Mark 11:1-11
It's easy to imagine the anticipation of those traveling with Jesus. At this point we know the apostles are with him and the text leads us to believe there are others, but we don't know how many. As Jerusalem drew near, Jesus sent two disciple to retrieve the colt that he would use to enter Jerusalem. Why ride a colt? This is a sign associated with the messiah.
9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)
They were discovered taking the donkey as Jesus anticipated; in responding as directed, they were allowed to continue on. We can only speculate as to whether Jesus had already established this with the owner beforehand, or if it was a more supernatural occurrence. It was amazing that he could ride an unbroken colt.
Jesus sat on the donkey and made His way to the city. This was hardly the entrance they anticipated. A triumphal entry wasn't something unusual for folks; great leaders entered with pomp, with armies or followers surrounding them. Conquering generals had their army, the booty and sometimes prisoners with them. A triumphal entry would draw a crowd. People would come to see and maybe join in – some joining in because every body else was doing it, not even knowing who they were. Many spread their cloths on the road, this was an act of political allegiance. These people expected Jesus to rise up in power, take authority and rule them. Those waving palm branches and laying them on the road were doing this in festal tradition consistent with Leviticus 23:40. Some led this procession and others followed, all crying out Hosanna! This is a cry of adoration meaning "save us". This is a quote from Psalm 118:23-24. In blessing the kingdom of David, they are again presuming Jesus is taking the throne.
Then Jesus entered the temple. This another sign, a fulfillment of prophecy:
"Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,"
Says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:1)
Then, in the most anticlimactic fashion, Mark tells us, Jesus looked around and left the city. After all the fanfare and hoopla, after all the expectations and anticipation, He simply left the city and went back to Bethany.
Mark 11:12-14
This is a passage that frustrates and challenges the beliefs of many. This is called a destructive miracle and many say it is inconsistent with Jesus. They see this as an innocent plant in which Jesus took out His anger on. I'm not sure a plant can be innocent, but I do know who created that plant and it was His to use as He saw fit. I think this passage frustrates and spoils the idea of a meek and mild Jesus who just loves everyone with no idea of justice, obedience, ethic or morality. Jesus is consistent with God the Father and God the Spirit; He is just, holy, righteous, along with loving. He is the propitiation, but also the just judge.
Jesus cursed the fig tree. The presence of leaves promised fruit that wasn't present. There was the appearance of productivity, but in reality, there was none. The fig tree was a picture of Israel. This is the only instance where Jesus uses his power to destroy something in nature. What happens when we aren't productive? The fig tree dries up from the roots – see verse 20.
Mark 11:15-19
It was Passover and the city was flooded with people coming to celebrate. The focal point of the crowd was the temple itself. Jesus drove the moneychangers and vendors from the temple. The system of the temple was corrupt and took advantage of people. Your offering had to be accepted by the High Priest before it was offered. If you brought your own animal a great distance you ran the risk of it not being accepted. The animals being sold were already pre-approved, especially since these guys had paid the High Priest to be able to sell or he was getting a cut. So, for a small fee, they could buy a pre-approved sacrifice. The standards God put in place regarding the sacrifice (Lev 1:3) were being set aside and overlooked for profit.
With people coming from many different countries and regions, they brought numerous currencies. The temple had established their own currency and only that was accepted; of course they set the exchange rate for this money. The money changers changed these other currencies to temple coin. This was business as usual in the temple. The temple was to be a house of prayer for all nations per Isaiah 56:7. They had made it a den of robbers. Jesus is saying they made God's house a haven for the dishonest. This was a direct slap to them. One would expect to find a high view of God at the temple, but that had been lost. The temple was no longer viewed as holy.
Mark 11:20-26
This passage is the other half of the fig tree – temple – fig tree passage. They were surprised to see the fig tree dried up, from the root up. The use of the word 'withered away' is reminiscent of the stony ground in the parable of soils; some seed sprouted up quickly but had no depth of soil and withered away because they had no root. The withering of the fig tree has the appearance of stony ground and pictures the temple itself.
Jesus uses this withered fig as an opportunity to teach, but what does a withered fig have to do with having faith in God. Casting a mountain into the sea is about as hard as putting a camel through the eye of a needle; it's a metaphor for the impossible. Yet, by faith in God, the impossible is possible. Faith starts with belief and plays out by the approach to God for this need, with the expectation and understanding of its possibility.
- The fig tree was cursed; it had all the signs of being productive but it bore no fruit. It's appearance meant nothing, it only offered false hope.
- Likewise, the temple. It had all the signs of being productive. Yet it bore no fruit. The culture had come to belief this was where God's redemptive work was happening. Yet, it not only offered false hope, it was being used incorrectly.
- Faith in the temple, in the priests, in the sacrifices offered, did nothing. All were patterns, types and shadows of the reality of Jesus Christ.
- Jesus did not as much cleanse the temple, as condemn the work that was happening there. It was to be a house of prayer; it was instead the home of thieves. His actions were minor disruption to the temple just by the shear size of the temple, most would not have noticed. However, it had major significance; not because of what He did, but because of who did it.
- It was 'pretend fruit' to make sinful men feel better about the sinful lives. If the temple work no longer glorified God; if it wasn't producing fruit; If it wasn't a place to worship and abide on the way to the kingdom of God, then it was merely a comfortable place from which to go to hell.
- God had come to earth to complete the redemption of mankind – but He wasn't welcomed in the very place that was supposed to be the focal point of His worship. They instead 'sought how they might destroy Him'. Amazing!
- The fig tree dried up at the roots and withered becomes the example of the temple, dried up at the roots, producing nothing useful, bearing no fruit. It is withered and will be destroyed!
- The real temple of the Lord would also be withered on the cross but raised again in three days. This is where faith should be focused; this would be the center of worship, and the one time, complete redemptive work of mankind.
- The Jews saw the temple as permanent, unable to be destroyed; as a mountain that could not be cast into the sea; as impossible as raising a dead man to new life. The impossible was about to be done. God's law and the temple service was to point to Jesus; what Christ would do was complete and fulfill what was foreshadowed a zillion times by the priests at the temple. Yahweh moved the spotlight from the temple; as it withered away, Jesus would become prominent.
- Our approach to God should not be running a gauntlet of obstacles though the temple court appeasing money changers and priests. Our approach to God is by faith. It is in prayer we meet God with our faith. And we waste our words if we come with an unforgiving heart. How can we receive forgiveness when we are stony ground that will not bear fruit and wither us.
Note: Casting a mountain into a see was an expression related to a metaphor used of great rabbis and spiritual leaders. "The rooter up of mountains" was one who could solve difficult problems.
Mark 11:27-33
The triumphal entry was an indication of Jesus authority; the fact that Jesus was of the Davidic line was probably known by these men. They weren't so much worried about what He did, but what right He had to do so and who granted that right.
The scribes and elders came to trap him and embarrass him not get legitimate answers to questions. They were also trying to win favor back with the people. Jesus had a test of His own in mind. They had to make a choice; was John's baptism of heaven or men?
- If they said of men: The people believed John was a prophet so if they said "of men" they would alienate themselves from the people who looked at them as the authority. If John's baptism was of men, then they would also be justified in accusing Jesus.
- If they said of heaven: If they would have said "of heaven" then Jesus would ask them why they didn't listen to him. This would be a confession that John's baptism, and Jesus authority were both divinely inspired. While this answer would make them popular with the people, it threatened their authority and sway over the people.
One answer legitimized Jesus and John; the other disqualified them among the people. It was a lose lose situation for them. This is what happens when we challenge God's plans. The only answer is to stop, turn around (repent) before proceeding any further away from Him.
The source of the authority of Jesus is the same source as the authority bringing the baptism of John. These guys trapped themselves by confronting God. Since they couldn't tell Jesus an answer, He wouldn't give them one. God won't teach us a new truth until we accept the old (or previous) truth.
©2018 Doug Ford
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