Chapter 11
Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
11 And when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Beth′phage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, 2 and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat; untie it and bring it. 3 If any one says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” 4 And they went away, and found a colt tied at the door out in the open street; and they untied it. 5 And those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 And they told them what Jesus had said; and they let them go.
All comes to pass as Jesus predicted. If He knew about this, do you think He knew about the events of Good Friday?
7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and threw their garments on it; and he sat upon it. 8 And many spread their garments on the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.
A sign of homage.
Palms were a sign of victory.
9 And those who went before and those who followed cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest!”
Hosanna means “Save us”.
They identify Jesus as the son of David. His entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey is reminiscent of Solomon.
The donkey is a sign of humility (as opposed to a war horse)
11 And he entered Jerusalem, and went into the temple; …
The Lord comes to His temple.
…and when he had looked round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
He leaves Jerusalem for the night.
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
This is the first piece of bread in the Marken sandwich.
12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.
Jesus knew that it wasn’t the season for figs. This is an enacted parable. He is showing that the Lord visits us when we least expect it. Regardless of the season, we should be producing fruit (Psalm 1).
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
This is the meat of the Marken sandwich.
15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons; 16 and he would not allow any one to carry anything through the temple.
These people were hear to sell animals for sacrifice and to convert the pagan money.
17 And he taught, and said to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”
Jeremiah called the temple this before.
18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and sought a way to destroy him; …
Because He was causing a disturbance and ruining business.
…for they feared him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching.
Like John the Baptist, Jesus was a popular figure.
19 And when evening came they went out of the city.
They head back to Bethany.
The Lesson from the Withered Fig Tree
This is the second piece of bread in the Marken sandwich.
20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.
Jesus had come to the temple and didn’t find fruit…
21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Master, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered.”
I love the fact that they point this out to Jesus.
22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, …
Mount Zion.
… ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ …
A typical symbol for the Gentiles
…and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and you will.
An exhortation to belief.
25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Reiteration to forgiveness.
Jesus’ Authority Is Questioned
27 And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, 28 and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?”
They want to know how He can justify cleansing the temple. Is He a prophet?
29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you a question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
Jesus says he’ll tell them if they answer something first…
30 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men? Answer me.” 31 And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32 But shall we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for all held that John was a real prophet.
They can’t answer either way.
33 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Sorry!