Mark 11

The Triumphal Entry

1 ¹As they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and ²Bethany, near ³the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples,

2 and said to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one * yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here.

3 "If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' you say, 'The Lord has need of it'; and immediately he will send it back here."

4 They went away and found a colt tied at the door, outside in the street; and they untied it.

5 Some of the bystanders * were saying to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?"

6 They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission.

7 ⁴They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it.

8 And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.

9 Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting: "Hosanna! ⁵BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;

10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna ⁶in the highest!"

11 ⁷Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, ⁸He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.

12 ⁹On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry.

13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

14 He said to it, "May no one ever * eat fruit from you again!" And His disciples were listening.

Jesus Drives Money Changers from the Temple

15 ¹⁰Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves;

16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.

17 And He began to teach and say to them, "Is it not written, '¹¹MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS '? ¹²But you have made it a ROBBERS' DEN."

18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and ¹³began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for ¹⁴the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

19 ¹⁵When evening came, they would go out of the city.

20 ¹⁶As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up.

21 Being reminded, Peter said to Him, "¹⁷Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered."

22 And Jesus answered saying to them, "¹⁸Have faith in God.

23 "¹⁹Truly I say to you, whoever * says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.

24 "Therefore * I say to you, ²⁰all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

25 "Whenever you ²¹stand praying, ²²forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.

26 [ "²³But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions."]

Jesus' Authority Questioned

27 They came again to Jerusalem. ²⁴And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him,

28 and began saying to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?"

29 And Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30 "Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me."

31 They began reasoning among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Then why * did you not believe him?'

32 "But shall we say, 'From men '?"-they were afraid of the people, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet.

33 Answering Jesus, they said, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

PREVIOUS Mark 10 NEXT Mark 12

Images for Mark 11

Mark 11 Commentary

Chapter 11

Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. (1-11) The barren fig-tree cursed, The temple cleansed. (12-18) Prayer in faith. (19-26) The priests and elders questioned concerning John the Baptist. (27-33)

Verses 1-11 Christ's coming into Jerusalem thus remarkably, shows that he was not afraid of the power and malice of his enemies. This would encourage his disciples who were full of fear. Also, that he was not disquieted at the thoughts of his approaching sufferings. But all marked his humiliation; and these matters teach us not to mind high things, but to condescend to those of low estate. How ill it becomes Christians to take state, when Christ was so far from claiming it! They welcomed his person; Blessed is he that cometh, the "He that should come," so often promised, so long expected; he comes in the name of the Lord. Let him have our best affections; he is a blessed Saviour, and brings blessings to us, and blessed be He that sent him. Praises be to our God, who is in the highest heavens, over all, God blessed for ever.

Verses 12-18 Christ looked to find some fruit, for the time of gathering figs, though it was near, was not yet come; but he found none. He made this fig-tree an example, not to the trees, but to the men of that generation. It was a figure of the doom upon the Jewish church, to which he came seeking fruit, but found none. Christ went to the temple, and began to reform the abuses in its courts, to show that when the Redeemer came to Zion, it was to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. The scribes and the chief priests sought, not how they might make their peace with him, but how they might destroy him. A desperate attempt, which they could not but fear was fighting against God.

Verses 19-26 The disciples could not think why that fig-tree should so soon wither away; but all wither who reject Christ; it represented the state of the Jewish church. We should rest in no religion that does not make us fruitful in good works. Christ taught them from hence to pray in faith. It may be applied to that mighty faith with which all true Christians are endued, and which does wonders in spiritual things. It justifies us, and so removes mountains of guilt, never to rise up in judgment against us. It purifies the heart, and so removes mountains of corruption, and makes them plain before the grace of God. One great errand to the throne of grace is to pray for the pardon of our sins; and care about this ought to be our daily concern.

Verses 27-33 Our Saviour shows how near akin his doctrine and baptism were to those of John; they had the same design and tendency, to bring in the gospel kingdom. These elders did not deserve to be taught; for it was plain that they contended not for truth, but victory: nor did he need to tell them; for the works he did, told them plainly he had authority from God; since no man could do the miracles which he did, unless God were with him.