The triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-11) - JSS2 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note

When Jesus had finished his ministry in Galilee, he decided to go to Jerusalem. The purpose was to carry the gospel message to the religious capital of the Jews. Jesus and his disciple travelled through Samaria and entered Jericho. From there, they came to Bethpage, a village near Jerusalem that was situated on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. From Bethpage, Jesus sent two of his disciples to Bethany, another village near Jerusalem, to bring a colt of an ass, which had never been driven by anyone. If they were challenged, they were to say that the Lord wanted to use it and would send it back. The disciples found the colt at Bethany and brought it to Jesus.

 The disciples, and other people who had gathered, threw their garments on the colt to make a comfortable seat for Jesus, who afterwards sat on it. The people formed a procession and they began to move slowly towards Jerusalem. The people paid homage to Jesus by spreading their garments and palm fronds on the road for Jesus to ride over with the colt.

According to Matthew, Jesus riding on the colt of an ass into Jerusalem fulfilled the prophecy of Zachariah 9:9:

“Tell the daughters of Zion,

Behold, your king is coming to you,

Humble and mounted on an ass,

And on a colt, the foal of an ass.”

 The people, who had gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, were delighted at the Triumphant Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and cried out:

“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest.”

The word Hosanna originally meant ‘Save’ or ‘Help’ but later it came to mean ‘Praise’. So, the people were saying:

“Praise to the Messiah, Jesus Christ.”

 They were happy that the Messiah and Saviour had come, and so they praised and gave thanks to God.

Some of the Pharisees among the crowd asked Jesus to silence the disciples and the people from praising and thanking God for the coming of the Messiah. But, Jesus answered:

“I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones, would cry out.”

The Pharisees were jealous at the peoples’ recognition of Jesus as the Messiah and at his Triumphant Entry.

Christians everywhere celebrate the Triumphant Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem as Palm Sunday. This great event is to show the whole world that Jesus is the Messiah of peace, who had come to bring peace into the World.