ACC ~ Mark 11 v4

PREFIGURING THE PASSION

JUSTIN MARTYR: The prophecy, “binding his foal to the vine, and washing his robe in the blood of the grape,” [1] contained symbols of the things that were to happen to Christ, and of what he was to do. For the foal of an ass stood bound to a vine at the entrance of a village, and he ordered his disciples to bring it to him then. When it was brought, he mounted and sat upon it, and rode into Jerusalem, where the stately temple of the Jews was which you [Romans] [2] have razed to the ground. After this he was crucified, in order that the rest of the prophecy be verified. For the words “washing his robe in the blood of the grape,” prefigured the passion he was to undergo, purifying with his blood those who believe in him. [3] FIRST APOLOGY 31. [4]

[1] Gen 49:10.

[2] The Romans destroyed the second temple in A.D. 70.

[3] Cf. Heb 9:14-28.

[4] TLG 0645.001, 32.5.1-7.4; GMI 266*; cf. FC 6:69; ANF 1:173.

GRADUAL DISCOVERY OF PROPHETIC CORRELATIONS

AUGUSTINE: “His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that this had been written of him and had been done to him,” [1] that is, when he had manifested the power of his resurrection. … In short, mentally comparing with the contents of Scripture what was accomplished both prior to and in the course of our Lord’s passion, they found this also in Scripture, that it was in accordance with the utterance of the prophets that he sat on an ass’s colt. TRACTATE ON JOHN 51.6. [2]

[1] Jn 12:16.

[2] Cetedoc 0278, 51.6.1; NPNF 1 7:284*. The rememberers discovered some of these prophetic correlations only after the events had occurred.