Mark 11

Mark 11:1-11

We have here, 1. Christ’s riding in triumph into Jerusalem, ver. 1—11. 2. His cursing the barren fig-tree, ver. 12, 13, 14. 3. His devising their use of the temple that turned it into an exchange, ver. 15—19. 4. His discourse with his disciples concerning the power of faith and efficacy of prayer, an occasion of the withering of the fig-tree he cursed, ver. 20—26. 5. His reply to those who questioned his authority, ver. 27—33.

1. AND when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage, and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he brotheth forth two of his disciples. 2. And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you; and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. 3. And if any man lay unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. 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. 5. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye loosing the colt? 6. And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. 7. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and call their garments on him; and he sat upon him. 8. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9. And they that went before, and they that followed: cried, saying, ‘Hofanna, bleffed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 10. Bleffed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hofanna in the highest. 11. And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple; and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the even-side was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

The last week of the life of Jesus now is come, and we see him here entering Jerusalem in triumph, so little terrified with the fears of his enemies, or cast down by the sufferings he was about to undergo.

1. He enters Jerusalem amidst the hoffians of the people. He ordered his disciples, when he drew near the city, to bring an as a cold from the opposite village, directing them to the spot, and delivering a message from him, if any questioned them for what they did. Accordingly they went as Jesus had commanded them; and, when the owners of the cold demanded why they looted him, they told them the Lord hath used of him; and they contentedly let him go. Seated on this mean animal did Jesus enter the city, while, to express their gladness, he now follows spread their garments in the way, and cut down branches from the trees as at the feast of tabernacles, surrounding him with hoffians, with property to the long-expected Messiah, now bringing falliation to his people; praying that his reign may be long and happy who comes to fit on his father David’s throne, inveited with divine authority; calling on the angels to join their praises, and begging God to pour down the hell of blessings on the Messiah and his people.

2. He went directly to the temple: that was his palace: he aimed not at a temporal but spiritual dominion. After looking round him to observe what was done there, and by out the abode which called for his correction, and, as appears from Mat. xxi. 12, 13, calling out those who trafficked them, he retired in the evening to Bethany with the twelve, the place he chose for his abode. Note, The eye of Jesus is upon his temple, to see what the priests do there; it is upon the living temple of his people’s heart, observing every rising thought of evil. How watchful then need we be!

3. ¶ 1 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry. 13. And seeing a fig-tree afar off, having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and, when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man cut fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. 15. ¶ 1 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the fears of them that sold down; 16. And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. 17. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, “My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. 18. And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. 19. And when even was come, he went out of the city. 20. ¶ 2 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots. 21. And Peter, calling to remembrance, saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig-tree, which thou cursedest, is withered away. 22. And Jesus, answering, saith unto them, Have saith in God. 23. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall rest double in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25. And when ye stand, praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also, which is in heaven, may forgive you your trespasses. 26. But, if you do not forgive, neither will your Father, which is in heaven, forgive your trespasses.

Mark 11:12-26

We have here,

1. The cursing of the barren fig-tree, the type of the destruction of the Jewish nation. Our Lord, on his return from Bethany to the temple in the morning, being hungry, seeing a very flourishing fig-tree, came, expecting to find some figs thereon; for the time of figs was not yet, or, it was not a贴子 of figs, it was a bad year; but that tree promised better than others; or the time of figs, when they should be gathered in, was not yet, and therefore he might expect fruit on the tree; but, finding none, he cursed the tree in the hearing of his disciples, who took particular notice of it. For the course of the Lord are fearful, and never fall in vain.

2. He purges the temple of the buyers and sellers, who had made that sacred place a house of merchandise. It appears from Mat. xxi. 12. he had done the same the preceding day; but,

probably supported and encouraged by the priests, the traders had returned to their former traffics the next day, and were thus again expelled. And, to vindicate his procedure, he quoted the words of the prophet, Ife. lvi. 6, 7, where God, speaking of the sons of the stranger, the presbyter, undertakes to welcome them to his house, which should be a house of prayer to all nations. But the court, which was appropriated to the service of the Gentiles, they had proffered by turning it into a market, and made it by their knavery and extortion a den of thieves.

3. The priests and scribes, incensed at what they saw and heard, especially those severe rebukes which reflected so deeply on their characters, were bitterly exasperated; and being determined to murder him, sought only how they might do it without exposing themselves to the fury of the populace; for they were afraid openly to use violence, the people in general expressing such a veneration for Christ’s person, and such respect and reverence for his doctrine. Note, Lory and malice naturally lead to murder, and it is only the fear of men that in a multitude of instances deters the wicked from the very left.

4. In the evening they returned to Bethany, and next morning, in their way to the city, the disciples took notice with surprise of the withering of the fig-tree; and Peter, pointing to the tree, observed to his Master how it was withered away in consequence of the curle he had pronounced upon it. And from thence Christ took occasion to encourage them confidently to exercise faith in God at all times; and especially in the exertion of the miraculous powers with which he had furnished them, they should find nothing impossible, not even to remove the mountain on which they stood, and cast it into the sea, if they had an unshaken truth in the divine power and promises, and looked up to God, nothing doubting: for whatever they should ask in prayer, which should be for his glory to give, and they were warranted from his word to expect, should certainly be given them. And on this occasion, as what would be essential to their obtaining an answer to their prayers, he inculcates fervent charity and mutual forgiveness: when they stood praying for forgiveness, they must be ready to grant that pardon to others which they themselves sought at God’s hand. But if, under the spirit of uncharism, they refused to forgive their brother his trespasses, their prayers would be in vain, and they may never hope for the pardon themselves sought at the hands of their heavenly Father. Note, (1.) Faith is the conquering grace that overcomes the world, and bears down all obstacles before it. If at any time we are terrified by guilt, or enslaved by corruption, it is through our want of faith in God. (2.) Nothing can be a more powerful argument to engage our charity and forgiveness towards others, than what arises from our own prayers.

5. ¶ And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, 28. And say unto him, “by what authority did thou these things? And who gave thee this authority to do these things? 29. And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. 31. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven, he will say, “Why then did ye not believe him? 32. But if we shall say, Of men, they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. 33. And they answered and said unto Jesus, “We cannot tell. And Jesus, answering, said unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Mark 11:27-33

Veard at the heart to behold the respect paid to Jesus, and impatient to revenge his rebukes, which they construed into reproaches, we have here,

1. The demand of the high-priests and elders, challenging Christ to produce his authority for what he had said and done the preceding days, as if he had been lord and master of the temple.

2. He answers their question by another. By what authority did John preach and baptise give me a direct reply. The answer was easy, but the difficulties in which on either side is involved them were great. They saw that to confess his mission divine, was to own all that Jesus claimed, John having been testimony to him; to deny that the benefit was free of God, and to brand him as a pretender and impeller, would instantly engage the people to rise up, perhaps, and shone them, all men in general being persuaded of John’s prophetic character: therefore, after reasoning on the matter, they are forced to conceal under a lie a truth they stand not own, and to pretend ignorance of what they knew, as the only way to evade the answer Christ demanded of them. He therefore was fully justified in retelling them further information, when it evidently appeared they sought not conviction of the truth, but merely his destruction. Note, (1.)

It is a mercy to be able to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, and at least to confound those who refuse to be convinced. (2.) They who wilfully chuse to be ignorant are justly abandoned to judicial blindness.