Does Mark 11:25 Mean We Can’t Pray Until We Forgive Others?

Kevin Walker.

That’s the guy who tackled Bo Jackson, twisting his leg in an awkward way, ending Bo’s career. And simultaneously crushing the world for my 10-year-old self. Given my emotional immaturity, I hated the guy. Held it against him for several years.

Mark 11:25 says,

“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Does that verse mean that if I desire to have no hindrance in my worship, then I need to let my grudge against Kevin Walker go? And if I have to let my grudge against him go – oh, perish the thought – does this mean I can no longer hold a jealous rage in my heart for Tom Brady?

Okay, I’m being a little ridiculous, I’ll admit. I don’t honestly think I gave many waking thoughts to Kevin Walker. Truth is, I’d forgotten his name and had to look it up. But this verse does hold out for us a serious question; do I have to get right with everyone before I can even pray?

What Is the Context of This Verse?

It is usually a good idea to understand the context of a verse before attempting to discern its meaning. The context for this verse, honestly, seems a bit strange on first glance. It’s on the tail end of Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree. How in the world does that relate?

In order to dig into Mark 11:25 we need to step back and understand what Mark is doing with the fig tree and the temple. It’s such a strange story that is even more jolting when set against the backdrop of the triumphal entry.

Mark 11 begins with Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. It’s a climactic moment. Palm branches swaying, Chris Tomlin’s “Jesus Messiah” playing in the background (okay, probably not), but all of his followers are expecting this to be the moment when he establishes his rule and his reign. It’s a bit awkward that he’s coming into town wobbling on a young colt and not a majestic war horse — but Jesus doesn’t always do what they expected.

He and the disciples get into the city, they go to the temple, they look around and then they go out to Bethany. The tension is building. And then it hits a big giant thud. They just go to bed. But the next day, Jesus is hungry, he sees fig tree — advertising sustenance and life — and when he arrives it has nothing but leaves. It outwardly appears life-giving but inwardly, it’s emptiness. He responds by cursing the fig tree.

Then he goes into the temple and clears it out. Everyone who is buying and selling things in the temple, all those who are making it a den of robbers. His words hearken us back to Jeremiah, where we see that those who make the temple a den of robbers are exactly like that fig tree – they are outwardly advertising life and sustenance but inwardly they are consumptive and predatory.

The next morning, after the temple cleansing, Peter sees the withered fig tree and says, “Look! The fig tree you cursed has withered.” And to this Jesus responds with three statements about faith and prayer, one of which is our verse: 

• Faith can move mountains
• Pray in belief
• Pray as one who has forgiven others

How do these three principles about prayer and faith connect with the triumphal entry, the cursed fig tree, and the temple cleansing? If we can answer that question, we can begin to determine the meaning of the verse.

What Is the Meaning of Mark 11:25?

We have already seen that Jesus speaks of the emptiness of the temple system. His cursing of the fig tree is a symbolic cursing of the temple system. But the mission of Jesus is not simply to lay bare a failed religiosity, it’s not only to expose a den of robbers. It is also to restore a house of prayer. Jesus isn’t merely tearing down an old house — He is simultaneously building a new one.

And that is the connection with the preceding. What we see in Mark 11:23-25 is what the new covenant community looks like. Jesus is telling us about the insides, the life-giving insides, of his new temple. David Garland says it well:

“These sayings, however, are integrally related to context. They reveal the essence of the new order that replaces the old. The new order is based on faith in God (11:22) that overcomes insurmountable odds (11:23), is sustained by grace (11:24), and is characterized by forgiveness (11:25).

In the old temple system, it was supposed that one could offer prayer, sacrifices, etc. but have a heart that is inwardly raging against God and man. Of course, that was never God’s intention. But that was how the institution had changed, it is what the temple system had become. Something which was satisfied with outward obedience, with symbols of faith, rather than a vibrant inner faith.

But Jesus is showing that forgiveness is at the heart of His new community. One cannot merely offer outward expressions of religiosity. There needed to be real inward transformation. If you hate your brother while you’re worshipping, or trying to pray, then God isn’t going to accept the sham. He’s after the heart. And this is Jesus’ point.

But what does this mean for our interpersonal relationships? How do they relate to our prayer life?

Do We Have to Be Right with Everyone before We Can Pray?

In one sense, I believe this is exactly what Jesus is saying. 1 Peter 3:7 similarly encourages husbands to live their wives well “so that your prayers may not be hindered.” God takes relationships seriously. He’s not going to allow us to be cozy while we are harboring deep unforgiveness in our hearts towards others.

Having said that, I also believe there is a great misunderstanding within the church today about the nature of forgiveness, reconciliation, and repentance. We have developed a therapeutic and often transactional view of forgiveness which can ultimately be harmful in relationships. And if misapplied, a verse such as Mark 11:25 could be harmful.

There is a difference between a posture of forgiveness and the full-orbed forgiveness which leads to reconciliation. One, the posture of forgiveness does not require repentance in the other person. This is our heart’s disposition of wanting to be reconciled, of not wanting to hold the sin of another against them, of absorbing the weight of their sin, etc. This does not require their repentance.   And it is precisely this type of forgiveness which Jesus is speaking of here in Mark 11:25. We shouldn’t be holding on to bitterness, harshness, unkindness, and the like. We ought to want what is best even for our enemies. That is the ethic of Jesus.

Yet that does not mean we are required to “be right with everyone” before we can pray. In order to “be right with everyone” it requires both parties. And to live in full-fledged reconciliation, repentance is required. This is the type of forgiveness Jesus was talking about when he said in Luke 17:3-4, “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.” Notice the condition. 

Also, consider that we are to forgive as God in Christ has forgiven us. That certainly points to God’s posture of forgiveness towards all of humanity. But are we willing to say that God is reconciled to the entire world — even those who are unrepentant and denying Christ? Repentance is required for reconciliation with God. Why would we think the same is not true for humanity?

A verse like Mark 11:25 is telling us that God takes relationships seriously. We shouldn’t harbor bitterness or a spirit of unforgiveness. When we pray, we should embrace a posture of forgiveness towards everyone.

Will God Not Forgive Us, if We Do Not Forgive Others?

Some textual variants have Mark 11:26 which speaks of God not forgiving us if we don’t forgive others. It’s likely not original to Mark’s gospel. But the concept itself is certainly authentic to the teaching of Christ. Matthew 6:15 and Matthew 18:35 aren’t disputed texts.

This might seem that God is transactional in his forgiveness — as if his forgiveness depends upon something within us. Once again, we’re back to our discussion of the nature of forgiveness. God’s posture of forgiveness is present. But living in the reconciliation of forgiveness requires our repentance. And it appears that our willingness to forgive others also is connected to God’s forgiveness of us.

Why?

Because to not extend forgiveness (the posture of forgiveness) to others is to not receive it for ourselves.

How Should We Apply This Verse to Our Everyday Lives?

None of what has been said here about the posture of forgiveness vs. living in full-fledged reconciliation is meant to diminish the necessity of the former. These words of J.C. Ryle should be heeded:

“Let these truths sink down deeply into our hearts. It is a melancholy fact that there are few Christian duties so little practiced as that of forgiveness. It is sad to see how much bitterness, unmercifulness, spite, harshness, and unkindness there is among men. Yet there are few duties so strongly enforced in the New Testament Scriptures as this duty is, and few the neglect of which so clearly shuts a man out of the kingdom of God."

Perhaps some of our prayer life has fizzled because we are harboring bitterness in our hearts. If that is the case, we should obey Jesus’ words here. We should consider the depth of the gospel, think about our own sin and forgiveness, and embrace a posture of forgiveness towards those whom we have something against.

Or in the case of my own beef with Kevin Walker, sometimes we should consider what’s actually significant. Many of the things which cause friction in our relationships are insignificant and can be covered in love. It’s not worth holding onto. We do well to let go and embrace forgiveness. Jesus’ words here are also meant for our own good. Bitterness will eat us alive.

Source
David E. Garland, Mark, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 441.

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