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Mark 11

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The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem 1–11

1
And when they draw nigh unto Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth two of his disciples, ​
2
and saith unto them, Go your way into the village that is over against you: and straightway as ye enter into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon no man ever yet sat; loose him, and bring him. ​
3
And if any one say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye, The Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him back hither. ​
4
And they went away, and found a colt tied at the door without in the open street; and they loose him.
5
And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?
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And they said unto them even as Jesus had said: and they let them go.
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And they bring the colt unto Jesus, and cast on him their garments; and he sat upon him.
8
And many spread their garments upon the way; and others branches, which they had cut from the fields.
9
And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: ​
10
Blessed is the kingdom that cometh, the kingdom of our father David: Hosanna in the highest.
11
And he entered into Jerusalem, into the temple; and when he had looked round about upon all things, it being now eventide, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. ​

The Cursing of the Fig Tree 12–14

12
And on the morrow, when they were come out from Bethany, he hungered.
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And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season of figs. ​
14
And he answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit from thee henceforward for ever. And his disciples heard it.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple 15–19

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And they come to Jerusalem: and he entered into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and them that bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves; ​
16
and he would not suffer that any man should carry a vessel through the temple.
17
And he taught, and said unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? but ye have made it a den of robbers. ​
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And the chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, for all the multitude was astonished at his teaching. ​
19
And every evening he went forth out of the city.

The Lesson on Faith and Forgiveness 20–26

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And as they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots.
21
And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
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And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. ​
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Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. ​
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Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
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And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. ​
26
Not present in the manuscripts this translation follows.

The Authority of Jesus Questioned 27–33

27
And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders;
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and they said unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? or who gave thee this authority to do these things? ​
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And Jesus said unto them, I will ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
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The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? answer me. ​
31
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?
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But should we say, From men—they feared the people: for all verily held John to be a prophet.
33
And they answered Jesus and say, We know not. And Jesus saith unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Mark 11

Verse 1

Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives — Bethany is where Jesus lodges through this week (11:11–12; 14:3). The mount of Olives is the mountain of Zech 14:4, where the LORD's 'feet shall stand in that day… which is before Jerusalem on the east'. He sends two disciples ahead, the same pairing as the sending in 6:7.

Verse 2

a colt tied, whereon never man sat — Polos is a young animal, and John quotes Zech 9:9 for this ride, 'thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt' (John 12:14–15). Animals 'upon which never came yoke' were those chosen for holy use, as the red heifer (Num 19:2) and the kine that drew the ark (1 Sam 6:7).

Verse 3

the Lord hath need of him — 'Lord' is kyrios, and the answer is given as a message, not as an argument. The owners 'let them go' as Jesus had said (vv.5–6), the two ways being met 'by the door without' (v.4). Mark uses the same title in 12:36–37, 'David therefore himself calleth him Lord'.

Verse 9

Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord — Hosanna is the Hebrew of Ps 118:25, 'Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD', by now a cry of acclaim. The next line is Ps 118:26, and v.10 adds 'the kingdom of our father David'. The same Psalm supplies the stone 'rejected' in 12:10.

Verse 11

looked round about upon all things — Periblepo, to look all around, is Mark's verb for the look of Jesus (3:5, 3:34, 5:32, 10:23). Here it falls on the temple, and nothing is done until the morrow (vv.12, 15). Malachi had said, 'the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple' (Mal 3:1).

Verse 13

he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet — Mark states the season himself. A fig tree seen for fruit and found with leaves only is a picture the prophets use: 'nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade' (Jer 8:13), 'my soul desired the firstripe fruit' (Mic 7:1), and the owner 'seeking fruit' in Luke 13:6–9.

Verse 15

the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves — Kollybistes, a changer of coin, is used only here, in Matt 21:12 and in John 2:15. Doves were the offering of those who could not bring a lamb (Lev 5:7; Luke 2:24). John 2:13–16 records a similar act at an earlier Passover.

Verse 17

My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer — Isa 56:7 reads 'for all people', after promising the 'sons of the stranger' a place in it (56:6); of the three Gospels only Mark keeps 'of all nations'. 'Thieves' is lestes, a brigand, as of Barabbas (John 18:40) and the two crucified with him (Mark 15:27). Jeremiah's words are 'a den of robbers' (Jer 7:11).

Verse 18

sought how they might destroy him — 'Destroy' is apollymi, as in the plot of 3:6. The scribes and chief priests 'feared him' for the people's sake (12:12). 'Astonished at his doctrine' repeats 1:22, 'astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority'; ekplesso is also the word of 7:37.

Verse 22

Have faith in God — The answer to Peter's remark that the cursed fig tree 'is withered away' (v.21). The object of faith is named, the God of whom Jesus said 'all things are possible to him that believeth' (9:23). Jehoshaphat's charge is the same in kind: 'Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established' (2 Chr 20:20).

Verse 23

shall not doubt in his heart — 'Doubt' is diakrino, to be divided within, rendered 'wavering' in James 1:6 and used of Abraham, who 'staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief' (Rom 4:20). The saying about 'this mountain' appears with the mustard seed in Matt 17:20 and as 'remove mountains' in 1 Cor 13:2.

Verse 25

forgive, if ye have ought against any — Aphiemi, to let go, is the verb for the forgiveness asked and for the forgiveness given. The saying agrees with Matt 6:14–15 and with the petition 'forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors' (Matt 6:12). Standing was the usual posture of prayer (1 Sam 1:26; Luke 18:11).

Verse 28

By what authority doest thou these things? — 'Authority' is exousia, the word of 1:22, 'as one that had authority', and of 1:27. It is asked by 'the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders' (v.27), the three groups named in 8:31 and 14:53. The things in question are the entry and the temple (vv.9–17).

Verse 30

The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? — 'Baptism' (baptisma) stands for John's whole work, 'the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins' (1:4). The reasoning in vv.31–32 shows why they cannot answer: 'all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed'. 'From heaven' is the phrase of the sign demanded in 8:11.