Mark 11
The King Who Looks Beneath the Leaves
Jesus enters Jerusalem as King, but His visit brings more than a joyful welcome. Through a fig tree, the temple, and a clash with the leaders, He shows that God wants real faith, not just the appearance of it.
Walking Through Mark 11
A King Arrives in Peace (Mark 11:1-11)
1 Now as they approached Jerusalem, near Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go to the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here soon.’” 4 So they went and found a colt tied at a door, outside in the street, and untied it. 5 Some people standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They replied as Jesus had told them, and the bystanders let them go. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus, threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. 8 Many spread their cloaks on the road and others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Both those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting, “ Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” 11 Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. And after looking around at everything, he went out to Bethany with the twelve since it was already late.Mark 11:1-11 · NET Bible
Near Jerusalem, Jesus sends two disciples to bring a colt that no one has ridden. He tells them where to find it and what to say, and things happen as He described. This is a planned arrival, not a crowd making Him king by surprise. Riding the colt points to the promised King who comes humbly and in peace (Zechariah 9:9). People spread clothes and leafy branches on the road. Their praise connects Jesus with David’s coming kingdom. Hosanna is a cry for rescue that also became a shout of praise. Yet a loud welcome does not mean everyone understands what kind of King Jesus is. He will bring rescue through the cross, not through an armed revolt. Notice how the day ends: Jesus enters the temple and looks around before returning to Bethany with the Twelve. The King is taking a careful look at His people’s worship.
Leaves Without Fruit (Mark 11:12-14)
12 Now the next day, as they went out from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 After noticing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it. When he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.Mark 11:12-14 · NET Bible
The next morning, Jesus is hungry. He approaches a leafy fig tree but finds no fruit. Mark plainly tells us that it is not the season for figs. We should not hide that detail or treat this as a lesson in farming. Jesus’ words over the tree become a living sign, and the disciples hear them. Mark places the temple visit between this event and the discovery that the tree has dried up. That arrangement helps us see the connection: outward signs of life can hide a lack of fruit. The temple has crowds, activity, and worship practices, but Jesus finds deep failure beneath them. This is a warning of God’s judgment, not simply a burst of anger over missing breakfast. I want us to feel the weight of it. Religious appearance cannot replace the faithful life God desires.
Making Room for Prayer (Mark 11:15-19)
15 Then they came to Jerusalem. Jesus entered the temple area and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts. He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and he would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 Then he began to teach them and said, “Is it not written: ‘ My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations ’? But you have turned it into a den of robbers !” 18 The chief priests and the experts in the law heard it, and they considered how they could assassinate him, for they feared him because the whole crowd was amazed by his teaching. 19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.Mark 11:15-19 · NET Bible
At the temple, Jesus drives out buyers and sellers, overturns tables and seats, and stops people from carrying goods through the grounds. Money changing and animal sales served needs connected with sacrifices. But useful services did not excuse what the temple had become. Jesus joins the promise of a house of prayer for all nations with a warning about a shelter for robbers (Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11). His concern reaches beyond dishonest business. People must not use worship as a cover for lives that resist God. The words about all nations also show the wide reach of God’s welcome. This place was meant to serve His purpose, not block it. The chief priests and scribes begin looking for a way to kill Jesus. They fear Him because the crowd is amazed at His teaching. When evening comes, Jesus and His disciples leave the city.
Faith That Prays and Forgives (Mark 11:20-26)
20 In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered.” 22 Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, if someone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 For this reason I tell you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your sins.”Mark 11:20-26 · NET Bible
In the morning, the disciples see that the fig tree has dried up from its roots. Peter points it out, and Jesus directs them toward faith in God. His picture of moving a mountain shows that no obstacle is beyond God’s power. Prayer rests on who God is, not on our ability to produce a strong feeling. Jesus calls for confident trust, but this is not a blank check for every wish. Faith depends on God rather than trying to control Him. Jesus also joins prayer with forgiveness. Those who seek the Father’s mercy must not cling to a refusal to forgive others. Forgiveness does not call wrong things right; it releases our claim to personal revenge. Some Bibles include verse 26, which repeats the warning about refusing forgiveness. Many early manuscripts do not contain it, so some translations place it in a note. Verse 25 clearly carries the command.
The Question They Would Not Answer (Mark 11:27-33)
27 They came again to Jerusalem. While Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the experts in the law, and the elders came up to him 28 and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Answer me and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 30 John’s baptism—was it from heaven or from people? Answer me.” 31 They discussed with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘From people…’” (they feared the crowd, for they all considered John to be truly a prophet). 33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”Mark 11:27-33 · NET Bible
Back in the temple, Jesus faces the chief priests, scribes, and elders. They demand to know what authority gives Him the right to act as He has. Jesus responds with a question about John’s baptism: did it come from God or from people? This goes to the heart of their problem. John had called people to turn back to God and had prepared the way for Jesus. If the leaders admit that John came from God, they must explain why they did not believe him. If they deny it, they fear the crowd, who regarded John as a prophet. They discuss what each answer might cost them rather than what is true. So they claim not to know, and Jesus refuses to answer their demand. I see a serious warning here: protecting our position can keep us from honestly facing the truth God has already placed before us.
- Authority — the right to speak and act; Jesus acts with authority from God.
- Faith — trusting God’s power and goodness rather than relying on appearances or control.
Where might God be calling you from the appearance of faith into deeper trust?
Father, thank You for loving us enough to show us the truth. Grow real faith in us, and help us forgive as people who need Your mercy. Make our worship honest and our hearts open to Your correction. Amen.