MARK LESSON 22
We will begin this lesson in Mark 11:1.
Mark 11:1 "And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage
and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his
disciples," Mark 11:2 "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]."
A group from our church, along with my husband and I, went to
Israel in 1979, and we made this same trip from Jericho to Jerusalem.
It is approximately a 17 mile trip. The amazement to us was how close
all these places are. The mount of Olives over looks Jerusalem.
"Bethpage" means the house of green figs. "Bethany" means the house of
dates. The time of Jesus' arrival here was on Palm Sunday. The two
disciples sent were not mentioned by name. In Matthew, we are told "a
colt and an ass ", here, we see just the "colt". This varies a little
in detail because two different people were telling the story. We
discussed this in great detail in our Matthew study. We will mention
that an animal who had never been used by the owner or had never
produced offspring was the only animal fit for God's use. That was why
the colt no one had sat on was there. Jesus (God the Son) would be
using this animal. By divine plan this animal would be there at this
time for Jesus' use.
Mark 11:3 "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."
There was really no evidence that anyone tried to stop them. Here
again, Jesus said this to them to let them know that what they were
doing was right. This colt would not be a stolen animal. He had been
placed there for just that purpose. In Zechariah 9:9 it had been
prophesied that Jesus would enter Jerusalem on the colt of an ass,
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout O daughter of Jerusalem:
behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation;
lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."
You see, Jesus fulfills every prophesy of Him.
Mark 11:4 "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."
Mark 11:5 "And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What
do ye, loosing the colt?"
We see in this the plans of God carried out in every detail. We
see these disciples obeyed Jesus. They took no thought for the harm
that might come to them, if they were thought to be stealing the
animals. It surely had to make their faith even stronger when the
animals were where Jesus had told them they would be. There was really
no opposition to them taking them. It seems as if the people who
asked what they were going to do with them were curious more than
anything, because they did not try to stop the disciples. These
animals are just like everything and everyone on the earth. We are
all subject to the wishes of our Lord. Just as the money was in the
fish's mouth when Jesus needed it to pay taxes. This shows divine
provision.
Mark 11:6 "And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded:
and they let them go."
It was exactly as Jesus said it would be.
Mark 11:7 "And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their
garments on him; and he sat upon him."
These clothes were thrown across the animal like a saddle blanket,
and Jesus sat upon him. Jesus showed complete humility in riding this
colt, but all the time was being elevated by those who were with Him.
Mark 11:8 "And many spread their garments in the way: and others
cut down branches off the trees, and strawed [them] in the way." Mark
11:9 "And they that went before, and they that followed, cried,
saying, Hosanna; Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord:"
"Hosanna" means Oh, save. This was Jesus' triumphal entry into
Jerusalem. This was Palm Sunday. You can see total adoration of Jesus
by His followers here. Not even their own garments meant anything to
them compared to Jesus, and they spread their garments on the ground for
the ass to walk on. At this point, all these people were speaking of
the blessedness of Jesus.
Mark 11:10 "Blessed [be] the kingdom of our father David, that
cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest."
At this time, the Lord Jesus could have easily taken Jerusalem
away from the Romans. His followers believed He was going into
Jerusalem to reign as King then. They had no understanding of His
mission at all.
Mark 11:11 "And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the
temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now
the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve."
Notice here, too, that Jesus went to the temple. This had to be
an unusual sight, Jesus going along on the little colt with a large
group shouting, "Hosanna" and covering the way for the colt to walk
with their clothes and branches. All twelve disciples were with Jesus
at this time.
Mark 11:12 "And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany,
he was hungry:" Mark 11:13 "And seeing a fig tree afar off having
leaves, 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]."
This was undoubtedly the Monday after Palm Sunday. Jesus was about
to teach us a very important lesson, here, and set the circumstance up
for us. We know that Jesus ate while He was here on the earth and it
would not be unusual for Him to be hungry. This fig tree with leaves
would make you think that it, also, had figs. Here we see a
disappointment, a tree with no fruit. There are several symbols we
must see here. This "fig tree" symbolizes the physical house of Israel.
It was religious (the green leaves), but was not a fruit bearer (had not
accepted Jesus). This tree was to wither up until the time of the
Gentiles be fulfilled. The physical house of Israel would appear to be
dead. We, also, can see in this fig tree our own lives. Are we
Christians in lip service, or in reality? Do we appear to be a
fruitful tree, and have no fruit to show? Can we bear closer
examination? When Jesus comes and inspects our tree, will there be
any fruit? In Matthew, we are told that the tree withered
immediately.
Mark 11:14 "And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit
of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard [it]."
This showed the disciples the supreme power that Jesus has over
even plants. Jesus did not have to die on the cross. He chose to
die on the cross. Jesus is supreme Ruler over everything.
Mark 11:15 "And 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 moneychangers, and the seats of them
that sold doves;" Mark 11:16 "And would not suffer that any man should
carry [any] vessel through the temple."
This temple was for one purpose only. This temple was a place for
man to meet with God. The temple was never intended to be a house of
merchandise. The temple was to be holy, set aside for this purpose.
Jesus cast these people out with great authority. This selling of
sacrificial animals (many times not even healthy animals) to be
offered in the temple was against all of God's teachings. Church
should not be a money making venture. Church is for God and man to
communicate with each other. Man must reverence God and His temple.
The really sad thing about most of this trade that went on in the
temple, was that the priests and their families were taking advantage
of the needs of the people for doves etc., and were fleecing the
people. Not only were they charging too much, but were, also, furnishing
impure animals; and they were not even supposed to sell at all in the
temple. The temple is holy. Other activities, other than worship,
should not be conducted inside the sanctuary. Most churches today have
a book room out of the sanctuary. All transactions should be made
outside the sanctuary. The Lord even now will overthrow the money
changers and the men and women merchandising in the sanctuary.
Mark 11:17 "And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written,
My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye
have made it a den of thieves."
God is the God of the whole world. He is the God of every
nation. The court of the Gentiles is still part of the meeting place
of God and man. Here, again, Jesus condemeds the selling of merchandise
in the sanctuary. I believe personally that this goes even into the
holiness we should have toward our God in our sanctuary today. Eating
and drinking, for instance, should be done in another room of the
church, and all other gatherings that are not classified as worship
(such as fund raisers). God loves us and wants to save us, but He
also wants us to love and worship Him. We take God and His sanctuary
far too lightly.
Notes
Mark 22 Questions
1. What two towns were near Jerusalem?
2. Where did Jesus tell two of His disciples to go?
3. What would they find there?
4. Approximately how far is it from Jericho to Jerusalem?
5. What city does the mount of Olives overlook?
6. Why did Jesus need the colt of an ass?
7. What answer were the disciples to give to anyone who asked them
what they were doing?
8. What Prophetic book in the Old Testament tells of the colt?
9. Where did they find the colt?
10. What did they use like a saddle blanket for the colt?
11. What did they spread down before the colt to walk on?
12. What does "Hosanna" mean?
13. What day did Jesus' triumphant arrival in Jerusalem happen on?
14. Where did Jesus go in Jerusalem?
15. When Jesus came from Bethany on Monday, He was _______________.
16. Why did He think the fig tree had fruit?
17. What had Jesus done, here, to teach us a very important lesson?
18. What is the fig tree symbolic of?
19. What can we see in our lives, if we are Christians, in this fig
tree?
20. When Jesus went to the temple, what did He find that displeased
Him?
21. What is the only purpose of the temple then and now?
22. How did Jesus cast them out?
23. What was the saddest thing about this trafficking that was going
on?
24. What shall the house of God be called?
25. Who does this extend to?
Notes
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