Christ The King Comes to Jerusalem

Mark 11:1-11

Jesus and the crowd were near Jerusalem. Jesus sent two disciples into a village. There, they asked someone to lend them a donkey. A donkey is a small animal that is like a horse. It is able to carry a man.

Jesus wanted the animal so that he could ride toward Jerusalem‘s gate. He only rode it for a short way.

The crowd had been afraid that there would be trouble in Jerusalem (Mark 10:32). But when they saw Jesus on the donkey, they were not afraid. They were very happy. They remembered that God had promised to send a king, called the Christ. (See my note about Mark 8:27-30). And they began to thank God for that promise.

They used the word "hosanna." That word is in the language called Hebrew. It means, "We ask you to save us." People said that to a great king or an army officer. They were saying, "We need your help."

The crowd said that their king (The Christ) would come on behalf of God. He would have God‘s authority. And that is how the king would save them.

The crowd also said that the king was from David‘s family. David was the first king who ruled Israel in Jerusalem. He was a good king, who loved God.

People took their coats. And they took branches from the fields. They put these things in front of Jesus. His donkey walked over these things, like a carpet. People did that when a great king arrived at a city.

But Jesus did not seem like a great king. Jesus chose a little donkey. A king would ride on a large horse. Jesus rode alone. A king would have a large army with him. And Jesus did not have the beautiful clothes that a king would wear.

The disciples did not know why they did this (John 12:16). But after some time, they remembered Zechariah 9:9. That verse describes this event. And then they knew that Jesus really was the Christ.