The Entry - Mark 11:1-18

Introduction for Easter Devotions: 

“It was now about the sixth hour, and there was Darkness over the whole land in the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn into. Then Jesus calling out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’ and having said this He breathed His last.” Luke 23:44-46 

“And looking up they saw that the stone had been rolled back- it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Mark 16:4-7 

These Easter Devotions were written for our families to study during this Easter season. They are provided to spark discussion and conversations around your dinner table.  

These devotions will walk your family through Mark’s account of The Triumphal Entry to the Tomb.  

It was the darkest night in history- Jesus’ death and burial, darkness covered all the earth, and the day of Jesus’ death was the day that God the Father poured out His punishment of sin on His only son. All of Israel looked to Jesus to redeem them and Mary watched her son as He was beaten and put to death on the cross. Although the darkest night had to happen as part of God’s plan, the Brightest Day would give us confidence in Jesus’ power to save His people and Hope for eternal life.  

The Triumphal Entry 

11 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” 4 And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. 5 And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. 8 And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. 9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” 

11 And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. 

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree 

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it. 

Jesus Cleanses the Temple 

15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.  

Summary  

In this passage, Jesus makes his final trip to Jerusalem. He sends ahead two of His disciples to find a colt for Him to ride. The disciples find a colt standing there alone, and they untie it. When onlookers asked what they were doing, they replied that Jesus had sent them. When Jesus enters the city on the donkey, a large crowd is there to welcome Him. Many make a path with their garments for Jesus to pass through using their clothes and palm branches. They shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” as he passed by.  

The next day, Jesus cursed a fig tree for not bearing fruit even though it was not fig season.  

Later, Jesus enters the temple and drives out all the people who were doing business there. He knocked over the money-changers tables and said that Scripture was clear that the temple was to be a house of prayer and not a den of robbers. This left the religious leaders plotting how they might kill Jesus.  

HEAR about it:

What did you HEAR from God’s word today? Use the HEAR method (Highlight, Explain, Apply, and Respond) to examine today’s passage. If you need to know more about the HEAR method, click here.

Talk about it:

• Describe the difference between the celebration of Jesus entering the city and the events in the days after (cursing the fig tree and Jesus’ visit to the temple).  

• How can each of us avoid being like the fig tree with no evidence of fruit?   

• Why was Jesus so angry at the temple?