<MARK 11:1 -11>
THE SERVANT-KING’S TRIUMPHAL ENTRY : The annual procession commemorating the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem some 1900 years ago begins in the garden of the Franciscan church at Bethphage on Palm Sunday, proceeding over the Mount of Olives, down the path past Gethsemane, across the Kidron Valley, and through St. Stephen’s Gate into the walled Old City. During Holy Week, each step of Jesus’ journey toward Calvary will be remembered in scores of ceremonies and rites. As the great throng crests the high point of the Mount of Olives, the ancient city will be seen spreading before them, voices will rise in solemn song: “Hosanna…….Hosanna”; and someone will read from Mark 11:9-11. This is a re-enactment of the day that Jesus had come from Galilee, where He had revealed to His disciples that He was the Messiah and that He must go to Jerusalem to be “delivered into the hands of men” . As a final opportunity for the nation of Israel to recognize and accept their Messiah, the people, the Scribes and Pharisees and all the religious leaders would either accept Jesus for who He is or turn their backs in rejection on their Saviour and King, prophecy would be fulfilled, for it had been predicted hundreds of years before that they would finally reject their Messiah. Showing that he was not afraid of the power and malice of his enemies, He did not steal into the city disguised and afraid to show his face; He came in announced and observed demonstrating He was not despondent or anxious at the thought of His approaching sufferings. This triumphal entry was very significant; riding on a donkey’s colt which had never been ridden before, displayed His power over His creatures, for indeed He is the creator of all things. Christ displayed His knowledge over things distant and His power over the wills of men as He sent His disciples for the colt. As the people placed their garments on the animal’s back for a saddle, and threw their garments on the street for Him to ride over them; the borrowed donkey, the simple procession, these were all marks of His humiliation; for indeed, other than His chosen disciples, no one at that time recognized Jesus for who He really was; for this was foretold in the Scriptures .
What was the triumph of Jesus that was being celebrated here? Such a triumphal procession was granted unto kings or warriors triumphant in battles over their enemies; but for Jesus there was no apparent battle. To God, however, a significant battle had already been won, for the Scriptures reveal that our salvation was already accomplished from the foundation of the world and based on “a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time” . Since our salvation is based on what God has done and not what we can, or have done, it is on the basis of faith and faith alone in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ , in God’s view Christ had already been offered as our “sin offering” and we have been redeemed by His precious blood. For the Passover which was celebrated during this week, each family sacrificed a lamb representative of Christ “a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.” . God had seen the need of our salvation long before this world came into being, before we were able to, or before we had any desire to, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” , and in His plan for mankind, our salvation was already accomplished. All that was happening here and all that would take place during this week was the manifestation of His grace and love to us in the physical sufferings of His Son.
And so God worked in the hearts and minds of the people to initiate this triumphal procession, which by right, was due to Jesus as He entered His own city, Jerusalem. The battle over evil had already been won; this was now going to be an open display to the world of an accomplished event.