THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Mark: Jesus, The Perfect Servant Of God

Part III: The Perfect Sacrifice Of Jesus, The Perfect Servant Of God, Mark 11:1-15:47

A. The Presentation Of Jesus As King: His Sovereign Rule Displayed

(Mark 11:1-11)

I. Introduction

A. Mark's Gospel was written by John Mark who was rebounding from having abandoned Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey (Acts 13:13) due to a lapse in following the Lord due to some difficulty.

B. Regardless what was involved, Mark's failure came in part from a lack of accountability to Jesus, Mark's King.

C. Mark 11:1-11 presents Jesus as Israel's Messianic King in His triumphal entry with His sovereign rule clearly displayed, and it serves to remind all believers who read it of their need to heed the Lord in service regardless of difficulties faced due to their accountability to One Who is their Lord and King!

II. The Presentation Of Jesus As King: His Sovereign Rule Displayed, Mark 11:1-11.

A. In the presentation of Jesus as Israel's King in His triumphal entry in Mark 11:1-10, several events occur that signify the royal sovereignty of the Lord Jesus (as follows):

1. First, when Jesus and His disciples drew near to Jerusalem at the towns of Bethpage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent forth two of His disciples on an assignment, Mark 11:1.

2. Second, that assignment involved their entering the village and finding a donkey colt that had never been ridden, an animal they were to untie and bring to Jesus, Mark 11:2. If anyone objected to their taking the colt without owning it, the disciples were to tell them, "the Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately," Mark 11:3 ESV. These two men obeyed, going and finding the colt tied at a door outside in the street, so they untied it, a demonstration of Jesus' sovereignty over these disciples, Mark 11:4 ESV.

3. Third, onlookers in the village who initially objected to the disciples' untying a colt they did not own, upon hearing the disciples' words that Jesus told them to say to such objectors, amazingly let them take the animal, demonstrating Jesus' sovereignty over these onlookers, Mark 11:5-6.

4. Fourth, when the disciples brought the colt to Jesus, and they cast their cloaks on it, He sat upon the unbroken colt, itself a miracle, demonstrating His sovereignty over the animal, Mark 11:7 ESV.

5. Fifth, many of the pilgrims headed to Jerusalem spread their garments in the way, others cut down branches and spread them before Jesus, with some going before and others coming behind saying, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!" (Mark 11:8-10) Jesus' sovereignty over the crowd to make it act this way, although these sayings were part of the annual Passover Psalms 113-118 that were sung on the way to Jerusalem, nevertheless fulfilled the Zechariah 9:9 prediction of Messiah's arrival in Jerusalem.

6. Sixth, furthermore, that triumphal entry prediction was couched in the contrast between cruel dictator Alexander the Great's arrival at Jerusalem as a conqueror on a horse before Christ's birth with Jesus' gracious arrival as Israel's peaceful, gracious, humble Messiah King who rode on the foal of a female donkey (Zechariah 9:1-8; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftns. to Zech. 9:1 and 9:9). The way this event fulfilled prophecy indicates the sovereign pedigree of the Lord Jesus Christ.

B. Once Jesus arrived at Jerusalem, He acted as Israel's Messianic King, Mark 11:11:

1. Upon entering the city of Jerusalem, Jesus went to the temple precincts, the "hieron" (Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 156) and looked round about upon everything there, Mark 11:11a.

2. As the King, He was surveying "the premises to see if they were being used as God intended," and since they were not, He cleansed the temple the next day when He had the time to do so, Mark 11:15-17; Ibid.

3. However, since "it was near sunset when the city gates were closed, Jesus went out to Bethany . . . with the Twelve for the night," intending to cleanse the temple the next day when He had time, Ibid.; Mark 11:11b.

Lesson: Jesus' triumphal entry demonstrated His sovereignty as Lord and King in relation to His disciples, to their fulfillment of His ministry assignment for them, in the village onlookers, in the colt's behavior, in the crowd and in His fulfillment of the Old Testament Zechariah 9:1-9 prophecy. This multifaceted demonstration of His great sovereignty serves to call not only the world, but us who believe in Him to submit to Him as our King in everything.

Application: In view of the background of John Mark who wrote this Gospel, may we who trust in Christ recall that Jesus is our KING, that we owe Him unconditional obedience and submission in all of our life and service.