Introduction: Do you like a book with twists and turns?
Mark’s account now takes another turn. Recall he started out
with proof that Jesus is God. Then Mark turned to the
shocking truth that Jesus would die and be raised to life.
All that time Jesus repeatedly told those He healed to keep
it a secret. He told His disciples to keep His future a
secret. Now, the time for secrets has ended. Jesus
determines that the time has come for Him to boldly show who
He is. And He is doing it in Jerusalem! Let’s jump into the
text of Mark and join Jesus in the big revelation!
I. No Secret Now
A. Read Mark 11:1-2. When I was young we had
“scavenger hunts.” Someone would make a list of
unique things, and then we would form teams to
race around and find the things on the list and
bring them back. The team which found everything
first was the winner. Is this a scavenger hunt?
(Hardly. Jesus tells the disciples exactly where
they can find the colt, and even tells them it has
not been ridden before.)
1. What should we conclude from the precision of
Jesus’ knowledge?
B. Read Mark 11:3-6. If you thought a theft might be
taking place, would this be a satisfactory answer?
(John MacArthur’s commentary says that Jesus was
well-known in the area. When the challengers heard
this was for Jesus, they agreed to it.)
C. Read Mark 11:7-10, Psalm 118:26, and
Luke 19:38-40. Recall that Jesus set this in motion. What is
Jesus saying to the people in Jerusalem? (That He
is the Messiah. That is the reason the Jewish
leaders thought a rebuke was appropriate. Jesus
responds that the message is supernatural – stones
would cry out.)
D. Read Mark 11:11. Is this anti-climatic? Jesus is
suddenly acting like a tourist? (Just the
opposite. Jesus is giving the temple an
inspection. We will turn to the results of that
inspection next.)
II. Temple Cleaning
A. Let’s skip down a few verses. (We will go back
later.) Read Mark 11:15-18. Has the temple passed
Jesus’ follow-up inspection? (Clearly not.)
B. Look again at Mark 11:17. Mark says Jesus is
“teaching them.” What is He teaching them? Is He
teaching us anything?
1. Many Christians argue, based on Jesus’ life,
that we should not be involved in trying to
move our nation toward a more moral path. They
point to the fact that Jesus never was
involved in politics. Does that seem correct
to you? (There are two significant differences
between Jesus’ situation and ours. First, we
are not God. But second, Rome was no
democracy. In this story we see Jesus working
to change what He could.)
2. Read Mark 10:1-2. Recall when we studied this?
The “trap” was a condemnation of divorce would
offend Herod Antipas (who had ordered the
murder of John the Baptist). Did Jesus refrain
from commenting on public morality – even when
it was dangerous? (As we studied last week,
Jesus took a firm stand on sexual morality.)
C. Let’s stay with Mark 11:17 a bit longer. Why do
you think Jesus referred to “all nations” in the
context of a Jewish temple? (Read Isaiah 56:6-7.
This provides strong evidence that Jesus was not
cleaning up inside the actual temple, but rather
He was in the “Gentile’s Court.” Gentiles could
not approach the temple any closer than this area.
This strengthens the argument about “public
morality.” Jesus is defending the space where
Gentiles could approach God.)
III. Temple Authority
A. Let’s skip down a few verses again. Read
Mark 11:27-28. Is this a reasonable question? Who gave
Jesus the authority to disrupt what the Jewish
leaders permitted?
B. Read Mark 11:29-33. Why would Jesus want to keep
this a secret? Isn’t this what His entry into
Jerusalem was all about? (Read Mark 4:11-12. We
have discussed this before. Jesus reveals truth to
those who want to know it. Not to those who are
hostile or disinterested.)
IV. Fig Tree
A. Let’s go back and cover what we skipped over. Keep
in mind that I think the order of the Bible is
part of the working of the Holy Spirit. Read
Mark 11:12-14. Poor fig tree! Why is Jesus looking for
figs when it is not the season for figs?
1. Worse, why would Jesus curse a fig tree for
being like all other fig trees? And this is
not even His fig tree!
B. Let’s look at Mark 11:13 again. Notice that it
says this fig tree has leaves. Is that
significant? (Several commentaries say the
presence of leaves signals that there should be
food – if only “buds,” which are edible.)
C. Let’s skip down and read the rest of the fig tree
story. Read Mark 11:20-21. Why is this
significant? (You would not expect the tree to
wither immediately. This is a miracle of a
negative nature.)
D. Read Mark 11:22. Do you think this is odd? If
Jesus wants to encourage faith in God, why would
He kill a tree to do it? (Something more is going
on. Recall that context is important. Context
suggests that Jerusalem is “leafy,” it is showing
signs that it is where God’s message can be found.
It turns out that Jerusalem is about to kill its
Messiah, thus showing it has no fruit. As we know,
shortly after this Jerusalem was destroyed.)
E. Read Mark 11:23-24. Killing trees, tossing
mountains. Do our prayers have to be for positive
things? (The argument for these things being
positive is that the tree is an example of an
important lesson. Mountains are generally
considered challenges in life.)
1. What is the condition for an answered prayer?
(Believing that you received it.)
2. Friend, this statement is unconditional. I
have seen Christians who “command” a miracle.
It seems that Jesus is offering just that.
What do you say? (The Bible Knowledge
Commentary says this promise is conditional on
the prayer being in harmony with God’s will.
That is not what this text says.)
F. Read Mark 14:35-36. Could Jesus have commanded
that He be relieved from the burden of torture and
death? (Yes. What Jesus promised in Mark 11 is
unconditional on its face. But a Christian with
any common sense knows that God is the best judge
of what is best. Why would you try to override the
will of God? I pray for answers in accord with His
will, and do not try to “command” an outcome.)
V. Warning
A. Read Mark 12:1-5. What kind of renters are these?
1. What would you do if you were the owner?
B. Read Mark 12:6-9. Do you agree with the judgment
of the owner? Is this the right remedy?
1. I regularly run into Christians who believe
that God does not execute judgment against His
opponents. What is the teaching of this
parable? (God does execute judgment. And He
did execute judgment on Jerusalem after Jesus
was crucified.)
C. Read Mark 12:10-11. What does a building have to
do with the vineyard? (The Son who was killed and
thrown out of the vineyard, is the rejected stone
who is now the cornerstone.)
1. Who is this stone? (Jesus! God has made His
victory possible.)
D. Read Mark 12:12. Is this a parable that the Jewish
leaders understand? (Yes. It causes them to fear.)
VI. Heaven
A. Read Mark 12:18-23. The Sadducees do not believe
in a resurrection. Why would they ask a question
like this? (Apparently, they think complexity is
an argument against truth.)
B. Read Mark 12:24. On what should we base truth?
(The Bible and faith in the power of God.)
C. Read Mark 12:25-27. Is Jesus declaring that
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are alive in heaven?
(The issue is the resurrection. Jesus argues for
the resurrection by saying that it will happen
because God has a future plan for us that involves
us living forever.)
D. Friend, God has won and will ultimately destroy
those who reject Him. Will you be on the side of
the living? Why not decide to accept Jesus right
now?
VII. Next week: The Last Days.
Copr. 2024, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are
from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within
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but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this
link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the
Holy Spirit as you study.
