Reading the Gospels Together The Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem – Part 1 We have now reached a critical point in our exercise of reading the gospels together where all four gospels coalesce and from here on they will all be basically telling the same story in nearly the same order. The scene has now shifted to Jerusalem and the area just to the east of the city. We begin with the story of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. In this section we will need to consider Mark 11:1-11; Matthew 21:1-11; Luke 19:29-44; and John 12:12-19. We will also look briefly at Matthew 23:37-39 and Luke 13:31-35. Mark has been leading his readers to this place and this time. Jerusalem has been the destiny of Jesus for some time and Jesus has warned his disciples that he is going there to by handed over to the religious leaders, to be killed and on the third day rise from the dead. They have not understood. And now they have trudged up the mountain from Jericho and arrived at the summit. Mark identifies the villages of Bethphage and Bethany. Mark’s readers know nothing about these two villages. It is with some fear and trepidation that Mark’s readers come to this place. The action begins as Jesus engages in a symbolic action entering the city by riding on a colt – an action certainly alerting Mark’s readers that Jesus is entering in the way kings of old entered the city. The way in which Mark tells the story fills it with mystery and some ambiguity. Without any preparation for the event, Jesus sends two of his disciples into the village and tells them they will find a colt there upon which no one has ridden. They are to take the colt and bring is back for Jesus to ride. The owner of the colt has no warning or preparation that this will happen but Jesus says he will let the colt go anyway since the master has asked for it. Are we to think that Jesus has somehow got word to this owner? – likely not in the view of Mark’s storyline. Jesus commands and the owner complies. Mark is beginning a pattern where he will emphasize that the words of Jesus come true. Once the colt has been brought to Jesus the disciples place their garments on it and Jesus begins the descent down the Mount of Olives and into the city of Jerusalem. The disciples and others join in the parade and begin to recite Psalm 118 announcing the coming one and the coming kingdom of David. Likely, in Mark’s telling of the story, outsiders viewed this act with wonder and confusion. The religious leaders are not mentioned and for all intents and purposes the whole event likely went unnoticed by most people. The event seems to be aimed mostly at the followers of Jesus. Once Jesus has reached the foot of the mountain he enters the Temple, looks around, and returns back up the Mount of Olives to Bethany. Readers of Mark’s gospel suspect more action is coming but Mark’s way of telling the story adds suspense. Clearly this is a symbolic sign of the entry of King Jesus. But what will it mean?