7th May 2010

Mark 10:1-11 – Jesus’ Triumphal entry

• Had to do a bit of cross-referencing here.
• The Jews shout Hosanna – which on the face of things seems to simply be praise but is actually a request.
• It literally means “Save, please!”
• John tells us in 12:13 that the branches were palm leaves. Palm leaves were highly symbolic and strongly linked to military victory.
• They were mixed with three other plants to create a lulab – an object that was shaken when Psalm 118:25 was recited.
• “O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success.”
• John tells us these words were shouted as Jesus enters Jerusalem.
• Interesting this is the Psalm that Jesus is quoting when He says “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone”; Psalm 118:22
• He says this while he tells the parable of the vineyard. Is he hinting about who He is?
• NB: The failed revolution of Bar Kokba had a coin bearing a Lulab

• So basically as Jesus is entering Jerusalem the people are pleading with him to save them. The Zealots and others are waving branches totally associated with revolution. There is huge expectation and pressure here to rid them of the Romans and is almost an open act of revolution
• Interesting that the section finishes which Jesus pottering around the temple and there nothing going on so He immediately leaves Jerusalem and goes to Bethany for the evening.
• Anyway – just realizing how much pressure was on Jesus after three years of teaching – people had still not understood how He was going to do what He was going to do. He was going to answer their request but not in the same way they expected. Again goes back to the fact that sometimes you see God better when you don’t dictate what He looks like.
• Wonder where I’m missing Him because of that?