Mark 11

The Triumphal Entry

1 And when they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples

2 and said to them, "Go into the village before you, and right away [as you] enter into it you will find a colt tied, on which no one [has] ever sat. Untie it and bring [it].

3 And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say 'The Lord has need of it, and will send it here again at once.'"

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

5 And some of those who were standing there said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?"

6 So they told them, just as Jesus had said, and they allowed them [to take it].

7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, and he sat on it.

8 And many [people] spread their cloaks on the road, and others [spread] leafy branches [they] had cut from the fields.

9 And those who went ahead and those who were following were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed [is] the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

10 Blessed [is] the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest [heaven]!"

11 And he went into Jerusalem to the temple, and [after] looking around at everything, [because] the hour was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

A Barren Fig Tree Cursed

12 And on the next day [as] they were departing from Bethany, he was hungry.

13 And [when he] saw from a distance a fig tree that had leaves, he went [to see] if perhaps he would find anything on it. And [when he] came up to it he found nothing except leaves, because it was not the season for figs.

14 And he responded [and] said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you any more {forever}!" And his disciples heard [it].

The Cleansing of the Temple

15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered into the temple [courts] [and] began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple [courts], and overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling doves.

16 And he did not permit anyone to carry objects through the temple [courts].

17 And he began to teach and was saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations,' but you have made it a cave of robbers!"

18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard [it], and began considering how they could destroy him. For they were afraid of him because the whole crowd was astounded by his teaching.

19 And when evening came they went out of the city.

The Barren Fig Tree Withered

20 And [as they] passed by early in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.

21 And Peter remembered [and] said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered!"

22 And Jesus answered [and] said to them, "Have faith in God!

23 Truly I say to you that whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be [done] for him.

24 For this [reason] I say to you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received [it], and it will be [done] for you.

25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive [him], so that your Father who [is] in heaven will also forgive you your sins."

Jesus’ Authority Challenged

27 And they came again to Jerusalem. And [as] he was walking in the temple [courts], the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came up to him

28 and said to him, "By what authority are you doing these [things], or who gave you this authority that you do these [things]?"

29 So Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question. Answer me and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these [things].

30 The baptism of John--was [it] from heaven or from men? Answer me!"

31 And they began to discuss [this] with one another, saying, "What should we say? If we say 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'

32 But if we say, 'From men'"--they were afraid of the crowd, because they all looked upon John {as truly a prophet}.

33 And they replied to Jesus saying, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these [things]."

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here "[as]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("enter") which is understood as temporal
• [b]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [c]. Some manuscripts omit "that" after "say" here; though understood to be present in the underlying Greek text, it introduces direct discourse here and is left untranslated, functioning much like English quotation marks
• [d]. The phrase "[to take it]" is not in the Greek text, but is implied
• [e]. *Here the verb "[spread]" is an understood repetition of the verb earlier in this verse
• [f]. *Here the participle "had cut" has been translated as a finite verb; it agrees in number, gender, and case with "others," so "[they]' has been supplied to indicate this
• [g]. *Here "heaven" is understood
• [h]. *Here "[after]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("looking around") which is understood as temporal
• [i]. *Here "[because]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("was") which is understood as causal
• [j]. *Here "[as]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("were departing")
• [k]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("saw") which is understood as temporal
• [l]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("came up") which is understood as temporal
• [m]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("responded") has been translated as a finite verb
• [n]. Literally "for the age"
• [o]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [p]. *Here "[courts]" is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
• [q]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("entered") has been translated as a finite verb
• [r]. *Here "[courts]" is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
• [s]. Or "merchandise"
• [t]. *Here "[courts]" is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
• [u]. The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began to teach")
• [v]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [w]. The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began considering")
• [x]. *Here "[as]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("passed by") which is understood as temporal
• [y]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("remembered") has been translated as a finite verb
• [z]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("answered") has been translated as a finite verb
• [aa]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [ab]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [ac]. Most later Greek manuscripts add v. 26 after v. 25, "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your sins"
• [ad]. *Here "[as]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("was walking")
• [ae]. *Here "[courts]" is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
• [af]. The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began to discuss")
• [ag]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [ah]. Some manuscripts omit "What should we say?"
• [ai]. Literally "that he was truly a prophet"