you, / a just savior is he, / Humble, and riding on a donkey, / on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (9:9).
..* [11:1–11] In Mark’s account Jesus takes the initiative in ordering the preparation for his entry into Jerusalem (Mk 11:1–6) even as he later orders the preparation of his last Passover supper (Mk 14:12–16). In Mk 10:9–10 the greeting Jesus receives stops short of proclaiming him Messiah. He is greeted rather as the prophet of the coming messianic kingdom. Contrast Mt 21:9.
* [11:12–14] Jesus’ search for fruit on the g tree recalls the prophets’ earlier use of this image to designate Israel; cf. Jer 8:13; 29:17; Jl 1:7; Hos 9:10, 16. Cursing the g tree is a parable in action representing Jesus’ judgment (Mk 11:20) on barren Israel and the fate of Jerusalem for failing to receive his teaching; cf. Is 34:4; Hos 2:14; Lk 13:6–9.
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* [11:15–19] See note on Mt 21:12–17.
a. [11:1–10] Mt 21:1–9; Lk 19:29–38; Jn 12:12–15. b. [11:9–10] 2 Sm 7:16; Ps 118:26.
c. [11:11] Mt 21:10, 17.
d. [11:12–14] Mt 21:18–20; Lk 13:6–9.
e. [11:15–18] Mt 21:12–13; Lk 19:45–46; Jn 2:14–16. f. [11:17] Is 56:7; Jer 7:11.
MARK  The Entry into Jerusalem.* 111 When they drew near to a Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately on entering it, you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 3If anyone should say to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ reply, ‘The Master has need of it and will send it back here at once.’” 4So they went off and found
a colt tethered at a gate outside on the street, and they untied it. 5Some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6They answered them just as Jesus had told them to, and they permitted them to do it. 7So they brought the colt to Jesus and put their cloaks over it. And he sat on it. 8Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. 9Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out:b
“Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
10Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!”
11He entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area. He looked around at everything and, since it was already late, went out to Bethany with the Twelve.c
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree.* 12The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry.d 13Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf, he went over
to see if he could find anything on it. When he reached it he found nothing but leaves; it was not the time for figs. 14And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!” And his disciples heard it.
Cleansing of the Temple.* 15They came to Jerusalem,e and on entering the temple area he began to drive out those selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 16He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area. 17Then he taught them saying, “Is it not written:
‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples’? But you have made it a den of thieves.”f