Sermon: King Jesus (Jesus the King)
Bible Passage: Mark 11:1-25
King Jesus enters Jerusalem via Mount of Olives—Jesus fulfills Zechariah 9:9-10
1. Prophet Zechariah introduces the King as “your King” (verse 9)
2. He will be righteous
3. He will bring salvation to His people
4. He will be “humble”
5. He will ride a donkey, a colt
6. The King would enter Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives*
The King mentioned in Zechariah 9:9-10 will be characterized by peace and humility
1. He will put an end to the war: no chariots, war horses, and war equipment
2. He would establish peaceful relationship with rest of the world
3. His reign will expand beyond Judean geographical boundary
King Jesus comes to Jerusalem—It’s an enacted parable of Zech 9:9-10, non-verbal claim
1. He uses the title “Lord” to Himself (11:3)
a. Verse 3: “If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it’ and will send it back here soon”
b. The language here implies that the King has the right to request anything he needs
i. Unquestionable obedience to the King how much ever inconvenient it is (verse 2)
ii. Give to the King how much ever expensive or precious it is (Verses 4-6)
2. King Jesus rides a donkey that was never ridden before (11:7-8; cf. Zech 9:9)
a. “They brought the colt to Jesus, threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it” (verse 7)
b. According to the Mishnah, no one else is allowed to ride upon the animal that the king rides (m. Sanh. 2.5)
3. King Jesus is humble, not a military combatant (cf. 14:48-49; Matt 12:18-21)
4. King Jesus goes to Bethany—“house of poor”
a. Place Simon the Leper lived
b. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus lived (Martha appears to be the head; no male head is seen)
c. The place where the unnamed woman anointed Jesus generously with an expensive perfume (in Bethany, in house of poor, an expensive worship!)
5. King Jesus disapproves the way worship happens at the Temple
a. The fig tree that Jesus cursed is compared to the Temple and its religious activities
i. From far, it looked attractive, but it did not have edible fruit
ii. Just as the fig tree was deceptive, the Temple appeared to be deceptive
iii. King Jesus calls the Temple “a den of robbers” (11:17)
iv. It sheltered people who would use religion to exploit people and make unworthy gains for themselves—inappropriate ends
v. King Jesus disapproved the Temple be used as a commercial platform for the benefit of a few people, particularly the religious elites
vi. The place allotted for non-Jews (nations/Gentiles) in the Temple is now used as a commercial place, depriving the nations/Gentiles from participating in worship
vii. King Jesus clears the “the Court of the Gentiles” from abuse
viii. King Jesus and His followers went out—a kind of irony; instead of staying in Jerusalem they went out to Bethany
• Verse 11: Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. And after looking around at everything, he went out to Bethany with the twelve since it was already late
• Verse 19: When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city
• Mark 13:2 Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn down!
6. Just as the fig tree dried at Jesus’ rebuke, the Temple, the one Jesus disapproved, would be destroyed in a short period
7. The Temple that Jesus prefers is the one that is not made with hands: “I will destroy this temple made with hands and in three days build another not made with hands” (14:58)
a. It (the Temple) is Jesus Himself—Jesus is the entry to the Father, not the physical Temple (Jesus—the meeting place of the Father and the people)
b. All who believe in Jesus become its constituent members
c. There is no discrimination of Jews or Gentiles—it will truly be a “house of prayer for the nations” and “will not be a den of robbers”
d. Jesus broke down the dividing wall cf. Eph 2:15 “who [Jesus] destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility”
e. This Temple does not have any social distinctions: race, sex, and family status—no social exclusivism in this Temple OR no segregated places!
Take Away:
Follow King Jesus based on His standard/constitution