Introduction
Being asked a question you can’t answer is embarrassing. Embarrassment can produce two emotional outcomes: humility or vindictiveness. This portion of Mark’s Gospel exposes the envy, fear, and wickedness of the scribes and Pharisees, and their response is not repentance but to plot an assassination.
The Text
And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, 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. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. […]
Mark 11:1ff
Summary of the Text
Blind Bartimaeus was like a royal herald declaring that the Son of David was on his way (Mk. 10:47-48). As Jesus draws near to Jerusalem, He sends two disciples to procure a previously unridden colt, a fitting royal symbol for such an occasion. (vv1-6). Having obtained the colt, they place garments upon it; Jesus mounts the colt and the royal procession begins, as the crowd place their cloaks and branches before Jesus, and sing out from Psalm 118:26, welcoming Jesus as the return of the Davidic Kingdom (vv7-10). Jesus inspects Jerusalem and the temple, but since evening had fallen He withdraws to Bethany (v11).
As they return to Jerusalem the next day, Jesus, being hungry, inspects a fig tree for fruit. Finding nothing He curses the tree, and Mark notes that the disciples heard the curse (vv12-14). Jesus then enters the temple and begins driving out the moneychangers and forbids the continuance of the commerce which had filled the courts which ought to have been used for prayer (vv15-17). This strikes a chord of fear within the scribal ranks, and the conspiracy to kill Jesus begins (v18). Having accomplished a good day’s work, Jesus returns to Bethany (v19); on reentering Jerusalem the next day, the disciples notice the fig tree has shriveled up entirely (v20), Peter takes the lead on pointing this out to Jesus (v21). Jesus response to this is to summon His disciples to faith in God (v22). This faith is manifested most clearly by bold prayer (vv23-24). Prayer pairs with unforgiveness like orange juice and toothpaste. So, alongside this call to bold prayer Jesus admonishes His disciples to forgive lest God not forgive them (vv25-26).
Then reentering the temple the temperature rises. The scribes confront Jesus as to who gave him authority to do “these things” (vv27-28). Ever a strategic debater, Jesus returns their challenge with a no-win question for the Pharisees: Was John’s baptism from heaven or of men (vv29-30)? The Pharisees huddle amongst themselves and Mark lets us in on their musings. If they say John’s ministry was heavenly, Jesus scores a point. If they say it was merely human they would lose any credibility with the crowds who reckoned John as a prophet (vv31-32). So, they come back with a lame-sauce answer, “We dunno.” And so Jesus refuses to play their game by answering their challenge to His authority (v33).
The Return of the King
Early in Jesus’ ministry He held the truth of His Messiahship close the vest. Steadily, those who have had their ears and eyes opened can hear the living Word and see glorious splendor that Jesus is the Son of God come to drive out evil. There have been plenty of hints. Jesus driving out unclean spirits like David drove out the Philistines. Jesus exercised authority over the Sabbath (Mk. 2:23-28), by alluding to the fact that David had done something similar. Now, Jesus, this son of David, is heading to Jerusalem to bring His whole ministry to its prophesied climax: His death as a ransom for sinners, and His resurrection as man’s restoration.
The scene of His entrance to Jerusalem has a handful of images worth dwelling on. First, we go back to Jacob’s prophetic blessing of his son Judah. More familiar to us is his statement that the scepter would not depart out of Judah (Gen. 49:10-11); less familiar is the second image of the blessing: a colt tied to a vine. Second, when David bequeathed the throne to Solomon, he sent two “servants” (Zadok & Nathan) to bring Solomon in upon a mule (1 Ki. 1:33-35). Third, during the time of Maccabees, when Judas Maccabees had succeeded in driving out the Syrian king and had rebuilt the temple the Jews rejoiced by waving branches and songs and hymns (2 Mac. 10:1-9); this began the Hasmonean Dynasty. There are certainly more images/allusions which we could consider (Cf. Zec. 9:9), but these three suffice to show that Jesus is openly proclaiming the King has returned to claim His throne. But His coronation will look unlike any other Israel, or this world had ever seen. He would be crowned by God the Father Himself, and seated at the Father’s right hand.
Bold Prayer
The heart of this chapter really beats with the potency of prayer. The people cry out “Hosanna.” This is a cry for salvation, deliverance, and prosperity drawn from Psalm 118. The Lord inspects the temple (a house for prayer) and finds it prayer-less. He inspects a fig tree the next day and finds it fruitless, and then pronounces a curse upon it which we later find has miraculously taken place. In between the withering of the fig tree Jesus drives out the uncleanness from the house of prayer.
Jesus wraps up both the cursing of the fig tree and pronouncement of judgement on the temple together. And then He calls His disciples to have faith. The sort of faith that prays bold prayers. Jesus tells His disciples that if they command (in prayer) this mountain to be cast into the sea, it would be done. Jesus tells them, and us, something that seems too big to be believed: prayers of true faith are heard and answered with the marvelous power of God. Whatsoever prayers. While we need to pray bold prayers, our prayers must dwell within the wide borders of God’s will. The mountain in view is the whole Temple Mountain. Jesus summons His disciples to pray for a decisive overthrow of the entire wicked and unbelieving order of things which had taken root in the midst of Israel. Like Babylon before her, the Mountain of Jerusalem was soon to be uprooted and cast into the torrent of God’s judgement (Cf. Jer. 51:25, 42). Jesus will soon teach more about this looming Judgement on Jerusalem (Mk. 13).
Alongside our prayers for the overthrow of our enemies, Jesus instructs us that we also must stand ready to forgive. This is a profound lesson in our own time, and in our own relationships. Pray for the wicked to be overthrown. Stand ready to forgive as God forgave you. Jesus calls you to pray for big things; things like Christ being confessed and obeyed in the halls of DC, Wall St., and City Hall. So, how much more will Christ hear our prayers for daily bread, deliverance from evil, grace for temptation, the conversion of unbelieving friends and family? You can’t pray for such things while harboring unforgiveness. Christ came to reconcile us to God, so that our prayers would be heard and received. And He came so that we might also be reconciled to each other. So, pray that DC gets the full measure of the judgement which its vile schemes deserve. But be prepared to welcome to the Lord’s table any repentant sinner that comes.
Jesus Breaks the Spell
The house of prayer had become full of brigands. They had hijacked the things of God and were misusing them. The temple institution was firing on all cylinders, but the power and the glory were absent. This is what infuriated the scribes. God’s power and glory were found instead in this teacher from Galilee. What got the scribes so fearful that the conspired to kill Jesus? It was the fact of the astonishment of the crowds at Jesus’ doctrine. Their words were like chaff. His words were seeds that were producing a harvest (Parable of the Sower and the Feeding of the 5000 & 4000). The Word of Jesus was breaking the spell which had lulled Israel into apathy, indifference, and idolatry. The Jews had become zealous for the system, but were not zealous for the glory of the Lord.
This is why they question Jesus’ authority. Who gave you permission to do such righteous deeds? Where is your license to glorify God? Jesus doesn’t answer their question directly, but He leaves no mistake. The King has come. If the temple complex had become a den of brigands and blackguards, the King had all authority to drive them out. The temple, like the demoniac with a legion of demons, had become possessed. So, Jesus wields both His divine and Davidic prerogative to determine that the glory of Yahweh would no longer reside in the temple apparatus. Rather, it would reside in the person of Jesus alone.
This all leaves us with a plain course of action. Do not dwell in fear of the brigands and their paper thin authority. Instead, come to the King along with all your requests to Him? For the power & glory dwells in Him.
CHARGE & BENEDICTION
I want to encourage you, in these dark days, to not neglect being a praying people. Our prayers should be as big as our God. Be specific in your prayers. Be bold in your prayers. Be holy in your prayers. And expect God to answer, according to His will.
Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21Other sermons in this series
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