Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 11:4
And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
4. in a place where two ways met ] So Wyclif, “in e meeting of tweye weyes,” following the Vulgate bivium. The word in the original thus rendered denotes (1) any road that leads round a place, a street, or a crooked lane; (2) a block of houses surrounded by streets; (3) the quarter of a town = Lat. vicus. Here it means the passage round the house. They went and found the ass tied at the door, and the colt with her, not in the highway, but in a back way or alley, which went round the house. Observe the minuteness of the circumstances specified. The Apostles would find the colt tied; it had never been ridden; it would be found not in the courtyard, but outside, at the door of the house; not in the highway, but in a back lane or alley skirting the house; and persons would be near it, and the words which they would speak are predicted, and the answer is suggested which the Apostles were to make. The colt, untamed, and tied at the back gate, as if ready for a rider, has been interpreted as a symbol of the Gentile world to be brought to Christ from the lanes and alleys of Heathendom (Luk 14:21); the she-ass as symbolizing God’s ancient people who were familiar with the yoke of the Law.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And they went their way,…. The two disciples went to the village, where Christ sent them, without objecting any difficulties that might present, in the execution of these orders:
and found the colt tied by the door without; in the street, fastened to the door of the owner’s house, at the town’s end:
in a place where two ways met; to go into and out of the village; at the corner house, where two ways met; so that the place was very public, and such an affair could not be transacted, without being seen:
and they loose him; as soon as ever they came to the place, they immediately began to untie the colt, and were going away with him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
A colt tied at the door without in the open street ( ). A carefully drawn picture. The colt was outside the house in the street, but fastened (bound, perfect passive participle) to the door. “The better class of houses were built about an open court, from which a passage way under the house led to the street outside. It was at this outside opening to the street that the colt was tied” (Gould). The word (from , both, and , road) is difficult. It apparently means road around a thing, a crooked street as most of them were (cf. Straight Street in Ac 9:11). It occurs only here in the N.T. besides D in Ac 19:28. It is very common in the papyri for vicus or “quarter.”
And they loose him ( ). Dramatic present tense. Perhaps Peter was one of those sent this time as he was later (Lu 22:8). If so, that explains Mark’s vivid details here.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
In a place where two ways met [ ] . Amfodon is literally any road which leads round [] a place or a block of buildings. Hence the winding way. The word occurs only here in the New Testament. Rev., in the open street, which in an Eastern town is usually crooked. Perhaps, by contrast with the usual crookedness, the street in Damascus where Paul lodged was called Straight (Act 9:11). “It is a topographical note,” says Dr. Morison, “that could only be given by an eye – witness.” The detail of verse 4 is peculiar to Mark. According to Luke (xxii. 8), Peter was one of those sent, and his stamp is probably on the narrative.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And they went their way, and found the colt,” (kai apelthon kai heuron polon) “And they went and found a colt,” as the Lord had told them they would, Mar 11:2.
2) “Tied by the door without, in a place where two ways met; (dedemenon pros thuran ekso epi tou amphosou) “That had been tied at a door outside, on the open street,” Mar 11:2; Mat 21:2; Luk 19:30.
3) “And they loose him.” (kai luousin auton) “And they loosened (untied) it,” or him, the male colt, as they had been told, to fulfill the prophecy, Zec 9:9; Mat 21:4-6, and to obey the Lord.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(4) Without in a place where two ways met.Each touch is characteristic of St. Mark, and implies personal observation on the part of his informant. The colt was at the dooroutside, not inside, the court-yard; it was not at a place, but at the place, as we speak of the cross-roads, where two ways met.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Where two ways met Some understand by this the fork of a road; but it more properly signifies a street or thoroughfare. The original word signifies “a circular or winding way,” as the streets of ancient towns generally were. The apostles also found these animals, Mark tells us, by the door without; that is, probably, before the door of the owner, who had just used or was just about to use them.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And they went away, and found a colt tied at the door out in the open street, and they loose him. And some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”, and they said to them just what Jesus had said, and they let them go.’
The two who had been sent (Mar 11:1) found things just as Jesus had described them, and returned with the colt. Matthew tells us that its mother followed, as would be expected of an untried colt. It was quite a common sight in Palestine to see a mother ass accompanied by its colt.
‘A colt tied.’ In Gen 49:10 a colt tied is connected with a coming ruler of the house of David (named symbolically Shiloh) to whom the people will gather. But there it is the person himself who ties up the colt
‘Some of those who stood there.’ Not necessarily the owner.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The disciples carry out tile order:
v. 4. And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
v. 5. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?
v. 6. And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded; and they let them go.
v. 7. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and He sat upon him. The disciples carried out Christ’s instructions. Coming to the hamlet or group of farm buildings, they followed the road around the farmyard. And there, tied to the door, probably of a stable, or at the door-post of a larger building in the square of the hamlet, they found the colt, which they promptly proceeded to unloose. Some of those that were standing nearby, very likely some of tile laborers of the place, objected and asked for all explanation. But tile disciples used tile words which Jesus had taught them. And so the men, having full assurance that the beast would be safely and speedily restored to the owner, gave them leave to lead tile colt off. And so they brought tile animal to Jesus, throwing their mantles upon him for a saddle, so that Jesus could sit upon the colt.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
Ver. 4. See Trapp on “ Mat 21:6 “ See Trapp on “ Luk 19:32 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
4. ] The report of one of those sent: qu. Peter?
. (a road leading round a place) is probably the street : see reff. Wordsw. interprets it, ‘ the back way, which led round the house :’ But there does not appear to be any reason for supposing the – to refer to the house , rather than to the whole block, or neighbourhood, of houses, round about which the street led. [Archbp. Trench, on the A.V. p. 116. would render it “ a way round ,” “ a crooked lane .”]
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 11:4 . ( and – from and , here only in N. T.), the road round the farmyard. In Jer 17:27 , Sept [101] , it seems to denote some part of a town: “the palaces of Jerusalem” (R. V [102] ).
[101]Septuagint.
[102] Revised Version.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
the = a. According to all the texts.
by = at. Greek. pros. App-104. Not the same word as in verses: Mar 11:28, Mar 11:29, Mar 11:33.
in = on. or upon. Greek. epi. App-104.
a place where two ways met = in that quarter [where the Lord had said]. Greek. amphodos. The regular word in the Papyri to denote the “quarter” or part (Latin vicus) of a city. Occurs only here in N.T. But Codex Bazae (Cambridge), cent. b or 6, adds (in Act 19:28) after “wrath”, “running into that quarter”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
4.] The report of one of those sent: qu. Peter?
. (a road leading round a place) is probably the street: see reff. Wordsw. interprets it, the back way, which led round the house: But there does not appear to be any reason for supposing the – to refer to the house, rather than to the whole block, or neighbourhood, of houses, round about which the street led. [Archbp. Trench, on the A.V. p. 116. would render it a way round, a crooked lane.]
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 11:4. ) , a way, a broad street [Eng. Vers. where two ways meet].
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
and found: Mat 21:6, Mat 21:7, Mat 26:19, Luk 19:32-34, Joh 2:5, Heb 11:8
Reciprocal: Mat 21:5 – the daughter
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4
They found the colt tied at an intersection of two streets, or rather, where they came together as “a fork in the road.”
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 11:4. Found the colt. Mark is more detailed here: perhaps Peter was one of those sent (comp. Luk 22:8), where Peter and John are the two sent into the city.
At the door without. Probably the door of the owners house.
In the open street, or, lane. The E. V. following the Latin Vulgate, paraphrases: in a place where two ways meet. The phrase refers first to a way round, i.e., round a block of houses, then to the street of a town (usually winding in the East).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mar 11:4-10. And they went their way, and found the colt, &c. Found all the particulars contained in Christs prediction exactly true. See on Mat 21:6-11. Blessed be the kingdom of our father David May the kingdom of the Messiah, promised to our father David, be speedily established, and may it long flourish; that cometh Which is now to be erected; in the name of the Lord And therefore will be fitly termed the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of heaven. Hosanna in the highest Repeat again and again your songs and congratulations. Thus they expressed their joyful and rapturous expectations of his assuming the royal dignity, and vindicating Israel from the Roman yoke; and, imboldened by the display of his power in the resurrection of Lazarus, which he had lately effected, they feared not the resentment of their present masters, for declaring themselves thus openly in his favour.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The people standing by may have been or at least included the owner of the animals (Luk 19:33). Perhaps the synoptic writers recorded the disciples’ obedience in such detail because the untying of the colt may have been a messianic sign (cf. Gen 49:8-12). Pre-Christian Jewish texts interpreted Gen 49:10 as messianic. [Note: Ibid., p. 395.]