Title: The Hidden King of Peace
The Hidden King of Peace (Mark 11:1-11)
Jesus' entry into Jerusalem
Today's text consists of three paragraphs. The first paragraph (1-7) tells us that Jesus' disciples bring a donkey to enter Jerusalem. Jesus sent two disciples on an errand. When you enter the village opposite, there is a colt tied up that no one has ridden yet, so you should untie it and bring it back. If the master appears, "The Lord writes." And he said, “I will send you back soon.” And I said yes. Jesus must have already obtained permission from the donkey owner to use the donkey for a while. This master could be a friend, or it could be another disciple of Jesus. Although his name is not recorded in the Bible, he must have contributed to Jesus' work. When the disciples entered the village as Jesus had said, a young donkey was tied up, and the problem with the owner was resolved as it was. The disciples put their cloaks on the back of a colt, and Jesus rode on the donkey.
The second paragraph (8-10) is a description of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, people cut branches and spread them, and they shouted. Mark describes the cheering by quoting Psalm 118:25,26: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! The kingdom of our father David is coming. hurray! Hosanna even in the high skies!” It's like an overheated presidential campaign.
The third paragraph (11) is about the activity of Jesus entering Jerusalem. Jesus did not come to see Jerusalem. He entered the temple. At this time, Jesus looked at the people doing business in the temple and seemed to think there was a problem. As we toured the temple, it was already dark. Perhaps if we had enough time, we would have cleaned up the temple that day. Jesus and his twelve disciples left Jerusalem and went to Bethany. Jesus' house must have been in Bethany.
The three scenes we've been living above have a lot of color tones blended together. In the first paragraph, the scene of saving the donkey is drawn a little mysteriously. It gives the impression that Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is proceeding according to God's detailed plan. The second paragraph feels very enthusiastic. Jesus is portrayed as a victor who is welcomed by everyone. In the third paragraph, this appearance of Jesus suddenly becomes ordinary. Looking at the previous paragraph, something hot is about to happen in Jerusalem, but contrary to what I expected, nothing happened. The sentence to express it is also simple. It is said that Jesus went into the temple, looked around, and at the end of the day, returned to Bethany. Judging from this description alone, that day is just an ordinary day for an ordinary person.
What does this incident, like an illustration, painted with mystery, passion, and everyday colors, tell us today? What is in the heart of Mark who is reporting this incident that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey? With these questions in mind, now that we celebrate Palm Sunday, let's get into the text.
Jesus and the colt
The story of Jesus riding on a donkey when he entered Jerusalem is considered a historical fact because the four Gospels testify equally. However, depending on the view, this scene is not so natural. Donkeys usually carry loads, not humans. In particular, the Gospels report that Jesus rode on a colt. Imagine a thirty-year-old man, not a child, riding a young donkey down the street. That's not to say that this story isn't true. The important thing here is that the story of the donkey is thoroughly rooted in the Old Testament.
The story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey is connected with the following Zechariah 9:9. “Rejoice, capital city Zion. Capital Jerusalem, cheer up! Behold, your king is visiting you. He brings justice to you. He humbled himself and came riding on a donkey and a young donkey.” The king here refers to the Messiah. The Gospel of Mark indirectly quotes this prophecy of Zechariah, whereas the Gospel of Matthew quotes it directly.
Another Old Testament book in which this story is based is Genesis. When Jacob died, he made a will to his twelve sons. It is also a blessing given to the twelve tribes of Israel. Jacob blesses a ruler of Israel from the tribe of Judah. This ruler also refers to the Messiah, and among the contents of the blessing, the verses connected with the case of Jesus' donkey are as follows. “I will tie a donkey to a vine, and a colt to a fine vine” (Genesis 49:11).
The two Old Testament books related to today's events are as follows. One is Zechariah's prophecy that the Messiah will come riding on a young donkey, and the other is the Genesis verse that says that when a ruler from the tribe of Judah who holds the royal scepter comes out, he will tie a donkey to a vine. It is very important that the evangelists quoted from the Old Testament in this event of Jesus. The early Christian community saw Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as a fulfillment of the Old Testament. Jesus did not ride on a donkey spontaneously, but he followed the prophecies of the Old Testament.
Jesus as King
What is the prophecy of Zechariah and Genesis, the message of the Old Testament that the evangelists are watching? It is the fact that Jesus is the true King prophesied in the Old Testament. Genesis also refers to the king who will come through the tribe of Judea, and Zechariah also refers to the king riding on a donkey. For the evangelists, Jesus was the King who would rule over the whole world.
So when Jesus entered Jerusalem, they cheered as if he were welcoming a king. People took off their coats and spread them on the road, and tree branches were also spread on the road. Spreading the robe on the road is part of the royal ceremony, and the act of waving palm branches is a religious ceremony performed during the Feast of Tabernacles, an important religious festival in Israel. They cheered in front of and behind Jesus as he rode on a donkey and shouted ‘Hosanna!’. Hosanna means 'save'. Originally, it is a cry waiting for God's salvation, but in some cases it also appears as a cry for mercy from the king (2 Samuel 14:4, 2 Kings 6:26). Mark is telling readers that Jesus, who is now riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, is the one who deserves the cry of ‘Hosanna’. In other words, Jesus is the King.
The ancient society was thoroughly moved by the monarchy system. A king is a person who has the right to escape life or death for all people. The early Christian community believed and preached that this kingship belonged to Jesus, not the Roman emperor. Today we have the same faith. Jesus is the King, the Messiah, only when we are completely ruled. Because only He can save our lives.
king of peace
But Jesus' kingship is not political. He does not exercise his royal power like the emperor of his time, who boasted of his power through war. The early Christians could not reconcile them with Jesus because they saw no possibility in such emperors. If Jesus had been a political king, or if he had attempted such a thing, he would have come proudly on a horse rather than a donkey.
Let's look at Zechariah 9:9b quoted by the evangelists, followed by verse 10. “He will humble himself and come riding on a donkey and a colt, and he will destroy the chariots of Ephraim, and the horses of Jerusalem. He will break the bow of the soldiers and proclaim peace to the nations. He will rule from sea to sea, from the great river to the ends of the earth.” With this very verse in mind, the writer of the Gospel of Mark describes Jesus as King. In other words, Jesus is not the king of war, but the king of peace.
This world is ruled by many kings. They see war as their most important task. I hate to mention it again, but it's a war story that's going on right now, so I have to say it. The United States waged war with Iraq three years ago, and sang victory in four months. It started a war because it supported the group responsible for the 9/11 attacks and produced weapons of mass destruction. Of course, it has already been shown that there is no basis for this reason. Still, they are rationalizing this war. Why do we think and act so irrationally? This is because the kings of this world can secure their reason for existence only through war. This behavior is similar not only in the political world, but in all places where human civilization has developed. Entrepreneurs are also trying to dominate the world economically. Universities and hospitals are the same. The media try to expand their territory by sensationally inflating stories that are not there.
In this world ruled by kings of war, big and small, we are people who believe in and preach Jesus, the King of Peace. This means that only Jesus can give true peace to this world by grace, and we who believe in him must live by the grace of peace.
Is today's church experiencing Jesus as the King of Peace? Is the church ready to fight the forces that promote coercive peace through the logic of force? No, are we ourselves now possessed by the spirit of peace? Is Jesus Christ being experienced as the Prince of Peace? In front of these questions, we are not very confident. Sometimes my mind is at peace, but at some point, it all comes crashing down. Also, even though the Prince of Peace has come into the world, the order of peace does not seem to be very clear. Why can't peace be concretely realized for us personally and in this world? Why isn't the peace that Jesus gives us concrete?
Concealed Kingship
Take a good look at today's text. Who are the people who know and cheer Jesus as the Prince of Peace? They were the disciples and some followers of Jesus from Galilee. It is said that some people recognized Jesus as the Prince of Peace. Also, their cheers toward Jesus did not have much of an impact on the entire population of Jerusalem. This means that the fact that Jesus is the Prince of Peace is not open. If Jesus had marched on a triumphal march like a victorious Roman general, all the inhabitants of Jerusalem would have recognized him, but he did not attract attention because he rode a donkey. This is the relationship between the peace of Jesus and the world. Until the Second Coming of Jesus, when life will be fully revealed, the fact that Jesus is the Prince of Peace will remain true for some.
Verse 11 of the main text shows this fact a little more realistically. Earlier, I mentioned that what happened after Jesus entered Jerusalem was very different from the previous atmosphere. The Prince of Peace, who rides on a donkey, has now just returned to his daily life. Mark has no explanation for the donkey he rode on. Jesus looked around the temple in a leisurely manner, and in the meantime it was getting dark, so he and his disciples moved to Bethany. If we follow this story a little further, he would have washed his hands and feet and ate with his disciples in Bethany. They would talk to each other about the events of the day, drank tea or wine, and the tired ones fell asleep first. Who can guess from this appearance that Jesus is the one who came as the Prince of Peace? He seems to be a very ordinary teacher wandering around with his students. The kingship of Jesus is hidden in this way.
Ladies and gentlemen, today we heard the testimony of the Gospel of Mark that the Prince of Peace riding on a donkey entered Jerusalem. Don't be discouraged if you don't feel that peace realistically. Although it may seem humble, peace has already begun through Jesus, the Prince of Peace riding on a donkey. A peace completely different from that of the world was given as a gift through him. Now, you must learn to notice that fact from Jesus riding on a donkey, and furthermore, you must live by telling people about it.