Marcos 11

Marcos 11

Wiersbe - Seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.MARK 11:13 When a fig tree has leaves, it’s a sign that there are also figs, for the large leaves protect the fruit; but in this case, no figs had been produced at all. Jesus turned this event into an “action sermon” to teach some important lessons to his disciples and to us. The first lesson has to do with the nation of Israel and the importance of bearing fruit. The Old Testament prophets used the fig tree and the vine as symbols of the nation of Israel. Jeremiah compared the sinful nation to rotten figs (Jer. 29:17), and Hosea wrote that, even though Israel was like “the firstfruits of the fig tree,” their roots had dried up and they bore no fruit (Hos. 9:10, 16). During Joel’s time, an invasion of locusts was ruining the nation, what God called “My vine” and “My fig tree” (Joel 1:7). The most common description of prosperity in Israel was to dwell under one’s fig tree in peace and plenty (1 Kings 4:25; Micah 4:4). Prior to this event, Jesus had wept over the city of Jerusalem because Israel had an outward show of “religion” but had produced no fruit. Their worship was like this fig tree—nothing but leaves. Jesus told the hypocritical religious leaders, “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” (Matt. 21:43). I believe that “nation” is the church (1 Pet. 2:9), but are we bearing fruit today, or have our roots dried up, leaving us nothing but leaves? Our Lord’s second lesson has to do with believing prayer. The disciples heard him curse the fig tree, and the next morning as they walked to Jerusalem from Bethany, they saw that the tree had withered from the roots. Our Lord’s response was, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). He told them that their faith could move mountains, a vivid way of saying, “Faith accomplishes the impossible.” Please keep in mind that when Jesus was ministering on earth, he lived by faith and not by his miraculous power. He prayed, he depended on the Holy Spirit, and he claimed the promises of God, just as we must do. I can never forget what Vance Havner said in a chapel message at seminary based on Hebrews 11:24–29, “Moses saw the invisible, Moses chose the imperishable, and Moses did the impossible.” And so may we! During our years of ministry, my wife and I have seen God do great things because of the believing prayers of God’s people. Is the church today praying in faith and expecting God to do great things? The third lesson links with the second: as we pray, we must be honest with God. If there is anything in our hearts against anyone, our Father wants us to get that matter settled so he can answer our prayers. The religious leaders in Jerusalem were plotting to kill Jesus, yet they went right on in their religious duties with murder in their hearts! Jesus dealt with the topic of sin in the heart in Matthew 5:21–30, and we need to remember what he said. We must ask for forgiveness and then make things right with others, if we expect God to answer prayer. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear” (Ps. 66:18). “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Prov. 4:23 TNIV). Jesus is still seeking fruit. He has given us all that we need to have honest hearts and fruitful lives. Are we abiding in him, bearing fruit and moving mountains? Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.John 15:4 (NT Words for Today) REALITY! J.C. Ryle, 1878 (Note this is only an excerpt - click here for the full article). "Reprobate silver." Jeremiah 6:30 "Nothing but leaves." Mark 11:13 "Let us not love in word, neither in tongue — but in deed and in truth!" 1 John 3:18. "You have a name that you live — and are dead!" Revelation 3:1 If we profess to have any religion at all, let us take care that it is real. I say it emphatically, and I repeat the saying: Let us mind that our religion is real. What do I mean when I use the word "real." I mean that which is genuine, and sincere, and honest, and thorough. I mean that which is not base, and hollow, and formal, and false, and counterfeit, and sham, and nominal. "Real "religion is not mere show, and pretense, and skin-deep feeling, and temporary profession, and outside work. It is something inward, solid, substantial, intrinsic, living, lasting. We know the difference between base coin and good money, between solid gold and tinsel, between plated metal and silver, between real stone and plaster imitation. Let us think of these things as we consider the subject of this paper. What is the character of our religion? Is it real? It may be weak, and feeble, and mingled with many infirmities. That is not the point before us today. Is our religion real? Is it true? The times in which we live demand attention to the subject. A lack of reality is a striking feature of a vast amount of religion in the present day. Scientists have sometimes told us that the world has passed through different states or conditions. We have had a golden age, and a silver age, a brazen age, and an iron age. How far this is true, I do not stop to inquire. But I fear there is little doubt as to the character of the age in which we live. It is universally an age of base metal and alloy. If we measure the religion of the age by its apparent quantity — there is much of it. But if we measure it by its quality — there is very little indeed. On every side we want MORE REALITY. I ask your attention, while I try to bring home to your consciences the question of this paper. There are two things which I propose to do: I. In the first place, I will show the importance of reality in religion. II. In the second place, I will supply some tests by which we may prove whether our own religion is real. (click here for the full article). Mark 11:14 He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" And His disciples were listening. No: Mk 11:20,21 Isa 5:5,6 Mt 3:10 7:19 12:33-35 21:19,33,44 Joh 15:6 De 6:4-8 11:26-31 2Pe 2:20 Rev 22:11 Mark 11 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Matthew 21:19-22 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He *said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered. 20 Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?” 21 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” JESUS CURSES THE FIG TREE Some like Bertrand Russell took offense at this act and in his book Why I Am Not a Christian accused Jesus of "vindictive fury" and wrote of our Lord‘s character "I cannot myself feel that either in the matter of wisdom or in the matter of virtue Christ stands quite as high as some other people known to history." I think Russell may have an entirely different opinion now that he is in Hades! NET Note - The incident of the cursing of the fig tree occurs before he enters the temple for a third time (Mark 11:27ff) and is questioned at length by the religious leaders (Mark 11:27–12:40). It appears that Mark records the incident as a portent of what is going to happen to the leadership in Jerusalem who were supposed to have borne spiritual fruit but have been found by Messiah at his coming to be barren. The fact that the nation as a whole is indicted is made explicit in Mark 13:1–37 where Jesus speaks of Jerusalem's destruction and His second coming. Akin writes "Jesus, however, was not acting like a spoiled brat who did not get His way. There is no anger. There is no malice. This is no out of control burst of a temper tantrum. It is, as we will see, an object lesson, an acted out parable of our Lord‘s judgment on Israel and on those who claim to be one thing but are actually another, who put on a show but do not produce. In the immediate context it is a curse on the temple and the nation of Israel. By application it could be a curse on you and me." He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" - In Mark 11:21 Peter refers to this as a curse in his query of Jesus. Grassmick - a dramatic prophetic sign of God’s impending judgment on Israel. (BKC) Akin applies this truth - There is a point without a doubt. Fruitlessness now may result in fruitlessness forever. Lose your usefulness for Jesus and He may curse you and move on! After all, it is not He who needs us. It is we who desperately need Him. We need Him to save us. We need Him to make us useful and fruitful. Turn our backs on Him and His gospel, turn His church into a religious club of idolatry, hypocrisy and unfruitfulness and you will receive not His blessing but His curse. Protest all you want about how good you are. Nationalism, regionalism and ethnocentrism are an abomination in His eyes. And mark my words; He sees it, He sees it all. His eyes which are a flame of fire (Rev. 19:12) will expose you for who and what you really are. And His disciples were listening - So they were eyewitnesses. Brian Bell - Don’t settle for shiny leaves. And, don’t try to cover your spiritual nakedness with religious Fig Leaves. Looking for fruit on the fig tree represents what Jesus was looking for in the Temple, & what Jesus is looking for in your Temple. Count Your Figs! Why Was the Fig Tree Cursed? This incident is related by Mark and, in a more compressed form, by Matthew. According to Mark, Jesus and his disciples spent the night following his entry into Jerusalem in Bethany. Next morning they returned to Jerusalem. On the way he felt hungry, and “seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.” Then Jesus cursed the tree: “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” They continued on their way into Jerusalem, where that day he cleansed the temple; in the evening they returned to Bethany. Next morning, as they passed the same place, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” (Mk 11:20–21). Was it not unreasonable to curse the tree for being fruitless when, as Mark expressly says, “it was not the season for figs”? The problem is most satisfactorily cleared up in a discussion called “The Barren Fig Tree” published many years ago by W. M. Christie, a Church of Scotland minister in Palestine under the British mandatory regime. He pointed out first the time of year at which the incident is said to have occurred (if, as is probable, Jesus was crucified on April 6th, A.D. 30, the incident occurred during the first days of April). “Now,” wrote Christie, “the facts connected with the fig tree are these. Toward the end of March the leaves begin to appear, and in about a week the foliage coating is complete. Coincident with [this], and sometimes even before, there appears quite a crop of small knobs, not the real figs, but a kind of early forerunner. They grow to the size of green almonds, in which condition they are eaten by peasants and others when hungry. When they come to their own indefinite maturity they drop off.” These precursors of the true fig are called taqsh in Palestinian Arabic. Their appearance is a harbinger of the fully formed appearance of the true fig some six weeks later. So, as Mark says, the time for figs had not yet come. But if the leaves appear without any taqsh, that is a sign that there will be no figs. Since Jesus found “nothing but leaves”—leaves without any taqsh—he knew that “it was an absolutely hopeless, fruitless fig tree” and said as much. But if that is the true explanation of his words, why should anyone trouble to record the incident as though it had some special significance? Because it did have some special significance. As recorded by Mark, it is an acted parable with the same lesson as the spoken parable of the fruitless fig tree in Luke 13:6–9. In that spoken parable a landowner came three years in succession expecting fruit from a fig tree on his property, and when year by year it proved to be fruitless, he told the man in charge of his vineyard to cut it down because it was using up the ground to no good purpose. In both the acted parable and the spoken parable it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the fig tree represents the city of Jerusalem, unresponsive to Jesus as he came to it with the message of God, and thereby incurring destruction. Elsewhere Luke records how Jesus wept over the city’s blindness to its true well-being and foretold its ruin “because you did not know the time of your visitation” (Lk 19:41–44 RSV). It is because the incident of the cursing of the fig tree was seen to convey the same lesson that Mark, followed by Matthew, recorded it. (Walter Kaiser, et al - See page 405 of Hard Sayings of the Bible) TIMING OF CURSING THE FIG TREE The timing of the Cursing of the Fig Tree is somewhat difficult to understand. This event is described in (Mt 21:18–19; Mk 11:12–14). Mark Moore has an excellent discussion and integration of these otherwise somewhat confusing passages. (See The Chronological Life of Christ - Page 494 - this resource highly recommended available in Logos or book format) Moore writes... At this point, Matthew condenses his narrative. This has two results. First, it looks as if the cleansing of the temple took place on Sunday afternoon, while Mark clarifies that it took place on Monday. Second, he makes it look like the cursing of the fig tree and the lessons drawn from it took place at the same time. Again, Mark clarifies that there was a twenty-four hour interval between the two. Mark’s twenty-four hour interval is valuable not just for understanding the chronology, but also the theology of this passage. You see, Jesus curses the fig tree on Monday. The disciples don’t notice it until Tuesday. Between these two events, Jesus cleanses the temple. Thus we understand that the withered fig tree is a symbol of Israel’s future. It is kind of like an enacted parable. Early on Monday morning Jesus hikes two miles back to Jerusalem for some unfinished business in the temple. Jesus shouldn’t have been hungry yet. Jews normally only ate two meals a day: 10 a.m. and 6–7 p.m. It was still too early for “breakfast.” Perhaps in all the excitement of the previous day Jesus missed his supper. That would not be the first time Jesus missed a meal because of business (Mk 3:20; 6:31). Up ahead, off to the side of the road, Jesus notices a fig tree in full leaf. Passover time was unusually early for fig trees to leaf out. But normally, with the leaves came the green buds which would mature into figs. They are bitter but edible. Jesus goes to the tree looking for the fruit that its leaves promise. He finds nothing but leaves. Jesus has been criticized for expecting figs before their time. After all, “It was not the season for figs.” That criticism misses the point. The leaves promise there will be green fruit. But there isn’t. What’s worse, without the green fruit now, there will be no figs later. Jesus has also been severely criticized for using his divine power to destroy an inanimate object in a fit of anger.14 This too misses the point. Jesus isn’t wreaking vengeance on a deceitful tree. He is using this opportunity to teach his disciples a valuable lesson, especially in light of what he is about to do in the temple. To Jesus people are more valuable than things. He places more value on teaching his disciples than on an inanimate object. This same lesson was to be learned at the loss of 2,000 pigs in Gerasa. Besides, this tree is unproductive. It is taking up space on God’s good earth without doing its job. It is absurd to picture nature weeping the loss of its valued comrade through the whimsical anger of Jesus. It is a useless tree. It has the appearance of a fruit-bearing tree, but it is not. So Jesus curses this unproductive tree as he is about to curse an unproductive temple which doesn’t bear appropriate fruit. There is no way they could have predicted from his words—“May no one ever eat fruit from you again”—how immediate and severe the demise of this poor tree will be. Matthew says that it withers immediately. Within twenty-four hours, when they pass this spot again, they will notice that it has withered from its roots (Mk 11:20). Now that is “immediate” in any arborist’s book! (See The Chronological Life of Christ - Page 494 - this resource highly recommended available in Logos or book format) SUMMARY OF THE MATTHEW'S COMPRESSED AND MARK'S EXPANDED ACCOUNTS OF CURSING THE FIG TREE Matthew 21:18–22 (Condensed Account) Jesus curses the fig tree in the morning (MONDAY MORNING). The tree withers immediately. (BUT THE DISCIPLES DO NOT NOTICE UNTIL TUESDAY MORNING - Mk 10:20-21) The disciples are amazed then and there. Jesus teaches on faith and prayer as a result. In summary, in Matthew's account the Cursing of the Fig Tree appears immediate so that Matthew describes the cursing and withering as if they are one event. Mark 11:12–14, 20–21 (Expanded Account) Day 1 (Monday): Jesus curses the fig tree (Mark 11:12–14, cf Mt 21:18-19a). No mention of withering at that moment. Day 2 (Tuesday): They pass by again and see the fig tree withered from the roots (Mark 11:20–21). Peter calls Jesus’ attention to it. In summary in Mark's expanded account, the Cursing of the Fig Tree appears progressive so that Jesus curses the tree on Monday and it withers, but the withering is not noticed by the disciples until the next day, Tuesday. Here are the accounts from Mark and Matthew integrated... Mark 10:12-14NIV The next day {early in the morning Mt 21:18NIV} as they were leaving Bethany {on his way back to the city, Mt 21:18NIV} Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance {by the road Mt 21:19NIV} a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. {Immediately the tree withered. Mt 21:19NIV} Mark 11:15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He: Mt 21:12-16 Lu 19:45 Joh 2:13-17 the tables: De 14:25,26 Mark 11 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: John 2:13-17+ The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; 16and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” 17His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.” Matthew 21:12-16 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves (peristera - young doves or pigeons - offering allowed for those who were extremely poor - cf Lk 2:24+). 13 And He *said to them, “It is written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’; but you are making it a ROBBERS’ DEN.” 14A nd the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF’?” Comment on the children who were shouting in the temple - : The children knew the Scriptures better than the religious leaders, because they acknowledged Jesus as the "Son of David" (cf Bartimaeus the Blind Beggar in Lk 18:38-39+), the only place in Luke where someone uses this clear Messianic title. The Pharisees did not want to see Jesus acknowledged as the Messiah! How ironic that only those who were little children (and like little children Lk 18:16-17+) and the one who was physically blind could "see" Jesus' true identity as the promised Messiah! Luke 19:45-47+ Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘AND MY HOUSE SHALL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER,’ but you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.” 47 And He was teaching daily in the temple; but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people were trying to destroy Him, (Copyright 2014 Faithlife / Logos Bible Software) PLACE FOR PRAYING HAD BECOME A PLACE FOR PREYING AND PAYING Akin - On September 6, 1520, Martin Luther wrote in An Open Letter to Pope Leo X, ―The Roman church, once the holiest of all, has become the most licentious den of thieves, the most shameless of all brothels, the kingdom of sin, death and hell. It is so bad that even Antichrist himself, if he should come, could think of nothing to add to its wickedness‖ (Gartand, NIVAC, 446). Then they came to Jerusalem - There is not record of a "triumphal" welcome. And He entered the Temple - Jesus entered the temple which describes the whole Temple complex.