Mark 11:8

Branches

(στιβαδας). A litter of leaves and rushes from the fields. Textus Receptus spells this word στοιβαδας. Matthew 21:8 has κλαδους, from κλαω, to break, branches broken or cut from trees. John 12:13 uses the branches of the palm trees (τα βαια των φοινικων), "the feathery fronds forming the tufted crown of the tree" (Vincent). That is to say, some of the crowd did one of these things, some another. See on Matthew 21:4-9 for discussion of other details. The deliberate conduct of Jesus on this occasion could have but one meaning. It was the public proclamation of himself as the Messiah, now at last for his "hour" has come. The excited crowds in front (ο προαγοντες) and behind (ο ακολουθουντες) fully realize the significance of it all. Hence their unrestrained enthusiasm. They expect Jesus, of course, now to set up his rule in opposition to that of Caesar, to drive Rome out of Palestine, to conquer the world for the Jews.