Mark 11
DorrisMark 11:1-11
SECTION TWO
AND IN
Mark 11:1 to 12:44
- THE ENTRY
(Matthew 21:1-11; Luke 19:29-44; John 12:12-19)
1 And when they draw nigh unto Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives,–[Jesus and his disciples were now on the way to Jerusalem from Jericho, and, approaching the city, they came unto Bethphage and Bethany. They were villages close together, near the Mount of Olives, two miles out from Jerusalem. Of the former place we know but little. It is not mentioned elsewhere than here, and in corresponding places in Matthew 21:1 and Luke 19:29. It must have been a small village, and tradition says it was above Bethany, halfway between that town and the top of the Mount of Olives. Bethany was the home of Lazarus–whom Jesus had a few weeks before raised from the dead–and of his sisters.
John (John 12:1) says that Jesus “six days before the passover came to Bethany.” When he reached Bethany he stopped with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, as was his custom. John (John 12:2-7) says: “They made him a supper there: and Martha served; . . . Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. . . . Jesus therefore said, Suffer her to keep it against the day of my burying.” The next morning Jesus sent two of his disciples to procure an ass for him to ride into Jerusalem.]
he sendeth two of his disciples,–Their names are not given, but remembering the vividness of Mark’s account, and the probability that Peter was his eyewitness authority in these scenes, it is very likely that Peter was one. John may have been the other, though his history does not sound like that of an eyewitness. They were two employed in preparing for the Passover. (Luke 22:8.) They were sent in advance to make arrangements for his royal entry into Jerusalem. It is not certain who the two disciples were.
2 and saith unto them, Go your way into the village that is over against you:–McGarvey, who visited the place, says “Not necessarily Bethphage, but a village opposite to them as he spoke. The writer well remembers a spot on the road from Bethany to Jerusalem which meets all the conditions of the narrative.”
and straightway as ye enter into it,–The description was very definite. As soon as they entered the edge of the village they would, without inquiring of any one, find that for which they were sent.
ye shall find a colt tied,–Mark, Luke and John mention the colt only, while Matthew (Matthew 21:2) tells of its mother also. The colt was the more important of the two, as upon it Christ should ride.
whereon no man ever yet sat;–Up to this time the colt had run with its mother and had not been ridden. Animals for sacred usages were selected from those which had been unused by man, ceremonially clean and unblemished. (Numbers 19:2; Deuteronomy 21:3; Deuteronomy 11; 1 Samuel 6:7.) The fact that Matthew mentions both dam and colt does not involve contradiction, but simply added particulars. Christ should have the honor of riding the colt the first time it was ridden. Probably the mother was led in front to cause the untrained colt to proceed without difficulty.
loose him, and bring him.–All was divinely arranged and in fulfillment of prophecy. Such a colt could not be found any time and place. Jesus knew that he was perfectly welcome to the use of the animal. As God manifest in the flesh, the colt was his (Psalms 50:10), and he could claim its service (1 Samuel 8:16). Probably its owner was a disciple or close friend of Jesus, whose cheerful acquiescence is implied in the narrative. [Asses were in common use in that land and time. Horses are seldom mentioned.
Some think the riding the ass an act of humiliation, because they are not very respectable as riding animals with us, but kings and others of the great ones of earth rode them. It was not unworthy of a king! What the Lord absolutely needs is always waiting for him, but it may be our mission to get it. If so, duty is plain. If the king’s entrance to the temple of a human heart is crippled by your neglect, you must give account. The master deserves the best, the freshest, the unused.
3 And if any one say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye, The Lord hath need of him;–They were apprised of the fact that some person might see them removing the animal, and ask about it; and if so, they were told what to say in reply. This occurred as indicated. [If the owner asks you why you take him, calls you to account for it. Those sent for it most likely did not know, and were unknown to the owner of the colt. Tell him “the Lord hath need of him.” He doubtless knew the Lord, was his disciple, and when he heard he needed him, he would gladly lend him. Usually Jesus speaks of himself in terms of humiliation, but here he is to be referred to the owner as the Lord, the Master, the Ruler of all things. In reading these accounts, it is often thought these were strangers–did not know Jesus, and they sent the ass to a stranger.
We know of no ground for such a conclusion besides, the frequent sojourns of Jesus at Bethany would suggest that he was well known in the near village of Bethphage. That Jesus knew that the colt was there tied showed there was nothing hidden from him. The sending was nothing more than a disciple sending the colt to the Master at his request, for his use. Matthew (Matthew 21:4-5) says: “Now this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” (Isaiah 62:11; Zechariah 9:9.)
and straightway he will send him back hither.–This means that when Jesus was done with the colt he would return it to the owner. Jesus, having used it, of course, returned it. “The Lord hath need of” it is sufficient answer, brother, to all your excuses for the non-performance of duty and the nonbestowment of means. Shall your heart be less responsive than these colt owners?
4 And they went away, and found a colt tied at the door without in the open street; and they loose him.–From the object to which the colt was tied. [They went as Jesus directed them, found the colt tied without the gate at the meeting of the two roads, and they loosed him to carry him to the Master. The correspondence of the facts to what Jesus said would be when he could not have been there shows his knowledge. They seem to have proceeded to unloose him without asking permission, as Jesus told them. This was rather an unceremonious assumption, but they followed the direction given.] Whatsoever Jesus tells you in his word, you will always find true.
5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?–Luke (Luke 19:33) explains their right to ask questions by telling that they were the owners. [Some one of the family of the owner saw them taking the colt and asked, What are you doing loosing the colt? Who gave you such privilege?] They were probably the father and his sons, the members of the family who were interested in the property being carried away. There is always somebody ready to interfere with us if we implicitly obey Christ. They have sometimes reasonable, sometimes unreasonable, questions to ask.
6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had said: and they let them go.–We see no reason for imagining some secret arrangement between Jesus and the owners, and that the words he told the disciples to use were passwords secretly agreed on beforehand as claimed by some enemies of the Christ. [They responded in the words of Jesus as he had directed them, “The Lord bath need of him,” and they let him go. Many think that God exercised his power to put it into the heart of the owner to send him to one he did not know. I think this a mistake, as explained under verse 3. He was a disciple of the Master, and sent the colt at his request. There is no miracle in this, save the knowledge displayed by Jesus of the whereabouts of the colt.]
7 And they bring the colt unto Jesus, and cast on him their garments; and he sat upon him.–The garments supplied the want of a saddle, which they would not find with the unused colt, “whereon no man ever yet sat.”
8 And many spread their garments upon the way;–In the road. These were also extra garments. In a frenzy of enthusiasm the “most part of the multitude” cast off their cloaks and paved the way with them for Jesus to travel on.
and others branches, which they had cut from the fields.–The branches of bushes which would not be large enough to impede traveling, but would make a triumphal carpet of twigs and leaves. All this was in accordance with the custom of honoring kings and conquerors by carpeting the way before them. General enthusiasm prevailed; those who could not honor in one way would in another.
9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, Hosanna;–The shouts of welcome and praise doubtless began with the disciples around Jesus and were caught by the multitude before and behind him.
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:–“The pilgrims’ greeting on their entrance into Jerusalem at the time of feasts” (greeting and response, Psalms 118:26.) [A company went in front and one behind, as is usual with kings on a march, to afford the greater protection. Each company kept up a shout of “Hosanna; Blessed be he that cometh in the name of Jehovah.” “Hosanna” means “Save, we pray.” It was a quotation from Psalms 118:25-26 : “Save now, we beseech thee, O Jehovah: O Jehovah, we beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of Jehovah.” This was sung by the Jews at the feast of tabernacles, or ingathering. It was a triumphal journey recognizing and proclaiming him King of Israel. Luke (Luke 19:37) says: “And as he was now drawing nigh, even at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen.” John (John 12:12-13) says: “On the morrow a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees, and went forth to meet him.” They went out to Bethany and joined the throng that were there with him, and added to the triumphal shouts of those with Jesus.] So the prophets and apostles call to each other across the ages and sing the antiphonal song of praise to God. Shall our lips be dumb?
Have we no word to speak for him who has redeemed us? And let us try to bless all those his servants who come to us in his name!
10 Blessed is the kingdom that cometh, the kingdom of our father David:–[He was praised as sitting upon the throne of his father David.] The people thought that Christ would set up a political kingdom and that he would be king. This cry of the people shows that they expected Jesus to immediately set up or restore the kingdom of David, and to assume the throne which had been vacant from the time of the Babylonish captivity. Luke (Luke 19:11) states it as a fact, in connection with his departure from Jericho on his journey to Jerusalem, that the multitude who followed him “supposed that the kingdom of God was immediately to appear.” It was the exulting thought of national independence and glory that inspired their acclamations and the same feeling prepared them for the reverse of feeling toward Jesus, which occurred when they found him a prisoner in the hands of Pontius Pilate.
The Jews called David their father because Jesus was his son or descendant. They were looking for the immediate restoration of the throne of David in the Messiah. They had a poor conception of the nature of the kingdom of heaven. To acknowledge Jesus as the “son of David” was to acknowledge him as king.
Hosanna in the highest.–That is, in the highest realms of blessedness, where his salvation will be complete. Alas, how fickle the city that shouted these praises today, and only five days after cried, Crucify him!
11 And he entered into Jerusalem,– [He entered the city. Matthew (Matthew 21:10-11) says: “And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, Who is this? And the multitudes said, This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” The rulers, the priest, the scribes, and Pharisees were jealous of his increasing influence, and watchful to arrest him. Already they had ordered any who knew him to report to them. Now both the priest and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he was he should show it, that they might take him. He also went into the temple.]
into the temple;–The Lord whom they sought had suddenly come to his temple. It remained to be seen how the hierarchy, who taught man to look for him, would receive him when he came. He went probably without a pause straight to the temple. Here he spent the day in observation, preparatory to the cleansing of the temple, which occurred on the day after the triumphal entry. (See verses 12-19.)
and when he had looked round about upon all things,–He was making a thorough inspection of the temple and its surroundings, and of the desecration of its courts, with a view to knowing for himself, as a foundation for the work of the next few days. Having fully satisfied himself of the need of a thorough cleansing of the sanctuary he went out. [He looked round about on what was going on. He was not pleased, but seems to have said nothing then; but on the morrow he returned, saw the traffic and merchandise he had cast out a few years before again flourishing, and cast those conducting it out.]
it being now eventide,–After sunset or near that time.
he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.–Probably to the home of Lazarus, where we leave him to the night’s rest which he will so much need to prepare for the exhausting events of the next day. [This triumphal entry into Jerusalem, with the plaudits and shouts of the multitude in contrast with the vociferous cry for his blood within a few days, when the voices of these friends were completely stilled, if they did not join in the cry, “Crucify!crucify him! Let his blood be on us and on our children,” is a sad commentary on the instability of man. We have many exhibitions of the fickleness of human favor and of the professions of human faith and fidelity to God. We find none more discouraging than those manifested toward Jesus in his personal ministry. The multitudes followed him in his early ministry, but when his teachings appeared hard to them they forsook him in such numbers that he turned to the twelve in a seeming spirit of discouragement and said, “Will ye also go away?” And within less than a week of this triumphal entry into Jerusalem all forsook him. One of his chosen twelve betrayed him to his enemies; the leader, to whom he had given the keys of the kingdom of heaven, denied him, and the multitude cried for his blood.
Alas for the instability of man! Hosanna! praise and glory to God for his forbearance, and long-suffering, and mercy to man!]
Mark 11:12-14
- THE BARREN FIG TREE CURSED
12 And on the morrow,–The day after the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Monday, April 11, A.D. 30. [He arrives at Bethany on Friday, April 8, six days before the Passover feast. The next day a feast is made for him at the house of Lazarus and his sisters. Mary anoints his feet with ointment and wipes them with her hair. Sunday, April 10, he makes his entry into Jerusalem, numbers accompanying him who had come with him from Jericho. Others had come into the city of Jerusalem before the Passover to make ready for the feast, who heard of his coming and went out to meet him. These had come from the communities in which he had done many of his works.
He seems at no time to have had a large following in Jerusalem. The influence of the priests, scribes, and Pharisees was great in Jerusalem, and hindered many from following him.
[We are now within the last six days of the life of Jesus, and during the forty days after his resurrection to his ascension. This period, in one sense, is the most important period of his earthly life. It was the closing period. He was making ready to leave the world. He had come to the world to teach men the way of life, and in these last days he anxiously and impressively delivered his last teaching. He had come to the world to suffer, to die the shameful death of the cross at the hands of those he came to save.
His betrayal, trial, shameful indignities, his condemnation, his crucifixion, death, and burial, with much of his most earnest teaching, were crowded into this eventful week. These, together with his resurrection, appearance to his disciples, and commission to them were among the last of his works on earth. Never were more important truths revealed, nor lessons of greater import to man learned. The space devoted by the four writers of his life to this period of time shows the importance attached to it. Matthew gives from Chapter 21 to the close of the book. Mark from Chapter 10 to close.
Luke from Chapter 19 to close, and John from Chapter 12 to close to the last few weeks of his life up to his ascension. This period stands as the culminating period of his life and of the revelation of God to man. All the Old Testament scriptures were written to prepare the world for Jesus; all foretell of his coming, and of the blessings he would bring to the world. His life would have been meaningless and a failure had he not died, rose again, and ascended to his Father. His resurrection was the crowning proof of his claims to be the Son of God.]
when they were come out from Bethany,–He and his disciples had spent the night at Bethany and were now on their way to Jerusalem. Matthew tells us that it was in “the morning,” the early morning between daybreak and sunrise. Luke (Luke 21:38) states that the people came early in the morning to hear him.
he hungered.–Hunger was a part of his humiliation. This shows the human, not the divine, nature in Jesus. Thus he became perfect through suffering, and able to sympathize with us in every trial. His hunger was marked, and seems to have been intense. It was real hunger.
13 And seeing a fig tree afar off–In the distance. The fig tree was one of the most common and valuable trees of Palestine (Deuteronomy 8:8), and was a symbol of peace and plenty (1 Kings 4:25). Matthew (Matthew 21:19) says: “And seeing a fig tree by the way side.” That is, in the distance, in front of him, standing by the side of the public road.
having leaves,–Its fruit begins to appear before leaves come forth. Having leaves, appearing healthy and luxuriant was a sign it had fruit on it. So they turned aside in search for fruit.
he came, if haply he might find anything thereon:–The meaning is, judging from its appearance, probably it had some ripe fruit on it. We are not to suppose that the Master was ignorant of, or could not have known, the true condition of the tree, but that he intended to teach the disciples and others a needed lesson from it.
and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season of figs.–McGarvey says: “The fact it was not yet fig time made it the worse for this tree. On this kind of tree the fruit forms before the leaves, and should be full grown before the leaves appear: so this tree, by putting on its foliage before the time of figs, was proclaiming itself superior to all the other fig trees. This made it a striking symbol of the hypocrite, who, not content with appearing to be as good as other people, usually puts on the appearance of being a great deal better.” It was barren, and therefore worthless. This was the point Jesus was emphasizing and from which he drew his lesson. Its signs were false, its general appearance deceptive. It was thus an emblem of the hypocrite, and particularly of the Jewish people, with their high professions, their show of ritual and formal worship, without the fruits of righteousness. (Jeremiah 2:21; Luke 13:6-9.) The Jews professed to be worshipers of God–they had all the outside appearance–all the signs, but they were barren of the fruits of righteousness. This was the point Jesus drove home to the J ews.
14 And he answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit from thee henceforward for ever.–There was no vindictive feeling connected with this expression, nor any implied in the word “cursedst” as used by Peter in verse 21. He called this cursing the tree. The word “curse” does not imply here anger, or malice. It means only devoting to this destruction, or this withering away.
And his disciples heard it.–He intended for them to hear it. He spoke it for their benefit. This was the sentence of a judge. The disciples were impressed by it. [Jesus came to this tree and found it had no fruit, green or ripe. It was a barren tree that bore no fruit. So it was useless. He cursed it and dried it up to teach the end of the human beings that bear no fruit to God.]
Mark 11:15-19
- THE TEMPLE CLEARED
(Matthew 21:12-16; Luke 19:45-48)
15 And they come to Jerusalem: and he entered into the temple,–This was on Monday, April 11. This is the second time he enters the temple since reaching Jerusalem. The first was Sunday the day of his triumphal entry. (Verse 11.) On the evening of that day he returned to Bethany and spent the night there. During this entry he only looked around in the temple and saw the abuse of it. But now he enters it for the cleansing that is here recorded. He goes into the temple, not as a worshiper, but as its Lord.
The temple of God, or the temple dedicated and devoted to the service of God, was built on Mount Moriah. The first temple was built by Solomon, about 1005 years before Christ. (1 Kings 6.) He was seven years in building it. (1 Kings 6:38.) David, his father, had contemplated the design of building it, and had prepared many materials for it, but was prevented because he had been a man of war. (1 Chronicles 22:1-9; 1 Kings 5:5.) This temple, erected with great magnificence, remained till it was destroyed by the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar, five hundred and eighty-four years before Christ. (2 Chronicles 36:6-7; 2 Chronicles 36:19.)
and began to cast out them that sold and them that bought in the temple,–In the court of the Gentiles was the temple market, where animals, oil, wine and other things necessary for sacrifices and temple worship were sold. The excuse for allowing this traffic was that it was a convenience for those who came to worship. But what was intended at first for an accommodation became a source of gain and extortion. It was turned into a general traffic and corruption. Jesus cast out both those that sold and them that bought. Those that bought were as guilty of corrupting the temple service as those who bought and sold. From John 2:15 it has been thought that Jesus took a whip and drove those men out. We drive cattle, not men, with whips. The whip was used on the cattle, not on the men.
and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers,–Money was required in the three following ways: (1) Freewill offerings (Mark 12:41;Luke 21:1); (2) to purchase materials for offerings; (3) to pay the yearly temple tax of half a shekel due from every male Jew, rich or poor. All this had to be paid in native coin called the temple shekel, which was not generally current. Jews from a distance had to change their Roman, Greek or Eastern money at the stalls of the money-changers, to obtain the coin required. This trade was diverted into fraudulent practices, which were common.
and the seats of them that sold the doves;–[After coming into the city, he went into the temple, and there (not in the holy place, but in the outer court, a space surrounding the temple proper, called “the court of the Gentiles”), he found men selling cattle and sheep, doves and pigeons, and changing money.]
16 and he would not suffer that any man should carry a vessel through the temple.–Jesus drove all these animals out and cast all these traffickers out of the temple, overthrew the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves, and would not allow any man to carry a vessel through it. He put out all corruption. Thus should churches be cleansed and so kept.
17 And he taught, and said unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? –“My house,” as used and applied here, is the temple which Jesus cleansed. It was God’s earthly dwelling place. Instead of making it a house of prayer they had turned it into a house of traffic and fraud.
but ye have made it a den of robbers.–This declaration was made by Isaiah. (Isaiah 56:6-8.) In Jeremiah’s time the Jews were very corrupt and idolatrous, and, with all their stealing, lying, murder, adultery, and idolatry, they would go to the temple, which was called by God’s name, to stand in his presence and say they would be delivered from their enemies. Then God asked: “Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?” (Jeremiah 7:8-11.) They were the same in Jesus’ day, and were likewise called by him “thieves and robbers.”
The temple then, a house of prayer and worship, was a type of the spiritual temple of God today. “Know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit?” (1 Corinthians 6:19.) “If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.” (1 Corinthians 3:17.) Through “the deceitfulness of riches” (Matthew 13:22) the spiritual temple of God has been profaned. To make appeals to the flesh and its appetites, pride and vanity in order to “raise money for the church” is to defile the temple of God. It was a corrupt and fraudulent traffic, which a corrupt and fraudulent priesthood had permitted to encroach on the worship of God. The priesthood should have kept the corruption out. So it is today;the eldership should watch and keep all unlawful things out of the church..
18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it,–The teaching of verse 17, and the shouts of the children. (Matthew 21:16.) They did not appreciate his popularity nor his doctrine, so they sought to kill him.
and sought how they might destroy him:–They had plotted before to kill him. (John 11:53-57.) Then, as now, how to accomplish it bothered them. This reveals the reason of their artifices to entrap him the next day. (Verses 27-33; Ch. 12.) They realized that their own influence and unlawful gains were endangered by the works, teachings, and influence of Jesus, and they planned to put him out of the way.
for they feared him, for all the multitude was astonished at his teaching.–At its matter, manner, authority, and its accompanying exhibition of divine power. “Never man so spake.” (John 7:46.) “For he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matthew 7:29.) He taught with so great power and authority that the people were awed, and were constrained to obey. Cleansing the temple was a sad comment on the priests and scribes for allowing such things. The truth today will stir up the opposing party so that it will use unfair means to kill the influence of the faithful proclaimer of that truth.
19 And every evening he went forth out of the city.–When his teaching and work of the day was done. Probably, he spent the nights in Bethany. (Verse 11.)
Mark 11:20-26
- THE FIG TREE FOUND
20 And as they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots.–This must have been the first time they had seen it after Jesus pronounced a curse upon it.
21 And Peter calling to remembrance–From this we learn that it was Peter who made the remark attributed by Matthew to the disciples as a body. (Matthew 21:20.)
saith unto him, Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.–Matthew’s record is, “How did the fig tree immediately wither away?” It seems that the disciples were surprised that the tree had died and especially so soon.
22 and Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.–Have a strong abiding faith and confidence in God. A strong belief that he is able to accomplish things even through the weakest and most insignificant agents and means that appear most difficult with perfect ease, as the fig tree was made to wither away by a word. Here we learn that one of the designs of cursing the fig tree as related to the disciples was to strengthen their faith and prepare them for the great trials soon to come upon them.
23 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart,–Faith, doubts, and fears are not located in the fleshly lobe of the breast which pumps the blood through the veins, but in the mind, the intellect. Nothing can be availed when the heart is filled with unbelief and doubt.
but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it.–He must believe that what he says will come to pass. He must have no doubts. No doubt this was literally true, that if they had the miraculous faith they could remove the mountain as easily as Jesus withered the fig tree by a word. God could move the mountain through them as readily as to heal the sick, or raise the dead.
[No faith that will enable people to remove mountains or perform any miracle exists now. The reason is that the day of miracles has passed. “Whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge (miraculous), it shall be done away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.” (1 Corinthians 13:8-10.)]
24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for,–True prayer, either miraculous or common, is always in harmony with God’s will (1 John 5:14), and in the name of Christ (John 14:13).
believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.–This no doubt was very encouraging to his apostles to whom it was spoken. The promise of this verse in connection with prayer and faith relates to all things whatsoever ye pray and ask for.
This faith which Jesus was pointing out to his apostles, a lesson passed upon, and drawn from, the withered fig tree, was something that they would need all through their ministry, and especially under the great trials and darkness of the week before them. This promise was evidently a special one, and given to the apostles in regard to working miracles. To them it was true. But it is manifest that we have no right to apply this promise to ourselves. It was designed especially for the apostles; nor have we a right to turn it from its original meaning. Miraculous faith and miracle working power were gifts of the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11.) Common or justifying and saving faith which is common to all God’s people (Titus 1:4) comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).
The miraculous or uncommon faith which worked miracles and was a gift of the Spirit was limited to inspired men. But the common or saving faith produced by the word of God, common to all God’s people, never did and never will work a miracle. This is the faith that all Christians have today. There is no uncommon or miraculous faith now. This explains why we have no miracles at present.
25 And whensoever ye stand praying,–[I think the word “stand” in this and other passages does not refer to the erect position or mean to stand on the feet. “Stand” has different meanings; the dictionary gives a dozen different senses. One is to stand erect on the feet, as opposed to a prone or sitting or lying posture; the other is to be fixed and permanent, as opposed to being in motion. Standing water is opposed to running water. Then there is standing on the knees, as distinct from standing on the feet; to stand on the knees is the way of standing for prayer. To stand in prayer is to stand on the knees. I doubt if there is a single example in the Bible of a person’s fixing himself for prayer that the kneeling or prostrate position was not assumed.
To stand in prayer, as used in the Bible, does not mean to stand on the feet, but on the knees. Example: “And Solomon stood before the altar of Jehovah in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.” (1 Kings 8:22.) Then followed the prayer he prayed. This standing was upon his knees. Verse 54 says: “And it was so, that, when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto Jehovah, he arose from before the altar of Jehovah, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth toward heaven.” A literal translation of Act 7:60, “He, Stephen knelt down,” is “standing upon the knees.” The hypocrites who stood “in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men” must have stood on the knees. When they stood on their knees and stretched forth their hands toward heaven, people saw that they prayed.]
forgive, if ye have aught against any one;–Ill will or any cause of complaint–all must be forgiven if we expect God to forgive us.
that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.–Our forgiving those who trespass against us opens the way for God to forgive us. Until we do our part the door of forgiveness towards us is closed.
26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses.–This verse, taken from the Authorized Version, is omitted in the American Revised Version. [To forgive a man is to hold him as if he were guiltless. No one can do this until he repents. Until he repents he is guilty. God does not forgive a man until he repents. He cannot hold him guiltless while he persists in his wrong. To overlook a wrong is not to forgive it.
To forgive is to hold him guiltless. While no one can forgive in the sense of holding him guiltless until he repents, yet he must hold himself in a forgiving spirit–ready to forgive when he does repent, and anxious to show him kindness that he may be brought to repentance. God is our example in this. While he could not forgive man in his sin, he loved him, did him kindness, and gave his only begotten Son to die for him, that he might be brought to repentance. When we pray we must forgive those who turn from their trespasses, and pray that those who have not repented may repent that we may forgive them. We are to forgive others as God forgives us.]
Mark 11:27-33
- CHRIST’S
(Matthew 21:23-32; Luke 20:1-8)
27 And they come again to Jerusalem:–This was Tuesday, April 12. On Sunday the Lord entered the city officially. Monday he cleansed the temple and dried up the fig tree. On Tuesday his disciples call his attention to the withered fig tree after which he and they again enter the city.
and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders;–These three classes constitute the Sanhedrin, which was the highest civil and ecclesiastical council of the Jews.
28 And they said unto him, By what authority doest thou these things?–Cleansing the temple, working miracles, teaching and taking charge of things in general.
or who gave thee this authority to do these things?–As he was neither a priest nor a civil ruler, and had not been commissioned either by Caesar or the Sanhedrin, they denied that he had rightful claim to the authority which he exercised.
29 And Jesus said unto them, I will ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.–They had propounded to him two questions, but Jesus proposes but one to them. He does not evade them, but he brings them face to face with a fundamental fact in this discussion, the admission of which would lead them to an irresistible conclusion that God had sent him.
30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? answer me.–They saw, when they considered the question, that if they answered it they would convict themselves. This is a fundamental question. Did John act by the authority of God, or by his own? Was he a true or false prophet?
31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?–They saw immediately that if they took this road they would be in a trap so they turned aside from it.
32 But should we say, From men–they feared the people for all verily held John to be a prophet.–Luke (Luke 20:6) says “All the people will stone us.” They really preferred this answer, and doubtless would have given it, but for fear of the people. They feared to come out against popular opinion and probably a popular tumult. So Jesus had them in a dilemma either way they went. Jesus put the matter clearly before them and left them to take either horn of the dilemma they wished.
33 And they answered Jesus and say, We know not.–This was a falsehood. They did know.
And Jesus saith unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.–Since they turned his question aside unanswered, he felt he was under no obligation to answer them. He exposed their hypocrisy and at the same time made it clear to the people that his authority was the same as John’s.