The story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem is full
of curious details that raise a whole host of questions. How did Jesus know that
his disciples would find a colt upon their entry into Jerusalem? Was this a
stroke of divine insight on his part, or had he gone to Jerusalem in advance to
make prior arrangements with the owner of this colt? Why does he ride a colt
instead of a horse? And what’s with this oddly anti-climactic conclusion to the
story?
As you read that last verse (Mark 11:11),
imagine yourself as one of the
members of the exultant crowd who has been praising Jesus as he parades
into Jerusalem, and then just as he arrives at the temple and your
expectations
couldn’t get any higher, you hear him say, “well, it’s getting kind of
late. I
think I’ll head back to my hotel room and call it a day.”
What?
Many biblical interpreters believe that as we read Mark
11:1-11, we should have the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 in the backs of our
minds: “Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and
riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
The allusion is subtle in
Mark’s Gospel, but in Matthew’s account there’s an explicit citation, and it’s
probable that Mark intends the reference as well. So let’s take a further look at
Zechariah. If we read on to the next verse, the king who rides a donkey in
humility (9:9) is contrasted with those who ride chariots and war-horses (9:10).
If this prophecy does indeed stand in the background, then maybe the conclusion to this scene isn’t
as anti-climactic as it first appears. For by enacting this prophecy from the book
of Zechariah, Jesus is actually making quite a profound statement. He is making
a claim to kingship, yes, but he’s also showing us what kind of king he is.
He’s
not one who rides a chariot or a war-horse, but one who rides a donkey, one whose triumph and
victory are somehow established through humility. |
