Mark 11NASB
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Mark11

New American Standard

1And as they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples,

2and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat; untie it and bring it here.

3And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it’; and immediately he will send it back here.”

4They went away and found a colt tied at the door, outside in the street; and they untied it.

5And some of the bystanders were saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”

6And they told them just as Jesus had said, and they gave them permission.

7They brought the colt to Jesus and put their cloaks on it; and He sat on it.

8And many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.

9And those who went in front and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord;

10Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!”

11And Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple area; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.

12On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry.

13Seeing from 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.

14And He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

15Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple area and began to drive out those who were selling and buying on the temple grounds, and He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves;

16and He would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple grounds.

17And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”

18And the chief priests and the scribes heard this, and they began seeking how to put Him to death; for they were afraid of Him, because all the crowd was astonished at His teaching.

19And whenever evening came, they would leave the city.

20As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up.

21And being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree that You cursed has withered.”

22And Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.

23Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted to him.

24Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted to you.

25And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you for your offenses.

26[But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your offenses.”]

27And they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple area, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him,

28and began saying to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?”

29But Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.”

31And they began considering the implications among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’

32But should we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all considered John to have been a real prophet.

33Answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things.”

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Mark 11.

Full AI study →

Chapter Summary

In this chapter: Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. (1–11). The barren fig-tree cursed, The temple cleansed. (12–18). Prayer in faith. (19–26). The priests and elders questioned concerning John the Baptist. (27–33).

vv1-11

Christ's coming into Jerusalem thus remarkably, shows that he was not afraid of the power and malice of his enemies. This would encourage his disciples who were full of fear. Also, that he was not disquieted at the thoughts of his approaching sufferings. But all marked his humiliation; and these matters teach us not to mind high things, but to condescend to those of low estate. How ill it becomes Christians to take state, when Christ was so far from claiming it! They welcomed his person; Blessed is he that cometh, the “He that should come,” so often promised, so long expected; he comes in the name of the Lord. Let him have our best affections; he is a blessed Saviour, and brings blessings to us, and blessed be He that sent him. Praises be to our God, who is in the highest heavens, over all, God blessed for ever.

vv12-18

Christ looked to find some fruit, for the time of gathering figs, though it was near, was not yet come; but he found none. He made this fig-tree an example, not to the trees, but to the men of that generation. It was a figure of the doom upon the Jewish church, to which he came seeking fruit, but found none. Christ went to the temple, and began to reform the abuses in its courts, to show that when the Redeemer came to Zion, it was to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. The scribes and the chief priests sought, not how they might make their peace with him, but how they might destroy him. A desperate attempt, which they could not but fear was fighting against God.

vv19-26

The disciples could not think why that fig-tree should so soon wither away; but all wither who reject Christ; it represented the state of the Jewish church. We should rest in no religion that does not make us fruitful in good works. Christ taught them from hence to pray in faith. It may be applied to that mighty faith with which all true Christians are endued, and which does wonders in spiritual things. It justifies us, and so removes mountains of guilt, never to rise up in judgment against us. It purifies the heart, and so removes mountains of corruption, and makes them plain before the grace of God. One great errand to the throne of grace is to pray for the pardon of our sins; and care about this ought to be our daily concern.

Cross References

Mark 11
v7Zechariah 9:9fulfillment

Prophetic prediction of the Messiah riding into Jerusalem on a colt, indicating humble kingship.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v17Isaiah 56:7quotation

Directly quoted by Jesus to defend the temple as a house of prayer for all nations.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v17Jeremiah 7:11quotation

Directly quoted by Jesus accusing the merchants of turning the temple into a den of robbers.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v9Psalms 118:26quotation

The messianic Hallel chant sung by the crowds welcoming Jesus into the city.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v13Matthew 21:19thematic

Parallel account detailing the immediate cursing and subsequent withering of the barren fig tree.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v25Matthew 6:14thematic

Identical teaching linking our willingness to forgive others with receiving divine forgiveness.

Supported by John Calvin

v1Luke 19:29-40thematic

Detailed Lucan parallel of the triumphal entry and the acquisition of the colt.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v15John 2:13-17thematic

John's account of a temple cleansing, highlighting zeal for God's house.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v27Matthew 21:23-27thematic

Parallel confrontation where the chief priests question Jesus' authority in the temple.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v21 Samuel 6:7allusion

Illustrates the principle of reserving animals never previously yoked for sacred, divine purposes.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v72 Kings 9:13allusion

Old Testament precedent of spreading garments in the path to acknowledge a newly crowned king.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v14Hebrews 6:8thematic

Theological parallel of land bearing thorns and rejected fruit being cursed and burned.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v23Matthew 17:20thematic

Parallel instruction on faith capable of moving mountains and overcoming impossible obstacles.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v11Luke 21:37thematic

Confirms Jesus' custom of leaving Jerusalem daily to lodge at the Mount of Olives.

Supported by JFB

v13Isaiah 5:2thematic

Old Testament imagery of God looking for good fruit from Israel but finding none.

Supported by Matthew Henry