The False Coronation of the True King.

The people of Isreal were always longing for a king.

All the prophesies of Old Testament told of the promise of a coming king.

Zechariah 9:9–10 (CSB)

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zechariah 14:4 (CSB)

On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east.

Genesis 49:8–12 (CSB)

Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the necks of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. Judah is a young lion— my son, you return from the kill. He crouches; he lies down like a lion or a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet ... He ties his donkey to a vine, and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine.

It has been joked that we Americans never really left the monarchy all that far behind. Yes we celebrate July 4 but we watch the Crown and tune into every royal wedding or funeral.

C.S. Lewis said that universe is a “constitutional monarchy,” with a rational and good God creating and sustaining an ordered, hierarchical cosmos, knowable by humans who could order their lives in keeping with the moral law.

He also said world of fairy-tail makes the heart and the imagination royalist. He continued by saying no fairy-tail ever begins once upon a time their was a president. Once upon a time there was a king.

There is something in our hearts and imaginations that default to that category. As humans we long for a king. This is how God has created us.

This is how this story also begins. Verse 1 When they approached Jerusalem. The city that was always looking for a king. This is the place where kings are crowned.

As you look at this story you cannot miss that Jesus is different from all the other rulers and Kings around Him.

Jesus carries Himself like a King.

verse 2 & 3 God always has a plan for His disciples and He will provide for them. Because a true King is in control. Fake Kings cannot control. Like Putin.

Verse 6 when we obey the Lord He defends us before those who question us. Because true Kings protect their subjects.

There are 3 ways here that Jesus proves his Kingship.

1. In the ancient near east a king could commandeer a beast of burden when every they had need of it. Jesus by doing this was once again proving His kingship.

2. A colt that has never been ridden upon. No one was allowed to sit on the kings colt. The Lords colt.

1 Samuel 6:7 CSB

“Now then, prepare one new cart and two milk cows that have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.

3. In the ancient Middle Eastern world, leaders rode horses if they rode to war, but donkeys if they came in peace. First Kings 1:33 mentions Solomon riding a donkey on the day he was recognized as the new king of Israel. Other instances of leaders riding donkeys are Judges 5:10; 10:4; 12:14; and 2 Samuel 16:2.

Mark does not use this word Lord often but here Jesus uses it.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 11:9–10

Hosanna, a transliteration of the Greek word which is itself a transliteration of the Hebrew hôšî ‘âh nâ’, originally was a prayer addressed to God, meaning “O save us now” (cf. Ps. 118:25a). Later it came to be used as a shout of praise (like “Hallelujah!”) and then as an enthusiastic welcome to pilgrims or to a famous Rabbi. Hosanna in the highest, in highest places, likely means “Save us, O God, who lives in heaven.” Its use here probably reflects a mixture of all these elements due to the nature of the crowd.

Blessed is the coming kingdom verse 10 ....

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 11:9–10

But their enthusiasm was for a ruling Messiah and a political kingdom, not realizing and not accepting the fact that the One peaceably riding on the colt was their Messiah

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 11:9–10

For most people, then, this moment of jubilation was simply part of the traditional Passover celebration—it did not alarm the Roman authorities or initiate a call for Jesus’ arrest by the Jewish rulers.

He Is a King Who Rules With Might and Mercy.

Mark 10:42–45 CSB

Jesus called them over and said to them, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. But it is not so among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

His mercy is seen in the request of the chanting crowd. What did they say?

Originally was a prayer addressed to God, meaning “O save us now” (cf. Ps. 118:25a)

Verse 11 Marks conclusion is anticlimactic.

Jerusalem was not Jesus’ ultimate destination. Notice where the processional ends. It begins in Jericho but ends in the temple. The temple was not His ultimate destination. He went to see the temple where all the sacrifices had taken place but it was already to late for the temple.

Since they had walked 18 miles up hill of course it was late. But I believe that Mark points this out for another reason.

What was the temple? The place of sacrifice and atonement.

John 1:14 CSB

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The word Tabernacled among us.

Jesus said destroy this temple and I will build it back in 3 day. Speaking of Himself.

The glory of God was back in the temple and that is why the time was already too late. Because the ultimate sacrifice had come.

Mark wants us to see that Jesus’ mission is not to reform the temple His mission is to be the Temple.

Its not so much that Jesus came to the temple, He came to be our temple.

Its not so much that He came to observe the Passover, He came to be our Passover Lamb.

Quote: Jesus is not too great to notice you He is too great not to notice you.

Illustration: Predators like Mountain Lions and Crocodiles.

He rides on a donkey…He comes to bring peace. He is not above riding on a colt to bring peace…but more than that He is not above hanging on a cross to bring us peace.

He is a king who rules with might and mercy. He defeats sin with His might. He sacrifices Himself to save us because of His mercy.

We long for a king don’t we. A leader who can fix things. Someone who is in control. Someone who carries Himself like a king. Someone who rules with might and mercy.

Jesus is more than the King you long for He is the King you need.

I hope your heart which longs for Him finds Him. I hope you soul which has longed for Him believes in Him.

He is not just the King you have longed for He is the King you need.

He is not just the Temple you long for He is the Temple you need.

Jesus fulfills everything we long for.