Frameworks:
Mark's Gospel chapter 11
(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for verse-by-verse study or meditation. To focus each
verse we have also added in italic a description of what is happening)
CHAPTER
11
v.1-7
Jesus Prepares to come to Jerusalem
v.8-11
Jesus is welcomed into the city as king
v.12-14
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree
v.15-19
Jesus Clears the Temple Courts
v.20-25
Jesus teaches on faith
v.26-33
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
v.1-7
Jesus Prepares to come to Jerusalem
v.1,2
(Jesus instructs disciples to find a colt)
As they approached Jerusalem and
came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus
sent two of his disciples,
saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just
as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one
has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
v.
3 (he paves the way)
If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you
doing this?' say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here
shortly.' ”
v.
4,5 (they go and it happens)
They went and found a colt outside
in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some
people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that
colt?”
v.
6 (they give Jesus' answer)
They answered as Jesus had told them
to, and the people let them go.
v.
7 (they bring the colt) When
they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it,
he sat on it.
v.8-11
Jesus is welcomed into the city as king
v.
8 (the crowds lay out the
road) Many people spread their
cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut
in the fields.
v.
9,10 (they herald him as the
expected king) Those who went
ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he
who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom
of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
v.
11 (Jesus enters Jerusalem,
looks around and leaves) Jesus
entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around
at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany
with the Twelve.
v.12-14
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree
v.
12 (leaving their overnight
stop Jesus is hungry) The next
day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.
v.
13 (he sees a fruitless fig
tree) Seeing in the distance
a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When
he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not
the season for figs.
v.
14 (he curses the tree)
Then he said to the tree, “May
no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And
his disciples heard him say it.
v.15-19
Jesus Clears the Temple Courts
v.
15,16 (back in Jerusalem he
clears out the temple courts) On
reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began
driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned
the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling
doves, and would not
allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.
v.
17 (he cites Isaiah and Jeremiah)
And as he taught them, he said,
“Is it not written: ‘My house
will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? (Isa
56:7) But you have made
it ‘a den of robbers.'” (Jer 7:11)
v.
18 (the authorities are upset
and plan to kill him) The chief priests
and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a
way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd
was amazed at his teaching.
v.
19 (he leaves the city)
When evening came, Jesus and his
disciples went out of the city.
v.20-25
Jesus teaches on faith
v.
20 (next morning the fig tree
is withered) In the morning,
as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.
v.
21 (Peter points it out)
Peter remembered and said to Jesus,
“Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”
v.
22 (Jesus speaks of faith)
“Have faith in God,” Jesus
answered.
v.
23 (he gives an example)
“Truly I tell you, if anyone
says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and
does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say
will happen, it will be done for them.
v.
24 (he teaches how to pray)
Therefore I tell you, whatever you
ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will
be yours.
v.
25 (make sure you forgive
people) And when you stand praying,
if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your
Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
(Notes:
the fig tree is used to illustrate the Jewish nation. The tree
has done nothing wrong but is simply used as a prophetic illustration
of what will happen to Israel in the days to come. On the matter
of moving mountains, faith comes from hearing (Rom 10:17) so when
you are sure you have heard God you will be able to perform miracles)
v.26-33
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
v.
27 (back in Jerusalem Jesus
is approached by the authorities) They
arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the
temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and
the elders came to him.
v.
28 (they challenge his authority)
“By what authority are you doing
these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”
v.29
(Jesus poses a question ) Jesus
replied, “I will ask
you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority
I am doing these things.
v.
30 (he asks about why John
baptised) John's baptism—was
it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!”
v.
31,32 (they realise their
dilemma) They discussed it among
themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,' he will ask, ‘Then
why didn't you believe him?' But
if we say, ‘Of human origin' …” (They feared the people, for everyone
held that John really was a prophet.)
v.
33 (they refuse so Jesus refuses)
So they answered Jesus, “We don't
know.” Jesus said, “Neither
will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”