1 As Jesus and his followers were coming closer to Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives. From there Jesus sent two of his followers 2 and said to them, “Go to the town you can see there. When you enter it, you will quickly find a colt tied, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here to me. 3 If anyone asks you why you are doing this, tell him its Master needs the colt, and he will send it at once.”
4 The followers went into the town, found a colt tied in the street near the door of a house, and untied it. 5 Some people were standing there and asked, “What are you doing? Why are you untying that colt?” 6 The followers answered the way Jesus told them to answer, and the people let them take the colt.
7 They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it, and Jesus sat on it.
Read Mark 11:1-7 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
Leading up to the week of Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus gives two of His followers a very strange sounding set of instructions. While technically “borrowing”, Jesus asks them to go and take a colt from the town they were passing, without asking permission, and if someone questions them, they should simply tell them that “The Master” needs it.
Here’s how Mark describes Jesus’ instructions. Jesus tells these two disciples, “Go to the town you can see there. When you enter it, you will quickly find a colt tied, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here to me. If anyone asks you why you are doing this, tell him its Master needs the colt, and he will send it at once.” (v. 2-3)
Mark then goes on to describe how these two disciples follow Jesus’ instructions and find everything Jesus said exactly as He described – including being questioned by some people about them taking the colt. Mark tells us that this colt was not alone, and that “some people were standing there and asked, ‘What are you doing? Why are you untying that colt?’ The followers answered the way Jesus told them to answer, and the people let them take the colt.” (v. 5-6)
Perhaps those present were not the owners of the colt or even hired hands. They may have been shop owners discussing whose colt this was. Or it could have been the new servant who didn’t know many of the other servants. Whatever the case, a longstanding servant, or even a servant who had served the owner for a while would be able to identify other servants, and that these two disciples were not servants of the colt’s owner.
What I find amazing in this event is that these disciples are able to follow Jesus’ instructions perfectly, and that Jesus knew exactly what needed to be said for them to be able to borrow the colt for His grand entrance into Jerusalem. The disciples could have tried to talk Jesus out of His plan, or they could have second guessed Him that His suggested response was weak, but they don’t. These two followers simply move forward with the task and instructions given.
This also tells me that sometimes, I will only understand what Jesus wants me to do in my own life by actually stepping forward and doing it. Sometimes, the explanation and reason for an action or habit are only truly understood after having lived it. Too often, people try to rationalize and second guess Jesus when they should really test His words with actions.
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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