Mark Lesson #16

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
MARK 11:1-11
LESSON #16
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY: JESUS’ PUBLIC PRESENTATION

• MEMORY VERSE: MAR 11:9

• JESUS COMES TO JERUSALEM AT THE END OF HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY TO MAKE A PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF HIMSELF AS THE JEWISH MESSIAH. IT WAS THE TIME OF THE JEWISH PASSOVER CELEBRATION.

• BACKGROUND ON THE JEWISH PASSOVER:
• PASSOVER WAS A JEWISH FEAST DAY INSTITUTED BY GOD. THE PURPOSE OF THE FESTIVAL WAS TO REMIND THE JEWS OF HOW GOD HAD DELIVERED THEM BY MOSES FROM EGYPT AND SLAVERY.
• JEWISH LAW SAID THAT EVERY ADULT MALE WITHIN TWENTY MILES OF JERUSALEM MUST COME TO JERUSALEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PASSOVER CELEBRATION. AN ESTIMATE OF ABOUT TWO AND HALF MILLION PEOPLE WERE IN JERUSALEM AT THIS TIME. MANY JEWS CAME FROM MUCH GREATER DISTANCES TO PARTICIPATE.
• BECAUSE OF THE CROWDED CONDITIONS IN THE CITY OF JERUSALEM, JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES LODGED IN BETHANY, A SMALL TOWN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. EVIDENTLY JESUS HAD MADE ARRANGEMENTS AHEAD OF TIME REGARDING LODGING, THE USE OF THE ASS AND COLT, AND THE USE OF THE UPPER ROOM WHERE THEY ATE THE LAST SUPPER.

• READ MAR 11:1-11 THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY: THE PRESENTATION OF HIMSELF AS MESSIAH.
• THE ASS AND HER COLT:
• WE CAN ASSUME THE ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE AHEAD OF TIME REGARDING THESE ANIMALS BECAUSE THE DISCIPLES WERE SIMPLY TO SAY THAT “THE MASTER HAS NEED OF THEM.”
• THE ANIMAL WAS TO BE ONE THAT HAD NEVER BEEN RIDDEN. THIS WAS TO INDICATE THAT IT WAS TO BE USED FOR A SACRED PURPOSE.
• WE FIND THE SAME INDICATIONS OF SACREDNESS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. (NUM 19:2 DEU 21:3 1SAM 6:7)

• WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS ENTERING JERUSALEM ON A DONKEY AT PASSOVER?

• A KING WOULD ENTER ON A LARGE WHITE HORSE EXALTING HIS TRIUMPH.
• JESUS ENTERED ON A LOWLY DONKEY INDICATING HIS HUMILITY. IT WAS NOT YET TIME TO EXALT HIS TRIUMPH BECAUSE HE HAD NOT YET GONE TO THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS.
• JESUS’ DRAMATIC MESSAGE:
• IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, GOD FREQUENTLY IMPRESSED THE PROPHETS TO EMPHASIZE THEIR GODLY MESSAGE BY CALLING ATTENTION TO IT IN SOME DRAMATIC WAY. IN THAT WAY, PEOPLE COULD NOT IGNORE GOD’S MESSAGE TO THEM.
• JESUS AS THE ULTIMATE PROPHET, DRAMATIZES GOD’S MESSAGE THROUGH THIS INCIDENT OF WHAT WE CALL THE TRIMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM.
• THE MESSAGE OF PEACE:
• THE PROPHECY OF THE KING COMING IN PEACE IS IN ZEC 9:9
• THE MESSAGE OF CLEANSING:
• IN 175 BC AN EVIL SYRIAN KING, ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES IV, DEFILED THE JEWISH TEMPLE BY OFFERING A PIG ON THE ALTAR. THE MACCABEE FAMILY RAISED AN ARMY, REBELLED AGAINST HIM AND CAPTURED THE TEMPLE. THE HISTORIC BOOK OF 2 MACCABEES 10:7 DESCRIBES THE JOYOUS FESTIVAL. THE DESCRIPTION SOUNDS JUST LIKE THIS INCIDENT ON PALM SUNDAY. THERE WERE PALM BRANCHES USED THEN. IT WAS A FESTIVAL OF THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE. THE JEWS STILL CELEBRATE IT. IT IS CALLED HANUKKAH.
• JESUS’ MESSAGE IS THAT HE IS THE KING WHO HAS COME TO CLEANSE THE TEMPLE OF A DEAD RELIGIOUS SYSTEM. WE WILL SEE HIM THROW THE MONEYCHANGERS OUT OF THE TEMPLE ON THE FOLLOWING DAY WHICH IS REMINISCENT OF THE MACCABEAN CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE 200 YEARS BEFORE.
• THE MESSAGE OF THE LAMB OF GOD:
• WE MUST KEEP THE EVENTS OF JESUS’ LAST WEEK IN A JEWISH CONTEXT FOR MAXIMUM UNDERSTANDING. FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE PASSOVER, THE HIGH PRIEST WOULD BRING A LAMB FROM THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, THROUGH THE KIDRON VALLEY, AND THROUGH THE EASTERN GATE INTO THE CITY. WHEN HE DID THAT, THE PEOPLE WOULD LINE THE STREETS AND WAVE PALM BRANCHES TO GREET THE SACRIFICE LAMB. THE LAMB WAS TAKEN TO THE TEMPLE WHERE IT REMAINED TIED TO THE ALTAR FOR FOUR DAYS.
• JESUS COMES INTO JERUSALEM FROM THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, THROUGH THE KIDRON VALLEY, AND THROUGH THE EASTERN GATE ON THE VERY DAY THAT THE PASSOVER LAMB MADE THIS SAME JOURNEY.
• JESUS CHRIST IS THE SACRIFICE LAMB OF GOD. HE CAME TO OFFER HIMSELF TO THE PEOPLE. WE WILL SEE HIM SPEND THE NEXT FOUR DAYS IN THE TEMPLE, JUST LIKE THE PASSOVER LAMB.
• REMEMBER THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST CALLED JESUS, THE LAMB OF GOD WHO CAME TO TAKE AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD (JOH 1:29)

• WHAT WAS THE MAIN INGREDIENT NECESSARY FOR THE CELEBRATION OF PASSOVER?

• THE PASSOVER LAMB WHICH SYMBOLIZES JESUS.
• THE MESSAGE OF “HOSANNA”:
• JESUS WAS GREETED WITH, “BLESSED IS HE THAT COMETH IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.”
• THIS WAS THE STANDARD GREETING FOR A PERSON ENTERING THE CITY FOR PASSOVER.
• THIS PROPHETIC STATEMENT COMES FROM PSA 118:26
• JESUS WAS GREETED WITH SHOUTS OF, “HOSANNA”.
• “HOSANNA” MEANS = SAVE NOW
• THE PEOPLE ARE CALLING FOR THE MESSIAH KING TO COME AND SAVE THEM.
• “HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST” MEANS = LET EVEN THE ANGELS IN THE HIGHEST HEIGHTS OF HEAVEN CRY UNTO GOD, “SAVE US NOW!”
• THIS PROPHETIC SATAEMENT COMES FROM PSA 118:25.
• THE MESSAGE OF THE EASTERN GATE:
• THE MOST DIRECT WAY INTO JERUSALEM FROM THE EAST (THE MOUNT OF OLIVES) WAS THROUGH THE EASTERN GATE THAT LED DIRECTLY INTO THE TEMPLE AREA. THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES SAID THAT THE MESSIAH KING WOULD USE THIS GATE TO ENTER JERUSALEM AND OFFER HIMSELF AS THEIR KING. (EZE 44:1,2 EZE 43:1-2)
• THIS WAS THE GATE THAT JESUS USED ON PALM SUNDAY. HE WAS OFFERING HIMSELF TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL TO BE THEIR MESSIAH KING. BECAUSE HE WAS REJECTED A WEEK LATER AT THE CRUCIFIXION, GOD SAID THE GATE WOUOD BE SHUT UNTIL THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
• THE GATE WAS ACTUALLY SHUT BE THE MUSLIMS 1,200 YEARS AGO TO PREVENT THE JEWISH MESSIAH FROM COMING TO ESTABLISH HIS EARTHLY KINGDOM. THE MUSLIMS PUT A CEMETERY IN FRONT OF THE CLOSED GATE. THEY THOUGHT THAT JESUS WOULD NOT WALK OVER A CEMETERY.
• THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO OPEN THE GATE BUT GOD WAS NOT READY.
• 1917, DEC 9
• JERUSALEM HAD BEEN UNDER THE TURKS FOR 400 YEARS. WHEN THE BRITISH ATTACKED IN 1917, THE ARABS SHUT ALL THE GATES TO THE CITY BECAUSE OF THE BRITISH TANKS THAT WERE ADVANCING. THE ARABS NEEDED ONLY ONE GATE OPEN FOR THEIR OWN ACCESS. THEY THOUGHT TO OPEN THE EASTERN GATE BECAUSE IT WAS ON A HILL. AT THAT TIME, TANKS WERE NOT ABLE TO CLIMB HILLS EASILY. BEFORE THE ATTACK OF JERUSALEM BY THE BRITISH, GENERAL LORD ALLENBY DID NOT WANT TO DESTROY THE SACRED PLACES. THEREFORE, HE FLEW A PLANE OVER JERUSALEM. HE DROPPED LEAFLETS THAT SAID, “FLEE JERUSALEM, ALLENBY”. THE ARABS HAD A PROPHECY THAT THEY WOULD NOT LOSE THE CITY UNTIL A PROPHET OF ALLAH CAME AND TOLD THEM TO LEAVE. THE ARABS SAW THE LEAFLETS THAT WERE SIGNED BY ALLENBY AND TRANSLATED IT “ALLAH” AND “BEY” WHICH MEANT, THE PROPHET OF GOD. THEY FLED BEFORE THEY COULD OPEN THE EASTERN GATE. GENERAL ALLENBY TOOK THE CITY PEACEFULLY.
• 1967, JUNE 5
• JORDAN WAS IN CONTROL OF THE TEMPLE MOUNT. KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN WANTED TO CONSTRUCT A GRAND HOTEL ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT. HE DECIDED TO OPEN THE EASTERN GATE TO FACILITATE CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES. THAT DAY WAS THE DAY OF THE FAMOUS

6-DAY WAR. THE ISRAELI AIRFORCE STOPPED THE OPENING OF THE EASTERN GATE. KING HUSSEIN’S WORKERS FLED WITH TOOLS IN HAND.

• THE EASTERN GATE WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL GOD OPENS IT WITH AN EARTHQUAKE AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
• THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY IN THE FOUR GOSPELS

	MATTHEW 21:1-11	MARK 11:1-11	LUKE 19:28-40	JOHN 12:12-16
THE FOCUS:	FULFILLMENT OF OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY	HE TELLS THE STORY WITHOUT COMMENT OF THE MESSIAH’S HUMILITY	THE OBVIOUS NATURE OF THE GLORIOUS EVENT THAT EVEN ROCKS WOULD CRY OUT	THE FULL MEANING OF THE EVENT
THE SIZE OF THE CROWD:	A VERY LARGE CROWD	MANY PEOPLE	THE WHOLE CROWD	MUCH PEOPLE

• SUMMARY:
• WHAT WERE THE PEOPLE’S EXPECTATIONS?
• THEY EXPECT A HIGH PRIEST DESCENDING FROM THE MOUNT OF OLIVES BRINGING A PASSOVER LAMB. INSTEAD THEY SEE JESUS RIDING ON A DONKEY.
• SOME BELIEVE HE IS THE MESSIAH COMING TO BE THEIR KING.
• THE MAJORITY OF JEWS WERE EXPECTING THEIR MESSIAH TO BE A TRUE KING WHO WOULD RID THEM OF ROMAN RULE, BUT AS THE WEEK PROGRESSED, IT WAS OBVIOUS HE WAS NOT GOING TO RAISE UP AN ARMY TO FIGHT AGAINST ROME.

HOMEWORK

MARK 11:12-33

• APPLICATION OF MAR 11:1-11
• WHAT NEW FACTS HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT JESUS AND HIS MINISTRY IN THIS LESSON?

• PREPARATION FOR MAR 11:12-33
• READ MAR 11:12-33
• WHAT DOES THE FIG TREE SYMBOLIZE?

• WHY DID JESUS CURSE THE FIG TREE?

• HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN JESUS’ ANGER WITH THE MONEYCHANGERS AND THE FACT THAT HE WAS WITHOUT SIN

• JESUS CONTRASTED DOUBT AND FAITH. WHAT MAIN POINTS DID HE MAKE?

• MEMORY VERSE: MARK 11:24