The Gospel According to Saint Mark
Mark 11
Chapter XI · Vol. IV, pp. 130–132
1 Christ rideth with triumph into Jerusalem : 12 curseth a barren fig-tree : 15 purgeth the temple : 20 exhorteth his disciples to steadfastness of faith, and to forgive their enemies : 27 and defendeth the lawfulness of his actions, by the witness of John, who was a man sent of God.
1 Anda when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage, and Bethany, at bthe mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,1
a Mat.21.1-11. Lu.19.29-40. Jn.12.12-16.
b 2 Sa.15.30. 1 Ki.11.7. 2 Ki.23.13. Lu.22.39. Ac.1.12. Zec.14.4. ch.13.3.
1 See note on Mat. 21. 1.—P.
2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that cthe Lord dhath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without, in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.2
2 Doddridge has well remarked here, on our Lord's prescience, even to the most minute and apparently fortuitous circumstances. 1. Ye shall find a colt; 2. on which no man ever sat; 3. bound with his mother; 4. where two ways meet; 5. as ye enter into the village; 6. the owner of which will at first seem unwilling that ye loose him; 7. but who, when he hears that I have need of him, will let him go. &c.—This minuteness and circumstantiality of detail is one of the leading characteristics of Mark's Gospel. He was a close observer of facts.—P.
5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?
6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.
7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, eand cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
e 2 Ki.9.13. Jn.12.12-14; 1.14. Le.23.40.
8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9 And they that went before, and they that followed, gcried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
g Ps.118.24-26. Mat.21.9; 23.39. Jn.12.13. Lu.19.37,38; 2.14; 1.32. Ps.72.17-19. Is.9.6,7; 11.2-4; 52.13; 53.12. Je.33.15.
10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: hHosanna in the highest.
h Ps.148.1.
11 And iJesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: jand when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
i Mat.21.10-17. Lu.19.45.
13 Andl seeing a fig-tree afar off, having leaves,3 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.
l Mat.21.19. Lu.13.6-9; 19.42-44. Phi.3.18,19. 2 Ti.3.5. Tit.1.16. He.6.4-8; 10.26-31. 2 Pe.2.20-22. Mat.12.43-45; 21.40-44. Re.3.1. Is.5.7.
3 The fig-tree produces its fruit before its leaves, so that the appearance of the leaves was evidence that the fruit should have been ripening; and as 'the time of figs (that is, the time for their being ripe and gathered) was not yet (come),' our Lord had an additional right to expect fruit. But here the infidel asks, Does not this ignorance strangely contrast with, or rather invalidate, the wonderful prophetic wisdom attributed to Jesus in the previous narrative? The answer is obvious. The visit was intended to furnish an emblem of the blighting curse that speedily follows a barren professor of the gospel.—C.
14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man4 eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.5
4 But even supposing this tree to have been no man's property, but growing on an absolute common, how could Jesus be justified in destroying it for ever? If this objection be of any force, it will go to arraign the providence of God, and all that are called laws of nature—by which thousands of plants, and shrubs, and trees are annually destroyed by canker, or blight, or storms; and as whatever proves too much, in reality proves nothing,—so an objection that goes too far, is, in reality, no objection where it is applied.—C.
5 See note on Mat. 21. 19.—P.
15 Andn 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 money-changers, 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, oMy house shall be called of all nations, the house of prayer?6 but ye have made it a den of thieves.
18 Andp 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.
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.7
7 Or, Have the faith of God, 2 Ch.20.20. Is.7.9. Pr.3.5. Ps.62.8. ch.5.36; 9.23.
23 Fors 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;8 he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, tWhat things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.Cited in WLC 185 · WCF 21.3
25 Andu when ye stand9 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.1
1 These words are found in Mark only. They were probably added by our Lord to prevent any wrong impression that might have been made on the minds of men by the cursing of the fig-tree. We are not warranted by that miracle in praying for judicial sentence upon our enemy. Forgiveness and love are the feelings we are commanded to cherish toward our fellowmen.—P.
27 Andv they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking xin the temple, there come to him ythe chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,
28 And say unto him, zBy what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?
29 And aJesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question,2 and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not cbelieve him?
c Jn.1.26,29-36; 3.28-36; 5.32,33.
32 Butd if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.
d Mat.3.5,6; 11.9; 14.5. Jn.1.25; 5.35. ch.6.20. Lu.7.26-30.
* How wonderful are the ways of God! By the favour and fear of 'the people' he restrains the priests and scribes and elders till the work of our Lord is completed; and by the versatility, and inconsistency, and heartlessness, and cruelty of that same 'people' he delivers our Lord to his enemies, to judgment, and crucifixion! Thus bringing to pass 'his determinate purpose and counsel' by the most indeterminate, and, apparently, uncertain agency.'—C.
33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, eWe cannot tell. And Jesus answering, saith unto them, gNeither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
A.M. cir. 4037. A.D. cir. 33.
e Is.1.3; 29.14. Je.8.7. Ho.4.6. Ro.1.18,21,22,28. 2 Co.2.15; 4.3,4. 2 Th.2.9,10. Is.6.9,10.
g Lu.10.21,22. Pr.26.4. Job 5.13.
Notes
Reflections.—The divine sovereignty, holiness, the omniscience, and almighty power of our Redeemer, was clearly manifest even in his deepest humiliation; and his meek and lowly triumph proclaimed the spiritual nature of his kingdom. Every one's property ought therefore to be ready at his call, and every mouth opened to publish his praise. Notwithstanding the fairest pretences to the contrary, every ordinance should be inviolably observed according to his law. Yea, it is the great design of Christ and his gospel to reform the worship of God and the hearts and manners of men. And he acts with great majesty and power whenever he takes his work in hand. Christ will do great things for such as believe firmly, pray earnestly, and forgive injuries heartily. But, alas! how many prayers are lost for want of faith and a charitable frame towards others! Infinite is the danger of living fruitless under the means of salvation, and of being by rejecting Christ cast into endless perdition! But the more he displays his glory, holiness, and power, in his word or work, the more ungodly sinners, and especially hypocrites, set themselves against him. Yea, by every art, evasion, and wicked or wilful untruth, they labour to oppose him and his interests in the world. But none of their projects are hid from or can prevail against him.