Mark - Lesson 11B

• Well, we opened last week with what I would deem, the "un" triumphal entry.

  • This is where we witnessed Jesus’ ascension towards Jerusalem as He is riding on the back of a colt, fulfilling Zechariah 9:9.

    • It was this scene of great prophetic recognition that emerged praises from 2 distinct groups within the crowd.

    • One group expressed praises to the "Son of David'' as they identified Jesus as their Messiah, the One who would sit upon the Davidic throne and usher in the Kingdom.

    • Whereas the other group identified Jesus as their Messiah who would lead as a military leader and provide national liberation from Roman governance.

  • It was this sense of "two types of Messiahs" in which the people of that day were conditioned to anticipate.

    • However, the reality was there was only one Messiah with 2 separate comings.

    • Messiah's first coming would bring peace and right fellowship between man and Holy God.

    • And how this would be accomplished is through and by the suffering of Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection.

  • That before the glory of the Kingdom would come, there must first be a mighty crushing of Messiah.

    • It was after Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, that He would conclude that day in the temple.

    • And there He would inspect the temple, which ultimately would lead to examining the heart of the Nation and the children of Israel.

  • From His lone stance in the temple and examining the House of God, this would mark the first day of His time in Jerusalem – the 10th of Nisan (Sunday).

    • Tonight, we move to day 2 of the Passover festival and it will be on this that Israel would be put on notice – by means of judgement.

  • As we approach tonight's text, I would like to offer us an outline of sorts as it pertains to the flow of the teaching.

    • We are going to see the following things:

      • 1. The Cursing of the Fig Tree (v. 12-14)

      • 2. A Holy Chastening (v. 15-17)

      • 3. A Convicting Truth and a Stirring Hatred (v.18-19)

      • 4. A Coming Trouble (v. 20-21)

  • If I were to put a tag on tonight's text, it would be: “The Fooling Foliage"

    • With that being said, I invite you to open a copy of the scriptures and meet me in Mark 11:12-21.

Mark 11:12 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 
Mark 11:13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 
Mark 11:14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.
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 money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; 
Mark 11:16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. 
Mark 11:17 And He began to teach and say 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 robbers’ den.” 
Mark 11:18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
Mark 11:19 When evening came, they would go out of the city.
Mark 11:20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 
Mark 11:21 Being reminded, Peter *said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.”

• Let’s Pray

Mark 11:12 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 
Mark 11:13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 
Mark 11:14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

• If we were to follow a sequence of days throughout the time of the Passover festival, in light of the Triumphal Entry (Sunday), It becomes plain that the "next day'' refers to Monday, the 11th of Nisan.

  • So, at the start of this new day, Mark tells us that Jesus and the disciples leave Bethany to head back to Jerusalem.

    • However, Mark and Matthew's gospels mention that while traveling Jesus became hungry.

    • And with that detail, it provides us with a reminder that although Jesus was fully God, He was also fully man.

    • Therefore, Jesus too, was prone to being hungry. It provides us with a sense of Jesus' humanity.

  • As they are ascending towards Jerusalem, and passing through the Mount of Olives, Jesus sees a fig tree off in the distance.

    • We know this because Mark's account provides us with a telling detail.

    • He mentions that the fig tree was “in leaf'”.

  • However, as we keep reading to the end of verse 13b, we notice that the text says that it was not yet the season for figs.

    • Now at first glance through the text, one could ask the question: How could it be that from a distance the tree is "in leaf" yet not in season?

  • Well to understand what's happening here, we need to understand the appropriate sprouting season for fig trees.

    • Being that it is Passover, it puts the time of year around late March, early April.

  • Within Palestine, fig trees produced small edible buds around March which was followed by an appearance of large green leaves in April.

    • This early budding of ripe fruit which consist of a green color was known as "paggim".

    • We see an example of this “early budding” in the Song of Solomon 2:13

  • However, as Jesus got closer to see what was on the tree, potentially anticipating “paggim” based upon the alluding green foliage, He sees that the tree has produced no fruit.

    • The reality of the tree, bearing no fruit, was quite misleading.

  • The tree looked productive, it looked like it would be producing some sort of fruit, whether ripe or not.

    • It gave the impression as if it produced something of developing value.

    • In other words, the tree looked like it talked a big game, yet it possessed empty and fruitless promises.

  • As we consider this reality for a moment, one can't help but to see the parallels in the picture of the fig tree and the two separate crowds from last week’s teaching.

    • It would be these 2 groups of multitudes who at one point sang high praises to Jesus, yet the very next moment, they are nowhere to be found.

    • Even more than that, it would be some from this very crowd that would scream for the exchange of Barabbas for Jesus.

  • This sense of exterior appeasement, yet lacking spiritual enrichment, is the very thing that becomes reflective in the actions and hearts of the religious leaders, and the children of Israel.

    • There is this desire to yearn for Messiah and to see the glory of His Kingdom.

    • Yet, there is no willingness to submit to Messiah's plans and mission to make way for the Kingdom to come in the Father's timing.

  • It's the fig tree's lack of productivity and bareness that causes Jesus to curse the tree in verse 14.

    • The cursing of this tree was a prominent moment because this curse caught the hearing of the disciples to the point that Peter finds it necessary for Mark to include this very detail.

  • So, Jesus speaks to the fig tree and says, “May no one eat fruit from you again!”

    • Now, to assume Jesus gives this curse as a means of being “hangry”, one would miss the prophetic message in this text.

    • The reality was this curse that was placed on the fig tree was a foretelling of coming destruction of God's impending judgement upon Israel that would be fully realized in AD 70.

  • This begs a bigger question: Why curse the fig tree and not another tree? What was the significance of the fig tree?

    • Fig trees have been mentioned throughout the Hebrew scriptures and speak to both the flourishing and prosperity of Israel, as well as its detriment.

    • And in this case, the unproductive and unfruitful nature of this fig tree was simply a spiritual indication of the bareness of Israel and that generation, nationally.

  • From the outside, it would seem as if Israel had it all together, Judaism was in sync with Holy God, but a careful examination of hearts indicated something completely different.

    • We even see the Old Testament prophets speak to the transition of Israel from fruitfulness to fruitlessness.

    • Check out Hosea 9:10, 16.

Hosea 9:10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness;
I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season.
But they came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame,
And they became as detestable as that which they loved.

Hosea 9:16 Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up,
They will bear no fruit.
Even though they bear children,
I will slay the precious ones of their womb.

• I want to read for you quickly what Micah says in Micah 7:1.

  • See if you recognize the parallels between what Micah sees in his day and what Jesus is confronted with in His day.

Micah 7:1 Woe is me! For I am
Like the fruit pickers, like the grape gatherers.
There is not a cluster of grapes to eat,
Or a first-ripe fig which I crave.

• Having done a sweep through Micah 7:1-6, it becomes clear that there is an acknowledgement of the growing wickedness of Israel and their departure from God's truth and His ways.

  • And Micah is stricken with sorrow at this sight.

  • And in the same way, we see our Lord, Jesus stricken with the same sense of Holy frustration.

  • So, it will be in verses 15-17 that Jesus will demonstrate physically, the Holy indignation and frustration He has upon those who have turned the house of God into something it was never meant to be.

    • Check out verses 15-17.

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 money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; 
Mark 11:16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. 
Mark 11:17 And He began to teach and say 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 robbers’ den.” 

• As Jesus and the disciples enter Jerusalem, Mark says that the first stop for Jesus is the Temple.

  • To better understand where Jesus is in light of the coming scene, I want to pull up a map that provides us with context.

    • The location that Jesus was in which consisted of the place of commerce and activity occurred in an area known as the “Court of the Gentiles”.

    • This area surrounded the inner sacred courts of the Holy Temple.

    • No Gentile was allowed beyond the outer courts as noted in this site map.

    • And the activities that occurred in this space was authorized as a market for sale of ritual items by the high priest Caiaphas.

  • It is upon Jesus’ arrival on the scene that He is marked with outrage at the selling and buying within the temple grounds, for there were other designated areas within the city.

    • So upon sight of this commercialization, Jesus responds by “driving out” these individuals.

  • The word for "drive out" is ekballo which means to force to leave or expel in a physical way.

    • This driving out was exactly what took place in the garden after the fall in Genesis 3.

    • Not only does Jesus physically drive these men out, but He overturns the tables of the money changers and sellers.

  • Now, to understand the righteous indignation that Jesus displayed, we need to grasp the historical implications of the sellers and money changers and why their establishment in the courts angered Jesus, so.

    • Let’s first begin with who the money changers were.

  • Money changers were similar to tax-collectors during the 1st Century.

    • Their purpose during that day was to exchange foreign coins for Jewish money.

    • The reason being that the Jewish Law required a temple tax of a half shekel. (Exodus 30:11- 16)

  • So, when a large feast, such as Passover came around, Jews and other sojourns from surrounding nations came to Jerusalem, they would need to have their currency exchanged.

    • In that day, the Temple would not relieve coins bearing the image of pagan emperors.

    • So, imagine the money changers as a means of foreign currency exchange.

  • However, like tax-collectors at that time, the money changers would charge enormous amounts as a fee for the temple tax.

    • The same approach occurred with the sellers.

  • These individuals would sell sacrificial animals as a means to meet the needs of those who were not able to bring their own animals.

    • The requirement for animal sacrifices was that they examined them for any defects and blemishes.

    • If blemishes were detected, the animal was rejected and you were left to purchase a proper sacrifice from the "sellers".

    • And purchasing from them required a hefty fee.

    • It’s the difference of buying a soda from the corner store for $2 versus buying a soda from a theme park for $8.

  • So, this extortion of money from these individuals was a way that the wicked would profit and the leaders would prosper.

    • You would think that this type of behavior would be condemned by the religious leaders, especially being that the Mosaic Law spoke to this type of corruption in Exodus 22:21 and Leviticus 19:34.

    • It becomes evident that there was no regard for the house of the Lord and for His work because the House of the Lord had turned into a den of thieves.

  • Peter emphasized this very point in 2 Peter 2:3 mentioning that the means of exploitation of the poor by the wicked is not something that goes unnoticed.

2 Peter 2:3  and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

• • Judgement awaits those who “nickel and dime” men and women all in the name of religion and being at peace with God.

  • As we examine the reaction of Jesus to the ways of these corrupt men, it should become a means of alert for us today.

    • In that, the means of God's work and His house are not to be used as a get-rich-quick scheme or even commercialization.,

    • The house of the Lord and the matters of our faith are to be used to draw or attract people to Christ.

  • So, Jesus sweeps out the trash of these fraudulent traders and sellers and proceeds to call them out publicly by establishing His authority. (He has the Divine right)

    • For the purpose of the temple and its activities had been lost and turned into something completely different.

  • So, it’s after Jesus calls out the flagrant disregard for the House of God that He begins to teach them, by saying:

    • “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations”

    • Jesus' response to those present in the temple were highlighted by two Old Testament quotations:

      • One from Isaiah 56:7 and the other from Jeremiah 7:11.

    • And His use of these two scriptures was significant in a few ways:

  • First, we see that Jesus is speaking possessively of the Temple, in that this is His Father's house, which means the temple was to be a sacred space in which the people come to worship and commune with the Lord.

    • What should be the symbol of a shining beacon of light to the nations has become a place of offense and a den of thieves.

    • This was not the intent nor the purpose of God's house.

  • Secondly, we see within Jesus' statement that this house of prayers is for “all nations”.

    • Meaning that the temple was a place where the foreigner and sojourner could be welcomed.

  • This very statement was a prophetic pronouncement as to Jesus' very mission and that was that the nations be blessed through Israel because of the atonement provided by Messiah.

    • I would imagine for the Roman believer reading through this, it served as a moment of great gratitude and thankful­ness, knowing they too will share in the Kingdom.

  • So, where Israel was to be a light to the nations, their very hearts were set off by Messiah because their hearts were bent towards wickedness, which would lead to that generation’s destruction.

    • Therefore, the means of discipline that would come upon them would be evident in the words Jesus spoke over the fig tree in verse 14.

  • As one could imagine, the heart check regarding Jesus' response to those in the temple became a sore spot for the religious leaders.

    • So as Jesus' ministry and teaching become more attractive, due to His authority, it leads to greater attraction.

    • And at the same time, the religious leaders are seeking ways to trip Jesus up and kill Him.

  • What we will witness in these next few teachings is, as the timing of the cross draws near, His testing of innocence and blamelessness increases.

    • All of this is further revealing the dark and calloused hearts of the leaders of Israel.

    • Let’s keep moving to verses 18-19.

Mark 11:18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
Mark 11:19 When evening came, they would go out of the city.

• It’s in both Matthew and Luke's account that mentions that the crowd was listening to Jesus' teaching.

  • Not only was Jesus' preaching authoritative but it was creating an uprise in the city.

    • Now let’s consider this question: Why would Jesus' teaching cause such uproar with the religious leaders? There was Fear.

  • The religious leaders’ fear of killing Jesus too soon emerged from a previous event during the intertestamental period against Greece, known as the Maccabean Revolt.

    • The Revolt was led by Mattathias (Matt-a-thi-as), a local Jewish priest.

    • This was the time when Antiochus (An-ti-ochus) of the Seleucid's (Suh-loo-suhd) Empire attempted to Hellenize the populace, most especially, the Jewish People.

  • However, Mattathias, led a large group of Jewish people in 167 BC against Antiochus’s army and defeated them.

    • This group of victors, led by Mattathias and his family, later became known as the Maccabees which, in Hebrew means “The hammer”.

  • So, with the Maccabees having overcome the oppressors of that day, the leaders in Jesus’ day were fearful that Jesus' rise in fame would have caused a similar uprise.

    • Therefore, to not tip the scales of "power" too soon, in fear of another insurrection, they paused on an instant killing of Jesus.

  • Ultimately, what we see here is a power dynamic.

    • Where Jesus is teaching the people about the proper use of the Temple, the religious leaders feel vulnerable and out of control.

    • This rise and wickedness of Israel's leaders who were to shepherd hearts to God were leading people astray in their ways.

  • So we see Jesus' popularity served as a temporary means of delaying His death, once again showing us God's Sovereign hand at work.

    • It would be after this showdown that Mark says evening came and Jesus and His disciples departed, that evening (Monday) to head back to Bethany.

    • We now arrive to our last 2 verses for tonight, verses 20-21.

Mark 11:20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 
Mark 11:21 Being reminded, Peter *said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.”

• Mark leads us into the next day (Tuesday), the 12th of Nisan.

  • And as they are leaving Bethany towards Jerusalem, as they pass by the Mount of Olives, the fig tree that Jesus cursed reflected His very words.

    • Really quickly, here is where we see another “Markan” Sandwich.

    • Mark begins a story, pauses it, and concludes with it.

  • It is here that Mark provides us with a very detailed description of the fig tree that is “withered from the roots!”

    • Now, reading this without having seen a fig tree, you may not think much about the withering.

    • So, I want to show us a picture of a fig tree for context.

    • The trunk of a fig tree is often 3 feet in diameter.

  • With the trunk of the tree 3ft in diameter, the tree can grow as tall as 20 feet.

    • This was the same type of tree where Jesus mentioned He saw Nicodemus resting under.

    • So imagine this tall, shaded tree now having become completely withered from the root up.

  • In other words, this tree was completely cut off from its source of nutrients and became dead.

    • The tree did just what Jesus' words commanded it to do – talk about authority and power

    • This was a direct demonstration for the disciples to see the authoritative work of Jesus.

    • Even more, the fact that all the disciples heard Jesus' words means their attention was fixed upon what they both heard and witnessed.

  • With the fig tree now withered, it begins to paint a bigger picture for us regarding the middle narrative of this sandwich.

    • The upheaval of the money changers and sellers in the court of the Gentiles was a means to show how far the leaders and nation of Israel had departed from God's ways.

    • Their spiritual house was unclean, and their heart reflected that.

  • For so long, the leaders of Israel saw the temple as a glimmering place of religious doings, and not a place of communal dwelling with God. (Lack of sacred space)

    • Friends, the reality is, our faith in the Lord is not a means of external appeasements (dotting I’s, crossing T's), but rather, an internal dying and submission as "living sacrifices" acceptable and pleasing to God. (Romans 12: I-2)

  • The unfortunate reality for that generation is because of their unbelief and hardened hearts, that generation would experience a judgement they would not expect.

    • This cursing of the fig tree, an Old Testament symbol of prosperity and flourishment of Israel at one point, now becomes a symbol of judgement and destruction.

  • Lastly, notice who responds to this now withered tree first, Peter.

    • They become reminded of what they heard and now see.

    • And he asks Jesus “Rabbi, look the fig tree you cursed withered.”

  • What Peter and the disciples are shown is merely a picture of what Israel would face in the coming future of AD 70.

    • Let’s Pray.

Citations:

• Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. “The Cursing of the Fig Tree.” Yeshua, the Life of Messiah from a Messianic Jewish Perspective, 2nd ed., vol. 3, Ariel Ministries, San Antonio, TX, TX, 2016, p. 235.

• John D. Grassmick, “Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 157.

• Lane, 405–6, draws attention to m. Šeq. 4:7–8; 5:3–5 and to Josephus, War 6.423–24, for some indications of the scale of trading, turning the Court of the Gentiles into what he calls ‘an oriental bazaar and a cattle mart’

• R. T. France, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 2002), 446.

• “The court of the Gentiles should have been a place for praying, but it was instead a place for preying and paying." Wiersbe, 1:151 

• Hendin, David. “Commerce and the Temple in First-Century Jerusalem.” Bible Odyssey, https://www.bibleodyssey.org/passages/related-articles/commerce-and-the-temple-in-first-century-jerusalem/.

• Oates, Harry. “The Maccabean Revolt.” World History Encyclopedia, Https://Www.worldhistory.org#Organization, 7 Nov. 2022, https://www.worldhistory.org/article/827/the-maccabean-revolt/. 

• Philip Schaff, ed., A Dictionary of the Bible: Including Biography, Natural History, Geography, Topography, Archæology, and Literature (Philadelphia; New York; Chicago: American Sunday-School Union, 1880), 304.