·
24 Walter Hilton of Thurgarton, Augustinian Canon, Mystic, 1396 was an English Augustinianmystic, whose works became influential in the 15th century.
·
24 Paul Couturier, Priest, Ecumenist, 1953
·
24 Óscar Romero, Archbishop of
San Salvador, Martyr, 1980
·
26 Harriet Monsell, Founder of the Community
of St John the Baptist, 1883
31 John Donne, Priest,
Poet, 1631 was an English poet and cleric in
the Church of England.
He
is considered the pre-eminent representative of the metaphysical poets. His works are noted for
their strong, sensual style and include sonnets,
love poems, religious poems, Latin translations, epigrams, elegies, songs, satires
and sermons.
His poetry is noted for its vibrancy of language and inventiveness of metaphor,
especially compared to that of his contemporaries. Donne's style is
characterised by abrupt openings and various paradoxes, ironies and
dislocations.
·
GOSPEL: Mark 11: 1 - 11 (all)
Mark 11:1 (NRSV)
When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Beth'phage and Beth'any, near the
Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, "Go into
the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied
there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone
says to you, "Why are you doing this?' just say this, "The Lord needs
it and will send it back here immediately.'" 4 They went away and found a
colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, 5 some
of the bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the
colt?" 6 They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take
it. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he
sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread
leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9 Then those who went ahead and
those who followed were shouting,
"Hosanna!
Blessed is the one
who comes in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessed is the
coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the
highest heaven!"
11 Then 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 Beth'any with the twelve.
h/t Montreal Anglican
Previous chapters tell us that
Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem has started in Galilee. After reaching Jericho, he
and his disciples turn west, passing south of the “Mount of Olives”. Both
“Bethphage” and “Bethany” were on the slope of the mountain, across the Kidron
Valley from Jerusalem, so which “village” (v. 2)
is intended is unknown.
A vision in Zechariah 9:9 prophesies
that a king will come to deliver Israel “humble and riding on a donkey”, Jesus
borrows “a colt” (a young equine animal, probably a donkey) for his entry into
Jerusalem. While Christians later took “The Lord” (v. 3)
to be Christ, it is more likely that the boss is meant. In
v. 6,
we read that the two disciples follow Jesus’ directions, and are successful.
The “leafy branches” in v. 8 are
not said to be palm fronds. Fronds were traditional for other festivals, but
not for Passover. “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the
Lord!” (V. 9)
is from Psalm 118:26.
“Hosanna” literally means save we pray but here it is a
greeting of homage. The crowd seeks, and expects, “the coming kingdom”
(v. 10)
to be an earthly one, free from Roman control. The “highest heaven” is where
God dwells.
To visit the Temple (v. 11)
upon arrival in the city is normal, but Jesus does it alone. He has no comment
on what the crowd has shouted. His kingdom will be established through
rejection, death, and resurrection.
The parallels are Matthew 21:1-9; Luke 19:29-38; John 12:12-16.
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is best understood in line with
symbolic actions done by the Old Testament prophets. The heart of the symbolic
action is Jesus riding into Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. According to
Zechariah 9:9, Yahweh as a divine warrior would
riding into Jerusalem seated on the foal of an ass. According to
Zechariah 14:4,
the great eschatological battle
would occur at the Mount of Olives. This passage suggests that with Jesus
the eschatological events
are happening and that he is the key figure within them. [ NJBC]
Verse 1:
Their route was from Galilee via the Jordan valley and up through the Judaean
wilderness on the Jericho to Jerusalem road, passing south of the Mount of
Olives. [ CAB]
Verse 1;
“Mount of Olives”: Josephus, in Antiquities of the Jews 20:108-172
says that a contemporary prophet-leader, the so-called Egyptian prophet, had
also announced that God would appear on the Mount of Olives. [ JANT] He would be able to bring
down Jerusalem’s walls while standing on the Mount. [ NJBC]
Verse 2:
“a colt”: The apocalyptic vision
in Zechariah 9:9 prophecies
the need for a colt, but the coronation of a king in Israel also included a
colt (see Genesis 49:11,
a messianic ruler) as
well as including the garments of v. 8 (see
2 Kings 9:13).
[JANT] Zechariah 9:9 says
“your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on
a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey”. The Hebrew text and the Septuagint translation of
this verse both say that there are two animals but Mark has only one.
Verse 2:
“you will find tied there a colt”: Is this due to Jesus’ supernatural
knowledge, or by prearrangement? The text is ambiguous. [ NJBC]
Verse 6:
This gives the impression of fulfilment of Jesus’ prediction based on
supernatural knowledge. At least everything is proceeding according to his
instructions. [ NJBC]
Verse 8:
“leafy branches”: In 141 BC, during the Maccabean revolt, the victors
celebrated the capture of the Jerusalem citadel “with praise and palm branches”
(1 Maccabees 13:51).
Palm branches were used in connection with the Feast of Tabernacles (see
Leviticus 23:39-43)
and with Hanukkah (see also 2 Maccabees 10:7)
Verse 9:
“Hosanna”: The word in the text is transliterated Aramaic, not Hebrew. [ JANT]
Vers 9:
“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord”: This also occurs in
Matthew 23:39,
Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem. [ NOAB]
Verse 10: “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David”: This is
not part of the Old Testament quotation; rather this is a comment by the crowd
that gives the event a messianic direction in line with the hopes expressed
in Psalms of Solomon17 for a glorious Davidic ruler who will
restore and perfect Israel’s fortunes on earth. [ HenMk] Amos 9:11 says
“On that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen, and repair its
breaches, and raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old”. See
also Isaiah 9:6-7.
[ NJBC]
John 12: 12 - 16 (alt. for all)
John 12:12 (NRSV)
The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was
coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to
meet him, shouting,
"Hosanna!
Blessed is the one
who comes in the name of the Lord--
the King of
Israel!"
14 Jesus found a
young donkey and sat on it; as it is written:
15 "Do not be
afraid, daughter of Zion.
Look, your king is
coming,
sitting on a
donkey's colt!"
16 His disciples
did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then
they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to
him.
Crowds waved palm fronds while singing Psalm 118 at
the Feast of Tabernacles. Here they shout a verse from it, to which they add
“The King of Israel” (v. 13),
showing that they expect Jesus to restore the kingdom of David. “In the name
of” means with the authority of. “Hosanna” means please
save or save us.
In John, unlike in the other gospels, the crowd takes the
initiative: “they ... went out to meet him”; Jesus’ response is simply to sit
on “a young donkey” (v. 14).
A war-like king would have ridden a horse. Thus he fulfils an expectation from
the Old Testament: v. 15 is
taken from Zephaniah 3:16 and
Zechariah 9:9.
A “donkey’s colt” is its foal. “His disciples did not understand” (v. 16)
how Jesus could be a king in any sense if he was not the messiah, an ideal
earthly king, as popularly expected. After the crucifixion, resurrection,
ascension, and Pentecost they made sense to them.
The parallels are Mark 1:11-1; Matthew 21:1-11; Luke 19:29-45. [ BlkJn]
There are sufficient differences in the details to suggest that
John has a different source from the other gospels. [ BlkJn]
In full knowledge of a plot against his life, Jesus returns to the
vicinity of Jerusalem. [ NOAB]
12:12:
“The next day”: i.e. Tuesday [ BlkJn]
12:12:
“the great crowd”: Jesus’ ignorant supporters (and potential supporters) among
the pilgrims. See also 6:2 (“A
large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing
for the sick”) and 12:9 (“...
to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead”). Not being intended by
Jesus, the spontaneous welcome is an embarrassment to him. [ BlkJn]
12:13:
“branches of palm trees”: Palm trees did not grow in the Jerusalem area; they
had to be brought from elsewhere, so the crowd must have had the branches
ready; they could not have cut them from roadside trees. [ BlkJn]
!2:13:
“‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord’”: See
Psalm 118:25-26.
[ JANT] The quotation from
Psalm 118 and
the use of palm branches suggests that this demonstration took place not before
Passover but on another occasion: either at the Feast of Tabernacles or at
Hanukkah (the Feast of Dedication). On these occasions, Psalm 118 was
also sung, and the lulab (consisting of palm, willow and
myrtle branches) was carried. Palms are not elsewhere associated with Passover.
So John may have placed the demonstration here, not because he is following
Mark, but because it is dramatically appropriate in juxtaposition with the
anointing. [ BlkJn]
12:13:
“Hosanna”: Originally a Hebrew invocation addressed to God, it was later used
as a cry of joyous acclamation. [NOAB]
In the Greek text, the word is a transliteration of the Aramaic word, not the
Hebrew. [ BlkJn]
12:16:
The cross, resurrection, ascension and Pentecost clarified many Old Testament
passages. [ NOAB]
PSALM 118: 1 - 2, 19 -
29 (RCL)
(1 - 2), 19 - 24 (C of E)
Psal 118:1 (NRSV)
O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his steadfast love
endures forever!
2 Let Israel say,
"His
steadfast love endures forever."
19 Open to me the
gates of righteousness,
that I may enter
through them
and give thanks to
the LORD.
20 This is the
gate of the LORD;
the righteous
shall enter through it.
21 I thank you
that you have answered me
and have become my
salvation.
22 The stone that
the builders rejected
has become the
chief cornerstone.
23 This is the
LORD's doing;
it is marvelous in
our eyes.
24 This is the day
that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and
be glad in it.
25 Save us, we
beseech you, O LORD!
O LORD, we beseech
you, give us success!
26 Blessed is the
one who comes in the name of the LORD.
We bless you from
the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is
God,
and he has given
us light.
Bind the festal
procession with branches,
up to the horns of
the altar.
28 You are my God,
and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God, I
will extol you.
29 O give thanks
to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast
love endures forever.
118 Confitemini
Domino (ECUSA BCP)
1 Give
thanks to the Lord, for he is
good; *
his
mercy endures for ever.
2 Let
Israel now proclaim, *
“His mercy endures for ever.”
19 Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
I will enter them;
I will offer thanks to the Lord.
20 "This is the gate of the Lord; *
he who is righteous may enter."
21 I will give thanks to you, for you answered
me *
and have become my salvation.
22 The same stone which the builders rejected *
has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord's doing, *
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 On this day the Lord has acted; *
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Hosanna, Lord, hosanna! *
Lord, send us now success.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord; *
we bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 God is the Lord; he has shined upon us; *
form a procession with branches up to the
horns of the altar.
28 "You are my God, and I will thank you; *
you are my God, and I will exalt you."
29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; *
his mercy endures for ever.
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