Mark 11, verses 12 to 26 comments; and they come to Jerusalem

 

Mark 11:12 ¶  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. And his disciples heard it. 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 destroy 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 roots. 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 faith 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 doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25  And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

12 ¶ And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

This is our Monday if some commentators are correct.

Here is Jesus, the man, 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. And his disciples heard it.

The fig tree is a type of the nation of Israel at that time;

Hosea 9:10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.

Matthew 24:32 ¶ Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

I read that the fig tree produces fruit before it produces leaves so that if leaves appear the time of fruit is past. Israel has not borne the fruit that was required of it. Jesus Christ has condemned that Israel, that it will produce no fruit forever. But now God has put Jewish people into the land and has made a new Israel. This Israel will bear fruit in the end time.

Zechariah 8:23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

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.

Jesus has run opportunists out of the temple.

Here is an underscoring of the fact that the Jews are still under the Law given to Moses in this passage. For, after the Holy Spirit had come the individual Christian was God’s temple and is so today.

1Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

We have to ask if the tables of the moneychangers and those who hold God’s temple in contempt been swept from our hearts?

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.

Psalm 93:5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.

Isaiah 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Jeremiah 7:11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.

18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy 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.

Note that the emphasis is on Jesus although the disciples would have followed Him. It is petty and misleading for modern Bible versions to say “they” instead of “he” in verse 19 when the Byzantine Text agrees with the King James Bible. It is these little changes that lead to great error as they build up over and over in the Bible.

Notice in verse 18 that the scribes and chief priests are afraid of Jesus because the people are drawn to Him. They are envious.

Even Pilate will know later that Christ was delivered up because of this envy over the people’s attention.

Mark 15:10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.

This is our Monday night.

20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

This is our Tuesday morning.

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 faith in God.

The Israel of that day had been given chance after chance to be a light to the world and had refused.

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 doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Verse 26 is removed from modern versions based on the authority of Westcott and Hort’s Greek text. Removing that verse makes way for so-called Christians persecuting and murdering other Christians all through history.