Mark 11:1-11 KJV
1 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,
2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?
6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.
7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

Now yesterday lesson was on the same story taken from Matthew. Why are we reading it in Mark? It is good to explore four other accounts recorded in all four Gospels. I have been skipping through the stories in the Gospels of the different accounts and using similiar accounts with hopefully not two much overlapping but we are going to over lap the accounts. Who really knows why it told differently, perhaps the story was handed down the author was not present for the complete retelling or even older the conversation itself with Jesus. Meaning some only heard of it later and the things that occurred were not retold so correctly or was not so important as what happened. In this accound it only a donkey and not a she ass and a colt. Would not of matter but to Jewish people that study Matthew's account of who it was attended for to read it would of been. Now the other three gospels are written for the underfstanding to the Gentile nation, the targeted audience was for the Gentiles. The prophesy not as important as the event. However what does prophesy do but help with understand it comes with blessings of God or the wrath of God depending on the prophesy. In this case blessings but the prophesy is not even mentioned. It is something to look for in the other two Gospels. The sending of the disciples to get the donkey and what to tell the person that question them is mentioned by Jesus in both accounts. Matthew does not record the conversation. Is it important? Depends on who you ask. It is prophetic in regards to Jesus own instructions. Everyone seems to prophesy what you find if you go to the local coffee shop, or restaurunt with no thought of how true it is if the person is there what they generally say to strangers or even locals. Talk to the man that tells you this story, and ask him. If you run into someone they may prick your mind with a story they have meet you before by repeating a portion of their story. If you need to tell no more of your own story. They also remember meeting you by your story, unless your memory is fading. When they go and borrow the donkey, several men asked the disciples why they were untying the donkey and they said Jesus was in need of it. Did the donkey know the way home, did they return it, was their provisions made prior by Jesus? Those question can not be answer. Was this a donkey the owner regularly allowed even stranger to borrow? I do not know the answer. What I know they said Jesus had need of it. Jesus does not seem to need much of anything but a boat and donkey through out of his ministry. No he is not lazy, but he did like to sit when doing ministry work at times. Those that get chastised for taking a seat when teaching don't worry, it is something Jesus did do when teaching. He also loved to walk and not just ride. He walked all over the place. Simple observance that for this event Jesus would be riding this donkey.

In this account the disciples robes are placed on the donkey and people cut branches and laid straw in the pathway and even waved the palm branches as Jesus road down to Jerusalem, singing Hosanna and praising Jesus as their king. Nothing changed here but we get a small glimpse that Jesus went into Jerusalem and afterwards looked around and then went outside the city and camped with his disciples. Was this a planned camping trip, of course the distance from home implies this, but also the robes on the donkey may of been their blankets they slept on. Thsey carried with them all they had need of when traveling with Jesus. The robes protected the donkey back. whether myth or truth without something between you and the donkey it can be hard on the donkey's back, or even a horse. Saddles and such are more for the horse then the rider. The design of the saddle is for the rider needs. However this story has no saddle.

Jerusalem would of been like a modern day fair ground entering it with set up tents, shops opened for display and even large merchants that traveled would be selling in the open market of the streets for the festivals before the passover. There are several events that the Jews celebrated near time of Passover, the celebration of the protection of Israel during the last plague in Egypt of the killing of the first born in Egypt. Mark display the emotion of the people coming down to Jerusalem of them celebrating and declaring Jesus as king, but he does not explain what busted the crowd, or how he escaped them after riding in as a king.

We need these pictures to understand the events that were about to take place. Some calling the event to occur immediate after and some the next day as in Mark. The turning of the money tables will come after the Triumphal entry, whether the next day or the same day is unimportant. Yet we know the crowd followed not rehearsed other then being told to prepare the branches in Matthew.

Was does the telling of the two books of the same story benefit, a clear picture of the time and place. Different opinions on what occured. How God instructed each writer to explain how they seen it. If a cop ask three by standers the same story some of it probably will not match. Those things not matching may or may not be important but might be to the one telling the story. Does it mess up the report, not in the least, but the stories need to be backable by the evidence available to the cop.

What can we learn from the stories and their identical nature of the event and differences. Some details being omitted only help with the story telling or may be significant because it brings out a point needed for the lesson. Peter walks on water only in Matthew's account. In all others they see a spirit walking on water that turns out to be Jesus. Not all four Gospels carry it. What important about the Triumphal entry people were ready to make Jesus their King. They wanted to make him into a physical king of Israel and take their country back. That was their desire at the moment because he was peaceful, respectul and teacher of the people. His anger not yet seen or his display of his wrath not seen. This will lead us to the next chapter of inquiry on the event. This may get old quick for some. Yet it important in telling the story to the cross. It also makes one a better teacher to compare because when teaching you remember it from another chapter it sends scholars scurring to locate where the teacher got that fact. Teach your students to look beyond the passage in front of them. Learn to dig yourself. Get a good cross reference Bible to help you, or an online Bible with a good search engine. This one I use is good but not the ritz. It is okay. It okay not to find what you are looking for everytime. Because God maybe wanting to only speak to the heart about the events. Would you make Jesus king just because of the feeding of the people. Let us continuing reading.

Dear Heavenly Father, we can not see a clear picture without the witnesses of the cross of Jesus. Yet we know they wanted him one day to be king. Prepare those to receive Christ. That they will see Jesus as a King and Lord of the heart, not the king in the physical since on the earth but the heart today. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: 1 Corinthians 13:12 KJV
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.