11:1–11 From here to the end of chapter 16 the action takes place in or very near to Jerusalem, with much of it centering on the temple area. In the passage before us, Jesus enters Jerusalem from the east (having come from Jericho, about eighteen miles away) in the company of a crowd of pilgrims who are going to the holy city for a religious celebration, perhaps Passover. The scene of the entry is full of jubilation and is portrayed by Mark as the appearance of the Messiah, Jesus, coming for his final ministry in Jerusalem and in the sacred temple.

The procuring of the animal for Jesus to ride reminds the readers of OT passages that were understood as predictions of the Messiah. The most direct allusion is to Zechariah 9:9, with its prophecy of a future king of Israel coming to Jerusalem …