Mark 11:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”

NIV: some people standing there asked, 'What are you doing, untying that colt?'

NASB: And some of the bystanders were saying to them, 'What are you doing, untying the colt?'

CSB: and some of those standing there said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt? "

NLT: As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, 'What are you doing, untying that colt?'

KJV: And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?

NKJV: But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?”

Jesus has sent two disciples to a village on the Mount of Olives to find a colt, untie it, and bring it back to Him. As He warned the disciples would happen, nearby men challenge the apparent theft. Matthew more specifically states the disciples have come to find a donkey jenny and her colt (Matthew 21:2). A donkey sounds like an odd mount for a king, but Jews greatly value donkeys. Using this animal also serves to separate Jesus' earthly mission with a more military choice, such as a horse.

People in Jesus' time use many large animals, such as camels, oxen, and horses. None are so flexible as the donkey. Donkeys in Israel are relatively small but still strong. They can be ridden or fitted with a pack and led. Some are used to power grain mills. Although donkeys have a reputation for being stubborn, they are smarter and more resilient than horses, and more sure-footed over rough terrain.

Donkeys are apparently one of the only animals the Israelites esteem, but which they cannot eat (Exodus 34:19–20; Leviticus 11:2). Wild predators, such as coyotes and wolves, are afraid of them, making them good watch animals for sheep. Mules may surpass donkeys in intelligence and versatility, but Jewish scholars interpret the ban of mixed cattle, seeds, and cloth to extend to horse-donkey hybrids (Leviticus 19:19; Deuteronomy 22:9–11), and virtually all mules are infertile, which limits their usefulness to a small farmer.

Mark 11:1–11 records an event included in all four Gospels: that several days before the crucifixion, Jesus enters Jerusalem, welcomed by the people as the Messiah who will free them from Roman rule. Jesus enters on a donkey, fulfilling prophecy and symbolizing the peaceful nature of His first coming. Matthew 21:1–11 ties the triumphal entry to Isaiah 62:11. Luke 19:29–44 records that the Pharisees demand Jesus silence His followers and that Jesus weeps, knowing what happen when the Romans destroy Jerusalem in AD 70. John 12:12–19 goes into more detail about how the disciples don't realize Jesus is fulfilling prophecy (Zechariah 9:9) until after the ascension (Acts 1:6–11).

Jesus and the disciples arrive in Jerusalem a week before the crucifixion, and Jesus begins the last days of His public ministry. They spend their nights on the Mount of Olives and their days in Jerusalem (Luke 21:37). Jesus accepts the accolades designed for a king (Mark 11:1–11), attacks materialistic tradition that keeps people from worshiping God (Mark 11:15–19), gives an object lesson about the fate of fruitless Jerusalem (Mark 11:12–14, 20–25), and reveals the Jewish religious leaders' hypocrisy (Mark 11:27–33). Despite the support of the crowd, Jesus is pushing the leaders toward the crucifixion.

The preceding passages included several miracles and lessons from Jesus. These set the stage for the last, dramatic days of His earthly ministry. In this chapter, Jesus enters Jerusalem to great fanfare and openly confronts local religious leaders for their hypocrisy. Over the next few chapters, Mark will continue to record controversial teachings, leading up to Jesus' arrest and early sham trials, recorded in chapter 14.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.