Articles
Mark Public Opinion - Mark 11
Mark Public Opinion - Mark 11
How many people actually believed Jesus to be the Messiah? That is impossible to tell. We see many that are only briefly mentioned as they had an encounter with Him. They then went away and we have no more information. Did they believe? Did they continue to believe?
Now, at the end of His preaching and teaching, He comes to Jerusalem for the last time. We call this section the ‘triumphant entry’. The ‘people’ (not the leaders of Judaism) received Him
Mark 11:9-10: (9) Those who went in front 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!"
Take note of how many lofty things are here said about Jesus!
Yet, in just a few days, the leaders will crucify Him! They will deny Him, ridicule Him, mock Him, beat Him, publicly humiliate Him. Surely all of those who welcome Him would have stood up against this and put a stop to it…? They didn’t, and probably for many different reasons.
We can NOT always trust the judgment and actions of those who are in positions of leadership. We can NOT always trust the judgment and actions of the majority. Even His disciple caved in, at least temporarily.
Trusting Jesus can be difficult! Your faith will be tested. You will be in the minority. Will you continue to believe? Will you withstand the pressure? Always remember the instruction to the church in Ephesus: “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10).
Hugh DeLong
