Mark 11
Nothing fancy for today’s chapter. Just a simple placing of the chapter in relation to other events, especially the crucifixion of Jesus, a breakdown of the events in the chapter, cross-references of these events to the other gospel books as well as some sharing concerning some of the events. A very basic structure but sometimes, it’s good to go back to basics right? 🙂
Let’s read the chapter first.
Bible Passage: Mark 11
My Bible (and I believe most Bibles) divides this chapter into 6 sections. These are the sections as well as their records in the other gospels:
- 1-11 The triumphal entry (Matt 21:1-11, Lk 19:28-40, Jn 12:12-19)
- 12-14 The fig tree cursed (Matt 21:18-19)
- 15-19 Jesus cleanses the temple (Matt 21:12-17, Lk 19:45-48, Jn 2:13-22*)
- 20-24 The lesson of the withered fig tree (Matt 21:20-22)
- 25-26 Forgiveness and prayer (Matt 6:14-15*)
- 27-33 Jesus’ authority questioned (Matt 21:23-27, Lk 20:1-8)
*May not be the same event
At this point in time, Jesus was entering into the final week of His earthly ministry. He entered into Jerusalem stepping on a path of palm branches and clothes amidst shouts of ‘Hosanna’ on a Sunday and left the city treading on a path of suffering to cries of ‘Crucify Him’ the following Sunday.
Don’t you find it strange that the people who praised with exclamations of ‘Hosanna in the highest’ could in the span of a week turn to cries of condemnation? It is not strange at all for man is an extremely changeable being. What is sad is that these people already had the unchanging and eternal foundation of the Word of God as we can see from the praises they quoted from the psalms yet was not established it because they did not receive this Word completely.
Let us learn a lesson from this event and seek to understand the Word of God fully so that we will never turn from the narrow path despite the changes in our surroundings.
Now, although a week is an extremely short time for a person who knows he is about to die, Jesus still taught His disciples, both then and now, a lot of important things in the short time He had left. How to please God is one thing that He taught us both in His words as well as His actions and these are several things we can learn concerning how to please God in this chapter.
- Obedience
‘The Lord has need of it’ – what a powerful statement! Does it stir any feelings in you? What does the Lord need from me? What does the Lord require from you? When the Lord wants something from us, will we be like the owner of the colt or even like the colt to speedily offer up what the Lords wants of us? Will we please God with our obedience or will we disappoint Him with our excuses?
- Fruitfulness
Bearing fruit is not something that happens overnight. It is a long process and sometimes even a painful one. But in order to please God, it is a process that all of have to go through.
As we grow in days, months and years, let us also search ourselves to see if we are being more fruitful. Are there any signs of buds indicating fruits in the process of ripening or are we just full of leaves, taking all the air, sunlight and water that God has given us without giving anything in return?
- Holiness
This event will always be deeply etched in my memory for various reasons. The latest being how it was used to teach reverence to our last batch of theological students in a rather…dramatic…way 🙂
Besides the holiness and reverence in the physical temple, that is our church, each of us must also maintain the holiness of our spiritual temple, that is ourselves. Just like a ‘den of thieves’ in the temple displeases God greatly, a heart of evil in the spiritual temples Jesus cleansed with His own blood will also be an abomination to Him.
Sadly, holiness seems to be a foreign concept to people nowadays, being taken over by ‘being accepting of differences’. However, as true believers, let us always remember that God is not just a God of love but also a just and HOLY God.
If He *is* holiness, how then can we please Him without holiness?
In the matter of pleasing God, Jesus has set us the example in words and deeds. Let us now be His true disciples and follow in His footsteps.
So, how are you going to please God today?
4 Comments
biblereadingcompanion
“I don’t understand why Jesus cursed the poor fig tree!!!!”
That was a comment a regular reader of this bible blog said to me this morning. I must admit, when I came to this passage, I also wondered ….
If Jesus had the power to kill the tree, why didn’t He use that power to restore the tree and make it fruitful? After some thought about this, I’d like to share what I think and invite you all to also share your impressions of this.
I think there are 2 important lessons that Jesus wanted to teach His disciples and us today.
First: 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 (Jer 8:13; Hos 9:10; Nah 3:12). Like the fig tree that Jesus had cursed, Israel had withered from the roots up (Mark 11:20).
Perhaps we, like the disciples, may recall a parable of Jesus in Luke 13:6-9 where the master wanted to cut down a fruitless fig tree but was persuaded to give it one more chance. We often read of this as a warning to us today that we should not remain fruitless.
Jesus said in John 15:16…
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”
We were appointed by Jesus to bear fruits that last. And there seems to be a connection between being fruitful and having our prayers answered?
We all know what being fruitful means. There is much that Jesus wants us to do and wants us to be. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is not just a song to be sung or verses to be recited, but words to live by.
It is a good reminder as we start the year. Have we been bearing fruit last year? Could this be our last chance this year? When Jesus comes, will He find me fruitful?
I think the first lesson would be obvious to most of us. But I also think that Jesus used this incident to teach us a lesson on faith.
The next morning, when the disciples noticed the dead tree, Jesus said, “Have faith in God” (Mk 11:22).
This seems a strange statement to say. How does it link with the cursed dead fig tree?
What does having faith in God mean? To put it simply, it means constantly trusting God and living in an attitude of dependence on Him.
In Jewish imagery, a mountain (Mk 11:23) signifies something strong and immovable, a problem that stands in the way (Zech 4:7). We can move mountains by trusting in God.
Sometimes we look around and see fruitless and faithless people. Or we meet with situations that somehow does not seem to be progressing or working out. It is like the fig tree that was cursed. Nothing good seems to be able to happen.
But that is when we must have faith in God! Jesus says it so much better than me 🙂
““Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “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. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. ” Mk 11:22-24
I learned a new acronym yesterday.
P.U.S.H
Pray Until Something Happens
I hope I can remember these lessons. Or else, the fig tree would have died for nothing!
The poor fig tree died to warn us and to teach us. Let us not be the negative examples for others to see as well.
Blessed week ahead.
appleofHiseye
“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24)
I found comfort in this verse, knowing that our dependency on Jesus will be much awarded. But I thought about the things that I asked in prayer…seeing that today we emphasised so much on fruitfulness, I pondered about today’s sharing:
“Bearing fruit is not something that happens overnight. It is a long process and sometimes even a painful one. But in order to please God, it is a process that all of have to go through.”
I have to learn to be more accepting of trials and I also have to learn how to endure these trials, lest I be like the fig tree that cut down for being fruitless.
“Have we been bearing fruit last year? Could this be our last chance this year? When Jesus comes, will He find me fruitful?”
I think these are questions that I neglect to reflect upon because I take time for granted. When biblereadingcompanion shared of the immovable mountain and faith, I thought that though change might seem impossible, it is possible with God if we do not doubt but believe. Also going through each of the aspects of the fruit…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…it seems like a lot of aspects for just one fruit of the Spirit! But to please God today, I shall try to nurture each of the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, and then reflect at the end of the day whether I have achieved my goals.
May God help us to be fruitful trees (:
PS
This is my childish imagination only:
Mark 11:12 Lord Jesus was hungry…
Mark 11:13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went over to see if perhaps He would find something on it.
“Father had prepared the colt (Zech 9:9) and the people in Jerusalem, perhaps He prepared fig for Me too.”
A few days ago, the fig tree was instructed that Lord Jesus is coming to eat its fruit. But the fig thought to itself, “Hmmm, it is not the season for figs to bear fruits yet. Can i produce this special fruition for Lord Jesus? m i good enough? Can i really be different?”
It kept wondering, doubting and wondering.
Then one day, totally unexpectedly, Lord Jesus was standing under its leaves.
Mark 11:13 When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
Lord Jesus saw leaves only.
Mark 11:14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you again.”
Then, the fig tree dried up from its roots (Mark 11:20).
What are 2 hard things to do? To be uncomfortable and to forgive.
Truly and frankly, i m not good at anything. All my life, i struggle just to do anything.
Yet Lord Jesus leads me to His house.
Then He let me bear a tiny fruit (still learning) when i m totally out of season (Mark 11;23). i pray to Lord Jesus that i want to serve as an interpreter. He opens the door. At the beginning when i stand on the pulpit, my lower half of body freezes, He stands by me and has not let me fall flat on the steps yet.
Then He gives me anger management course and time to let me learn that it is really necessary to be at peace with others bec i need to be at peace with Him (Mark 11:25)
“Have faith in God.” God helps us to be vessels suited for His use (Rom 6:13).
“Have faith in God.” God helps us to avoid the “unforgiving” peril (2 Tim 3:3)
Love&Respect
Thank you everyone for sharing with us!
We had similar questions regarding the fig tree. One particular thing that struck us was the fact that Jesus cursed the fig tree although it was not the season for figs. So, how could Jesus expect the tree to bear fruits?
As PS mentioned, we often neglect and question the power of God due to our lack of faith. Similar to the fig tree we may often make excuses, “Oh, it’s not the right season – I haven’t prepared myself well enough to serve God” or “This is not the best moment to invite my friend to church or to share with him about God – I need to wait until he is willing to listen”.
Sounds familiar? But how do we overcome these underlying fears and doubts?
Jesus has already given us the answer, “Have faith in God”.
The Bible explains faith as being “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebr 11:1).
For this reason we need to learn to put our hope in Jesus. When you were a little child, whom did you trust the most? Who was your hope and refuge when you had hurt yourself or when you were afraid? Let me guess – Mum or Dad, right?
While we are children, we put our hope in our parents because we believe that they are strong and wise enough to help us in any situation. Today we need to have the same belief and trust in our Heavenly Father to overcome our fears and doubts.
So let’s pray to God to grant us a humble and childlike heart to trust in Jesus and bear fruits in abundance.