Day 71, Mark 11
So the Passover Week begins with Jesus entering the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey’s foal. Some have seen this as an act of remarkable humility, and it was, but the donkey was more than the humble beast of burden we know today. In that time it was a prized animal and worth much. This is a kingly fulfillment of prophecy.
As you read today, notice how many supernatural acts Jesus does: from rightly predicting the exact words of bystanders in the village, to exposing injustice in the Temple courts. There are also many metaphors and symbols in these accounts. The fig tree represents the Jewish religious system, the palm branches signify recognition and celebration of a victor or ruler, and so on.
And through it all, the contrast between three systems grows sharper: the religious system is desperate to reject this threat to its power, the political, governmental system will soon be drawn in to collaborate in the injustice, and Jesus is central, both announcing and demonstrating God’s Kingdom, which will shortly be victorious in completely unexpected ways.
Have a great day!
Mark.