Title [2011] The First Step of Suffering
Contents
(Mark 11:1-10)
Today's text briefly explains the circumstances of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Among the horses that the triumphal general rode, Jesus rode not a white horse, but a poor donkey, and also a foal. The welcoming crowd is not a carpet for the king, but cut branches, sprinkled them on the road, and waving their hands to welcome Jesus. It was called Palm Sunday because the branch used at this time was a palm branch. Beginning with Palm Sunday, the sufferings of preparing for Jesus’ death on the cross begin. And on Friday, Jesus bleeds to death on the cross.
To this end, Jesus first came down from the heavenly throne to this earth. This is called incarnation (成肉身, incarnation). (John 1:14) This precious Jesus came to this earth and lived a life of suffering. As soon as he was born, he escaped the sword of Herod the Great and fled to Egypt in the arms of Joseph and Mary. After Herod the Great died and returned to his homeland, he lived a difficult life as the son of Joseph the carpenter in Nazareth in Galilee.
Second, he lived the path of suffering while preparing for his public life. When he was about 30 years old, even when he was preparing for the three years of his public life, he went to the wilderness and prayed for 40 days to begin his public life. Even during his public life, as he said, “The Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20), his life was a series of hardships. Tired of missionary work, the stormtrooper even fell asleep on the boat. Sometimes he went to a quiet place early in the morning to pray, and sometimes he went to a mountain late at night to pray. And because of the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, one of the 12 beloved disciples, he suffered the pain of being handed over to the priests for 30 pieces of silver.
Third, he became a sinner through a unilateral trial. At that time, the religious leaders of the Jewish nation and the governor of Pilate, dispatched from the Roman Empire, for their own interest, condemned Jesus as a sinner and put Jesus to death on the cross. At that time, the prisoner dying on the cross carried his cross and walked to the place of execution, Golgotha, and the cross weighed about 60 to 80 kg. you said