Mark 11 NASB
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Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”
They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
I like this slice from the life of Jesus because it feels right. For much of Jesus’ ministry, He was despised and rejected. Often the adoring crowds followed Him only for what they could get from Him. All of that was different on this day.
I wonder how he would be received today if he were to come back in this way.
“Hosanna![a]”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[b]
“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
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.
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Clears the Temple Courts
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
Apparently this was some kind of false advertising. It wasn’t that the fig tree didn’t have figs because it wasn’t supposed to. The problem is that it had leaves but didn’t have figs. The leaves said, “There are figs here,” but the figs weren’t there.
There were many trees with only leaves, and these were not cursed. There were many trees with neither leaves nor fruit, and these were not cursed. This tree was cursed because it professed to have fruit, but did not.
How many people are like this fig tree?
I see a lot of people in the world today who claim to be Christian’s but it is only for appearances sake. They do a lot of the easy outward things like, wear crosses, go to church on holidays, post verses on Facebook, ect. But they are not willing to deny themselves, pick up their cross and follow Jesus everyday. They do not truly want to change or do the hard every day work of being a follower of Christ. I think we are all often in danger of this as well, so we must be diligent and stay near Christ.
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’[c]? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’[d]”
God intended the courts around the temple to be the place of approach for God’s people, it was the only place commoners could enter and get close to God’s presence. But people, selfishly had sought make this into a business place by preying on people’s sense of longing to be near God.
Are there are similarities in our world today?
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
When evening came, Jesus and his disciples[e] went out of the city.
In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”
“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly[f] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” [g]
The reason why I enjoy this line is because it describes a righteous sense of confidence that something will happen if you ask God for it via praying. Most of the time, it’s unknown when your prayer will happen but it will happen at ONE POINT in your human life. And when it does, you will thank God for answering your prayer.
Very often, I pray for things that I want or think would be best, and God answers my prayers in totally unexpected ways. Sometimes I get what I ask for, but sometimes I get something a little different that ends up being so much better than what I originally asked for. And very often it doesn’t happen right away, it happens in God’s timing, which is always best.
I completely agree that it is wonderful to have confidence that God hears us!
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”
I think if I had been Jesus, I would’ve laughed at them or gotten angry or maybe said something sarcastic. But Jesus didn’t do any of these things. His patience toward people is such a challenge to me; if God-the One Who made us all-didn’t get angry when people insulted and challenged Him, I certainly shouldn’t be angry when people challenge or question or insult me.
Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ …” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)
So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
Footnotes
- Mark 11:9 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 10
- Mark 11:9 Psalm 118:25,26
- Mark 11:17 Isaiah 56:7
- Mark 11:17 Jer. 7:11
- Mark 11:19 Some early manuscripts came, Jesus
- Mark 11:23 Some early manuscripts “If you have faith in God,” Jesus answered, 23 “truly
- Mark 11:26 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Matt. 6:15.
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