New Testament · Gospel

Mark 11:9

Clearing the Temple

The ones who went ahead and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” Mark 11:9 · Berean Standard Bible
What It Means

Mark 11:9, in plain English

The crowd broke into shouts of 'Hosanna!' and 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' — words straight from an ancient worship song.

Why it's here

These words come from Psalm 118, a song the Jewish people sang during Passover. By shouting it now, they were declaring Jesus as God's promised one.

Who's speaking

The crowds walking ahead of and behind Jesus cry out in praise.

Where it sits in the story

You can feel the joy and hope in their voices. After centuries of waiting, the people believed their deliverer had finally come riding into Jerusalem.

A Closer Look

The scholarly reading

The crowd's cry of 'Hosanna' (Hebrew: hoshi'a na, 'save us') quotes Psalm 118:25-26, a Hallel psalm sung during Passover pilgrimages.

Language and setting

Psalm 118 was understood messianically in Second Temple Judaism; invoking it publicly constituted an explicit declaration of Jesus as the anticipated Davidic deliverer.

Voice

The crowds both ahead of and behind Jesus shout messianic acclamations.

Significance

The processional crowd erupts in psalm-singing, framing Jesus' entry as the arrival of the long-expected messianic king during Israel's most significant festival.

In context

Mark 11:7–11

7Then they led the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, and He sat on it.

8Many in the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut from the fields.

9The ones who went ahead 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!”

11Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Read all of Mark 11 — Jesus curses a fig tree, storms the temple courts, and challenges the entire religious economy of Jerusalem in a single day.

Understand every verse, not just this one

This page covers one. BibleKey does all 31,102 — tap any verse for its meaning, any word for its Hebrew or Greek root, and keep reading without leaving the chapter.

Get BibleKey

Understand every verse.

Not just the famous ones. BibleKey is free on iPhone and iPad.

Download on the App Store

Free on iPhone & iPad