New Testament Commentary - Mark 11

by Don R. Hender


Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
           CHAPTER 11

Christ rides into Jerusalem amid shouts of Hosanna—He curses a fig tree, drives the moneychangers from the temple, and discomfits the scribes on the matter of authority.

  1 AND when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,
  2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
  3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
 1a D&C 128:20;
 2a Mark 9:2 (2-13);
     Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14;
     2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19);
     TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
  4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
  5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?
  6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.
 1a D&C 128:20;
 2a Mark 9:2 (2-13);
     Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14;
     2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19);
     TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
  7 And they brought the acolt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
  8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
 1a D&C 128:20;
 2a Mark 9:2 (2-13);
     Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14;
     2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19);
     TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
  9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; aBlessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
  10 aBlessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
  11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
 1a D&C 128:20;
 2a Mark 9:2 (2-13);
     Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14;
     2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19);
     TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
  12 ¶ And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
  13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
  14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever.a And his disciples heard it.

 14a No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever Often the witnesses to an event will put about it their own subjective interpretations when they write their record concernng the events. Of course Jesus housed in his temporal body would feel hunger, pain, frustration and even anger. But those feelings being highly controlled by the spirit, would not been the same motivations behind actions as what would be those of one not in control of himself. Thus the question, despite the fact that the fig tree seasonally for about 3 years had not produced fruit, exactly what motivated Jesus to destory it. In other words, what did Jesus have against that poor fig tree?

Did Jesus actually take his anger and frustration out on this poor fig tree, which did have a spirit of life in it? Or were there lessons to be learned from the Lord's actions against the tree. Lesson 1) Like the parable of the talents, the unfruitful will be destroyed.

But that was not the complete immediate lesson. Matthew's account, in which Matthew tell that the fig tree was immediately 'withered away' (Matthew 21:20), there is another lesson to be had. In both accounts the apostles were amazed and marvelled that by the the command of Jesus' voice the thing was done. Thus Lesson 2) as in Matthew 21:21 and Mark 11:23, comes the more pointed lesson. That is by the action of 'priesthood power exercised by faith' even all the elements do obey, as even mountains may be so removed even as the fig tree was whithered away.

Thus by small actions Jesus did teach great lessons. The restoration of sight, the restoring of a whithered arm and hand, the calming of the sea, the walking on water, and now this direct pointed lesson that they by that priesthood power by faith, have the power to command the elements of the earth and they must obey even unto the literal moving of mountains. Jesus didn't take his anger out on a fruitless fig tree. Jesus was teaching his apostles their final week's lessons, as after his death, they would be the ones possessing this same power over the elements as they would command and the elements would obey!

 1a D&C 128:20;
 2a Mark 9:2 (2-13);
     Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14;
     2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19);
     TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
  15 ¶ And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
  16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
  17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
  18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might adestroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
  19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.
  20 ¶ And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the rootsa.
  21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
  22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have afaith in God.
  23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not adoubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
 20a in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots Now one gospel says one thing and another another thing. And often there is a dispute. But consider that each event has differing perspectives from each of many observers. And from their perspective they have told he story. So one who is in the rear of the party sees the tree that very day begin to wither but Peter who is in the head of the company but hears the curse and with the Lord continues on, not observing the intitial withering. So Peter on the next day beholds from his perspective the now the tree had withered and died completely even to the full extent that even the roots thereof are dried. Are not both accounts reconcilable? And is not much of the gospels so reconcilable?
  24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye apray, bbelieve that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
  25 And when ye stand apraying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may bforgive you your trespasses.
  26 But if ye do not aforgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
  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,
  28 And say unto him, By what aauthority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?
  29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
  30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of 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?
  32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.
  33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.