Mark 11:12-26

We now come to a point in Mark where we tackle two of the harder stories to dissect in the Book of Mark.

First, one of the two only destruction miracles that we know Jesus performed.

Two, what seems like a very out of character action by Jesus in turning over the tables in the temple.

Some have looked at these stories without studying the context of what and who Jesus is and was and have thought to themselves that these both were out of fits of anger.

But what we see here is very different than that.

Let’s jump in and read…

Mark 11:12–26 ESV

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it. 15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. 19 And when evening came they went out of the city. 20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 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.”

Our Lord’s condemning the tree and the cleansing of the temple were both symbolic acts that illustrated the sad spiritual condition of the nation of Israel. In spite of it’s many privileges and opportunities, Israel was outwardly fruitless (the tree) and inwardly corrupt (the temple).

It is in fact unusual for Jesus to act in judgment...

John 3:17 ESV

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Yet, there comes a time when this is the only thing God can do.

Cursing the fig tree (vv. 12-14, 20-26)

FIG TREE: Produces leaves in March or April and then starts to bear fruit in June, with another crop in August and possibly a third in Dec.

Mark (2. The Cursing of the Fig Tree (11:12–14, 20–25))

Mark’s statement “it was not the season for figs” alerts the reader/ hearer to look for symbolic meaning

There are two lessons Jesus teaches from the fig tree

There is a lesson on failure: Israel had failed to be fruitful for God.

In the OT, the fig tree is associated with the Nation of Israel.

Jeremiah 8:13 ESV

13 When I would gather them, declares the Lord, there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree; even the leaves are withered, and what I gave them has passed away from them.”

Israel had nothing but leaves.

Notice that in Mark 11:20 we see that.

Something to take of note,

Whenever an individual or a group “dries up” spiritually, it is usually from the roots.

GOD IS SEEKING FRUIT FROM HIS PEOPLE. And for us to be fruitless in sin.

We must carefully cultivate our spiritual roots and not settle for “leaves”

2. Jesus also used this miracle to teach us a lesson on faith.

Now, the next morning the disciples notice the dead tree, Jesus says…

“Have faith in God.”

----> “Constantly be trusting in God; live in an attitude of dependence on Him.”

Jewish Imagery, a mountain signified something strong and immovable, a problem that stands in the way. (Zech 4:7)

PRAYER:

Not the only lesson Jesus has given on prayer. Shouldn’t isolate it from the rest of scripture.

Prayer must be in the will of God (1 John 5:14-15)

Must be abiding in the love of God.

Prayer is not an emergency measure that we turn to when we have a problem. REAL PRAYER is a part of our constant communion with God and worship of God.

Nor should we interpret Mark 11:24 to mean, “If you pray hard enough and really believe, God is obligate to answer your prayers, no matter what you ask.”

This is not faith in God, it’s faith in faith, or faith in feelings.

TRUE FAITH IS BASED ON HIS WORD. HIS WORD REVEALS TO US HIS WILL.

“The purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven, but to get God’s will done on earth.”

True prayer involves forgiveness as well as faith. (Matt. 5:21-26; 6:14-15; 18:15-35)

Cleansing the temple (vv. 15-19)

This was not the first time. Jesus had already done this during His first Passover visit. (John 2:13-22)

But the results had been temporary.

It was not too long before the religious leaders aloud the merchants back in.

The priest recieved their share of the profits.

It was also convenient.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: The Servant in Jerusalem (Mark 11:1–12:44)

Suppose a foreign Jew carried his own sacrifice with him and then discovered that it was rejected because of some blemish? The money rates were always changing, so the men who exchanged foreign currency were doing the visitors a favor, even though the merchants were making a generous profit. It was easy for them to rationalize the whole enterprise.

Another point here is that this religious market was set up right in the court of Gentiles. THE ONE PLACE where the Jews should have been busy doing serious missionary work.

Even though most Gentiles wouldn’t want anything to do with the Gentile Court, worshipping the True God, there was still a place for them.

The court of Gentiles should have been a place for praying, but it was instead a place for preying and paying.

Mark especially mentions those who were selling pigeons. --- one of the few sacrifices that the poor could afford.

Even the poor people were being victimized.

Jesus here quotes from two passages to defend what he has done in the temple…

Isaiah 56:7 CSB

7 I will bring them to my holy mountain and let them rejoice in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

Jeremiah 7:11 CSB

11 Has this house, which bears my name, become a den of robbers in your view? Yes, I too have seen it. This is the Lord’s declaration.

Jesus here has exposed the sins of the religious leaders. They looked at it as a place of sacrifice to mark off a box, or a place of enterprise. But Jesus looked at it as a place of prayer.

What was really going on was…

The chief priests and scribes were using the temple and its religious services to “cover up” their sin and hypocrisy.

Both Isaiah (Isa. 1:10–17) and Jeremiah (Jer. 7:1–16) had warned the people of their day that the presence of the physical temple was no guarantee of blessing from God.

It was what the people did in the temple from their hearts that was really important. The nation had not heeded the warning of the prophets, nor would they heed our Lord’s warning.

AND SO THEY CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR A WAY TO CAPTURE JESUS AND EVENTUALLY MURDER HIM.

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Before we quickly condemn the Jewish religious leaders for their sins, we should examine our own lives to see if perhaps we are making merchandise of the Gospel.

Do the outsiders in our community think of our church buildings as houses of prayer?

Are all nations welcomed there?

Do we as church members flee to church on Sundays in an attempt to cover up our sins?

Do we “go to church” in order to maintain our reputation or to worship and glorify God?

If the Lord Jesus were to show up in our house of worship, what changes would He make?