11:1 Now 1 as they approached Jerusalem, 2 near Bethphage 3 and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, 4 Jesus 5 sent two of his disciples
1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
2 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
3 sn The exact location of the village of Bethphage is not known. Most put it on the southeast side of the Mount of Olives and northwest of Bethany, about 1.5 miles (3 km) east of Jerusalem.
4 sn “Mountain” in English generally denotes a higher elevation than it often does in reference to places in Palestine. The Mount of Olives is really a ridge running north to south about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) long, east of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. Its central elevation is about 30 meters (100 ft) higher than Jerusalem. It was named for the large number of olive trees which grew on it.
5 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.