Gospel of Mark Study #37

“Dead Trees and Barren Religion”

Mark 11:20-33

Study #37 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

One of the signs of physical health is reproductivity. This is true of both plants and animals. For example, a healthy tree reproduces itself. Starting again every year in the spring it buds, flowers, and grows leaves. Later it develops fruit, drops its seeds, and starts a bunch of cute little new baby trees. That is the life cycle of trees. Years ago, at our house in Milwaukie, Oregon we had two Red Maple trees in our backyard that were heavily invested into this reproductive process. They were trying to grow a maple forest in our back yard, and I worked hard to keep that from happening. That meant going around and pulling up the little devils that tried to sprout all over the yard and in the flower beds.

Trees that are unhealthy, however, are usually barren or produce only a small harvest of sickly fruit. Oh, they may have leaves and they may still give shade, but if they do not produce fruit, you can bet that there is something wrong. However, the problems are not always easy to detect early on, unless you know what to look for. In our last study Jesus had a little run-in with a fig tree that was sporting lots of leaves but was barren of fruit. Mark 11:12-14 says: ¹² On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. ¹³ Seeing at 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. ¹⁴ He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

I told you then that we would be back to visit this same fig tree and to try and figure out why Jesus cursed it. What was the point? Was He merely unhappy because it did not have any fruit on it, even though the text clearly says that it was not yet time to have ripe figs? Was He being petulant and mean spirited? Of course not! Jesus chose that tree and that occasion to teach His disciples yet another important life lesson, one that they would need in the future after He was gone.

TRANSITION:

You know that Jesus was an expert at putting His finger on problems. He could see into peoples’ souls and see what was lacking in them. He could look into a person’s eyes and know what they were thinking. He was not impressed with religiosity and phony piety. He was not taken in by religious people who had no genuine holiness. He could spot a fake from a mile away.

NOTES on the Text:

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

• This was now Tuesday morning of what we call the Passion Week. On their way once again, walking from Bethany where they spent each night, the 2½ miles to Jerusalem, they passed by the same tree that Jesus had cursed the day before. But this time, instead of looking healthy and being covered with green leaves, it was dried up with the brown leaves falling off and the roots obviously dead. Wow! That all happened in just 24-hours and because of Jesus’ words! He struck that tree dead just by speaking to it. Now that is power!

Verse 21: Being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.” 

• It certainly impressed Peter and the boys. They apparently were amazed that the Lord’s cursing was so effectual and so immediate. Peter, as so often happened, was the first one to make a comment. He pointed out to Jesus what had happened to the tree, as though Jesus did not know already. Of course, Jesus knew! The question is… WHY? What spiritual lesson did Jesus want to teach these guys (and us too)? 

Verses 22-23: And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God.  ²³ Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.” 

• So, what was the spiritual lesson? Was it about dendrology? That’s the study of trees and woody plants for all of you who flunked science class. NO! Was it about placing hexes and curses on things or people we do not like or that do not give us what we want? Again, NO! Jesus used this whole barren tree thing to teach His disciples about faith, authority, and the power of prayer.
• To be honest, I struggle with these verses. I am embarrassed to admit that my faith does not often turn out to be of the mountain moving variety, although I have no doubt that what Jesus said is true. It is just that most of us find it so hard to have that unwavering, nothing-doubting, rock-solid kind of faith. No wonder my prayers do not always seem to get answered. They are anemic and faith starved.

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

• This is an important verse. First, notice that the word, “believe” is a present tense imperative verb calling for persistent, continuing faith. The verb “received” is in the aorist tense meaning “you did receive, or you have already received.” In other words, Jesus is saying that we are to keep on believing that God has already given what we asked of Him.
• The promise follows: “…and they will be granted you.” He uses the same expression here that He used a moment before at the end of verse 23.

Verses 25-26: “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in Heaven will also forgive you your transgression.”  ²⁶ [“But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in Heaven forgive your transgressions.”] 

• There has been a lot of confusion down through the years over these verses. People often miss the point Jesus is making and try to turn this into a law or a rule. That misses the principle that Jesus is trying to put across.
• On the surface it sounds as though God’s forgiveness is dependent on our forgiveness. But it is important to observe that Christ is not addressing Himself here to the unsaved but to His disciples, who have already entered a saving relationship with Himself. The forgiveness He is talking about here is not the initial forensic act of forgiveness by God, which abolishes the guilt of our sin and saves us from Hell. Rather, it is the forgiveness of a father toward a son or daughter that restores the fellowship between them. Jesus’ point here is that a disciple cannot pray effectively if a spirit of unforgiveness has broken his fellowship with God. Note that verse 25 states this from the positive side, while verse 26 states it from the negative side, but they are saying the same thing.
• Notice: The only significance of the cursing of the fig tree stated in the Gospels is to be found in these verses. Any further symbolical meaning must be inferred from the context, which goes along with the comments I made at the very beginning about barren religion, having the appearance of godliness but lacking in substance. I have entitled this study “Dead Trees and Barren Religion” because of the account that follows. I believe that it is in part an illustration of what Jesus was teaching His disciples from the cursing of the fig tree—namely, that spiritual fruit-bearing is the only true indicator of spiritual health and vigor.

Verses 27-28: They came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the Temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him, ²⁸ and began saying to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?” 

• So, Jesus and the boys walk back to Jerusalem, and who do they meet but a bunch of religious dudes looking for trouble—the usual suspects, namely, the chief priests, scribes, and elders. These were the “top guns” of Judaism. They knew the Bible backwards and forwards. They were powerful. They were generally well respected by the people. They had both civil and religious authority. But most importantly of all, they were united by their mutual dislike of Jesus and their belief that He was a threat to them on many different levels.
• They recognized Jesus, of course. His face was etched in their minds from the day He showed up and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and drove the merchants out of the Temple courtyard. Now they came up to Him and posed a question—a question they hoped would stump Him, or that they could use to hang Him.
• It was a two-part question and it centered on AUTHORITY. The first part was, “What kind of authority do you have?” The second part was, “Who gave you this authority?” By “these things” the officials referred to Christ’s purging of the Temple. According to Jewish rabbinic teaching, the Temple could be cleansed only by the Sanhedrin, by a prophet, or by the Messiah. These guys were enraged that this little hayseed rabbi from Nazareth would show up and push them around. “Who gave you the right to show up here and tell us that we are wrong?” they said. “Who do you think you are, telling us, the religious experts, that we are robbers and thieves? Who sent you here to stir up trouble? What is your authority to do this?”

Verses 29-30: And 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.  ³⁰ “Was the baptism of John from Heaven, or from men? Answer Me.” 

• Jesus quickly turned the tables on them. Now He had them where He wanted them. Instead of answering their question, He made a deal with them— “You answer my question, then I will answer yours.” He said, “I will tell you where I got my authority just as soon as you tell me where John the Baptist got his authority.”
• Notice that the conversation was still all about AUTHORITY.
• Jesus said, “Was the baptism of John from Heaven, or from men?” Jews often used the term “Heaven” when referring to God to avoid using the Divine name.

Verse 31: They began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From Heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’” 

• Those Jewish leaders recognized a bear trap when they saw one. Jesus’ question instantly put them on the defensive. Only a moment ago they thought they had Jesus cornered and could force Him to say something incriminating that they could use against Him. Now He had them backed into a corner.
• If they said that John was sent by God and that his authority came from God, then they could see the logical conclusion that any thinking person would draw— “Then why didn’t you listen to his message and repent of your sins like he said you should? Instead, you fought against him and rejoiced when Herod had him beheaded.”

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

• But if they said that John was just a religious nutcase who had fried his brains from spending too much time out in the Judean desert sun then they were going to tick off the thousands of common people who adored John and believed him to be a genuine prophet sent from God. Their predicament is what is commonly called “being caught between a rock and a hard place,” also known as a “Catch-22.”

Verse 33: Answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” 

• This would be funny if it were not so sad. After conferring together, they took the coward’s way out—they said, “We don’t know.” That weaselly, cowardly answer left Jesus under no obligation to answer the question that they had posed to Him.

CONCLUSION:

Do you know where your authority comes from as a Christian, as a servant of God? Do you know what is the power source from which you can draw to carry out the will of God? Do you know how to tap into the resources of Heaven to have the wisdom and power and strength to carry out the mission that God has given you to accomplish?

Jesus is the Fount of our authority and our power. In Matthew 28:18-20 He said: “All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Jesus has all authority, and He has the authority to confer that authority to others, in the same way that the President has the authority to appoint diplomats, cabinet members, and other high government leaders. Jesus has given to us all the authority and power we need to lead godly, victorious lives and to complete the Great Commission.

FEEDBACK:

What is the take-away from this passage? What is the Spirit saying to you from these verses? What does this text teach us about spiritual fruitfulness and spiritual barrenness? How are we to apply the lesson to our lives?

Gospel of Mark Study #36

“Spring Cleaning with a Wire Brush”

Mark 11:12-19

Study #36 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

Spring is a time when some of us get kind of itchy, and I am not referring to poison oak, allergies, or hay fever. After being shut-in all winter, when spring finally comes around and the weather starts to improve, we begin getting big ideas. We say, “Ah, now I can finally get out there and weed those flower beds.” Or “I think maybe I’ll clean out the garage next Saturday.” Or for you maybe it is… “My shop (or my sewing room, etc.) is a mess—I’m going to get in there and clean out that rat’s nest and put things back where they belong.”

I remember that my mother used to get spring fever every year. Along about April she would start cleaning out and rearranging the closets. I would come home from school and find her scrubbing and reorganizing all her kitchen cupboards and alphabetizing her spices. Some days the smell of Pine Sol, Clorox, Murphy’s Oil Soap, and Parson’s Ammonia was so strong that it would knock you right over when you walked in the house. I did not really mind her cleaning obsession, of course, except that sooner or later she usually had plans for me too. She would make me go in and clean out my closet and go through all my drawers to put everything in order. I also had a chemistry lab in the basement that tended to get out of control, and she would make me clean all that up. By May she was shampooing the carpets and getting the drapes dry-cleaned. My Dad would eventually catch the spring-cleaning bug too, at Mom’s insistence, of course, and he would drag me out to weed flower beds, edge and fertilize the lawn, and help him clean out and swab down the garage.

Many of you can relate to this. You too were raised by clean-freaks and neatnics. But there are some tricks to the whole cleaning thing. You must learn which products to use and how much force to apply. If you do it wrong, you can mar the wood and do permanent damage. But for the big jobs sometimes you must bring out the big guns. I am talking about those tasks that require total dedication, lots of elbow grease, and a wire brush.

This week we will read about a cleaning job that Jesus took on that called for a wire brush. Soft words would not work; discussing the matter would not get the job done. So, Jesus rolled up His sleeves and went to work. It was time for spring-cleaning at the Temple and He went after it with a wire brush. We’re in Mark 11, starting at verse 12.

TRANSITION:

As you remember from our last study Jesus and His disciples made their way from Galilee in the far north of Israel down through Perea and up the long road to Jerusalem by way of Jericho to celebrate Passover there. They arrived in Bethany late in the day on Friday. Because it was the start of the Sabbath and Bethany was located more than a Sabbath’s journey from Jerusalem, they spent the next 36-hours in Bethany. Early on Sunday morning they made their way the 2½ or so miles to the city where Jesus was welcomed by the crowds and declared to be their King, their Messiah. We call this the Triumphal Entry and we celebrate it every year on Palm Sunday.

Jesus and His disciples then walked throughout the city, just observing. Matthew records that He went up to the Temple and walked all around, seeing everything that was taking place. Then He and His disciples walked back to Bethany where they spent the night again, and that is where we pick up the story. 

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 12: On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He [Jesus] became hungry. 

• So now we are on Monday of “Passion Week.” Jesus and the boys left Bethany and headed for Jerusalem. But somewhere along the way Jesus’ stomach began to growl. Apparently, they had not eaten breakfast. To their dismay they discovered that there was no Pig-n-Pancake on that road and IHOP and Denny’s were both closed.

Verse 13: Seeing at 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.

• Fig trees in the region of Jerusalem normally budded out with new leaves toward the end of March or in early April, the time of Passover. However, this tree was apparently already loaded with leaves, in which case it was advertising that it had ripe figs on it, even though figs normally did not ripen until June. Jesus saw the leaves at a distance and drew near to see if there was any fruit on the tree.
• Now this is a curious thing. Here you have the Creator of the Universe, the One who invented figs and fig trees in the first place, seeming to be surprised that the tree had no figs yet. Was He naïve? No. Had He forgotten the life cycle of fig trees? No. So, do you honestly think He was surprised by any of this? No, certainly not. And you must remember that the narrative is being written by a person with a totally human perspective. This is how things appeared to Mark. But the key to what was going on here is to be seen in the next verse. It tells me that this was all a show for the sake of the disciples because Jesus was once again setting them up for a life-lesson.

Verse 14: He said to it [i.e., the fig tree], “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening. 

• Jesus addressed His remark directly to the tree. That is odd, don’t you think? “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” From that I take it that the tree had borne fruit in the past and would have again if Jesus had not cursed it. His disciples heard every word of this one-sided conversation but evidently did not comment on what had just happened. But I am sure that they must have wondered about it. Only later did it become apparent what Jesus was teaching them. Stay tuned for the rest of the story of the fig tree. We will come back to it in our next study. You’ll just have to be patient.

Verse 15: Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the Temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the Temple and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 

• “Then they came to Jerusalem.” It does not take long to walk 2 or 3 miles, and those guys were very accustomed to walking long distances.
• “And He entered the Temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the Temple.” You may not know it, but Jesus purged the Temple on two separate occasions. This is the second time. The first occasion is recorded in John 2:13-17 and occurred right at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. That time Jesus made a scourge (whip) out of leather cords and went after the culprits in a big way. He literally drove the merchants from the Temple courtyard and sent them scurrying like rats. John 2:17 records an interesting detail. It says, “His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for Thy house will consume Me.’” This quote comes from a Messianic Psalm (Psalm 69:9). For the disciples this was one more indication that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah.
• You must picture this in your mind’s eye. Mark is not saying that the buyers and the sellers were doing business in the Temple proper. No one entered there except for the priests. He is talking about the huge area encircling the Temple—what was called the Temple courtyard. And even that was subdivided into several smaller sections including the Court of the Women, the Court of the Israelites, the Court of the Priests, etc. However, in the area immediately in front of the main Temple gate was a huge area called the Court of the Gentiles. That area was primarily a giant bazaar, with vendors selling all kinds of souvenirs, sacrificial animals, food, clothing, etc. There were even tourist guides that provided tours of the premises for the pilgrims arriving in the holy city. There were also currency-changers, exchanging Roman money for Jewish money so that people could pay the annual half-shekel Temple tax, although usually charging exorbitant added handling fees (i.e., ágio). Many of these merchants and moneychangers were secretly in the employ of Annas and the high priestly family. They were getting rich from all this business. And of course, the priests, called cohanim, dressed in their white linen robes and wearing strange tall hats, were everywhere, directing visitors where to go and telling them what kind of sacrifices needed to be performed. It could perhaps be argued that the moneychangers and animal venders filled necessary roles because the people arriving needed animals for sacrifice, and they needed to exchange their foreign currency. On the other hand, these merchants had grown money-hungry and manipulative and had lost sight of the holiness of God’s Temple. This is what really angered Jesus.
• This event is recorded by three of the four Gospel writers: by Matthew (21:12-17), by Mark (11:15-19), and by Luke (19:45-47). In all three accounts you discover that Jesus went after those guys with everything He had in Him. He was furious! He was filled with holy anger and righteous indignation.

Verse 16: and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the Temple. 

• This just goes along with His forbidding the merchants to sell their wares and carry on their business in the Temple area. 

Verse 17: And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.” 

• Jesus was not a radical lunatic. He was not barking-mad. He was not a raving maniac. There was always a good reason behind everything He did. This was no exception. Jesus used this opportunity to teach the people the truth, to educate them about what was right and wrong. He confronted the merchants and moneychangers about their behavior, but He zeroed in on their motivations. He chose for His text Isaiah 56:7 where the prophet declares the Lord’s house to be a house of prayer, a place set apart for holy purposes that bring glory to God. Jesus accused them of desecrating the Lord’s Temple by using it as a place of commerce. And to make it even worse He said that they were guilty of dishonest gain because of the outrageously unfair prices they charged. This was His point when He quoted this phase, “a den of thieves/robbers.” He pulled it from Jeremiah 7:11, which says, “Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight?” 

Verse 18: The chief priests and the scribes heard this and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching. 

• “The chief priests and the scribes heard this…” Do you remember a few moments ago when I told you that Annas, the high priest, and his family ran much of this dishonest business? That is who we are seeing here. They listened to everything that Jesus said and chose to ignore or discount every word of it. They were livid and began plotting together how they could destroy Him, and the sooner the better.
• “But they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.”  These religious dudes were in a tough spot. They wanted to kill Jesus, but they knew that the common people loved Him. Therefore, they had to be incredibly careful that their plot should go unnoticed and not backfire on them. This was a delicate situation and had to be handled with a great deal of finesse.
• This verse reveals the two basic ways that people responded to Jesus: (1) Some loved Him and were amazed and astonished at His wonderful teachings; while others (2) Despised and rejected everything about Him, hoping that He would die soon, and did not believe a single word that He said. Many people today show this same kind of fear of the real Jesus. He is God, not a pet that we can control. This Lion of Judah “is not a tame Lion,” as C.S. Lewis wisely observed. People should be afraid of Him if they have chosen to reject and oppose Him!

Verses 19: When evening came, they would go out of the city. 

• They had lodgings in Bethany so each evening they walked those 2.5 miles back to where they were staying, probably at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, although the text does not deny or confirm that theory. Then each morning of that week they trudged back to the city where they would spend the day. 

CONCLUSION:

QUESTIONS TO PONDER AND DISCUSS:

What applications can we make of this story of Jesus cleansing the Temple?

• Is there a time and place for us to display righteous anger? When and under what circumstances?
• How does this text apply to the Church of today? To your church specifically?
• What does it say about how we should view the church building and facilities?
• Do the same rules that applied to the Temple also apply to the church building?
• Sometimes when musical groups come to our churches to sing and play, we allow them to sell their CDs and DVDs in the lobby. Is that wrong? Or how about bazaars, bingo nights, and fundraisers at the church? What do you think?

Gospel of Mark Study #35

“The Beginning of the End”

Mark 11:1-11

Study #35 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

Sir Winston Churchill was a British politician, well known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940-1945 and again from 1951-1955. In 1953 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Churchill also happens to be one of my favorite characters of recent history. He was a fascinating person and incredibly wise in many ways. Besides being an astute leader, he was a gifted orator and a person who could say a great deal while employing only a minimum of words. During WWII, his was a voice of comfort, reason, courage, and resolve for the British people. With a minimal search you will discover that many books have been written compiling the sayings and writings of Winston Churchill. Even today, many years after his passing from the world scene, his words continue to inspire, amuse, and teach us. 

I am especially thinking of one quote from Churchill that applies to the text we will be examining in the Gospel of Mark. The familiar quote comes from a speech given by Prime Minister Churchill at the Lord Mayor’s Luncheon, at Mansion House, London, on November 10, 1942. In context, he was referring to the British victory over the German Afrika Korps at the Second Battle of El Alamein in Egypt. Concerning that victory, he said: “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

During a great campaign it is difficult to judge the relative importance of any one battle victory, or loss. Not knowing the future, it is hard to assess exactly what role that victory, or loss might play in the grand scheme of things. 

The story of Jesus coming to earth to be the Savior is made up of many parts. There were many victories but there were some apparent defeats as well. But a careful study of the Scriptures will lead you to the inescapable conclusion that God was in control of all the events that took place. Nothing took Him by surprise. Nothing ever slipped out from under His Sovereign hand. Everything went according to His plans and purposes, and everything happened in His perfect time.

However, to an onlooker it sometimes might have appeared like things were flying out of control. Moreover, to the disciples, it must have sometimes felt like things were spinning out of control, especially when they saw Jesus crucified on a Roman cross and buried in a tomb. But was that the end? NO! Was it the beginning of the end? Again, NO! Was it the end of the beginning? Perhaps.

The story of Christianity is still being written. It continues to play out every day as we move toward the end of the age when Christ will return in power and great glory to be established forever as the Great King. Luke, in the first sentence of the Book of Acts, wrote these words: “The first account I composed, Theophilus [referring to the Gospel of Luke], about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen.” What is Luke’s point? The Book of Acts and the history of the Church, which continues right down until today, is the continuation of all that Jesus began to do and teach. Looking back, we can clearly see that the trial, crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus were not the beginning of the end. They comprised, rather, the end of the beginning. 

TRANSITION:

In our last study we looked at the last few verses of Mark 10 that describe the healing and conversion of Blind Bartimaeus. This event occurred somewhere along the stretch of road between the ruins of the ancient Canaanite city of Jericho and the rebuilt modern Roman city of Jericho. You will remember that I explained that Jesus and His disciples were coming from Galilee and making their way through the region of Perea into southern Judea by way of the Jordan Valley on their way up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Feast. The route that Jesus chose took Him through Jericho and then on another 15.5 miles up the steep mountain to Jerusalem. But as He was passing through Jericho He stopped and dealt with two men. Both men were lost and in desperate need of Jesus’ touch. Both men came to believe on Him and experienced His miraculous saving power in their lives. Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, had his life totally transformed by the power of God and the touch of Jesus. Zacchaeus, the diminutive tax collector, did not suffer from any physical ailment other than shortness of stature, but despite his business acumen and his great wealth, he too was lost and headed for Hell. Luke 18 records how Jesus saved his soul and put his feet on the road to Heaven.

However, from Zacchaeus’ house Jesus and His disciples left Jericho and started the long climb up that steep mountain road toward Jerusalem. And that is where we will pick up the story today in Mark 11. 

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 1: As they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, 

• In comparing Mark’s account with those of the other writers we learn from John 12:1 that Jesus arrived first in Bethany where He and the disciples spent the night, probably at the house of Lazarus and his sisters. Bethany sat approximately 2 miles to the southeast of Jerusalem, not far from the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. They arrived in Bethany on Friday and stayed over until the end of the Sabbath [i.e., Saturday at sundown] because Bethany was more than a Sabbath day’s journey from Jerusalem. Then on Sunday, the first day of the week, Jesus made His entrance into Jerusalem.    

Verse 2: …and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you [= Bethphage], and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here.” 

• So, this occurred on Sunday, probably sometime in the morning.
• But how did Jesus know about the donkey colt? It could have been by a previous observation, or it could have been by supernatural perception. We simply do not know because the Bible does not say how He knew. 

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

• It seems that the Lord knew all about the owner of the donkey, including the fact that he would be amenable to the idea of loaning the donkey to “the Lord.” But think about it. Put yourself in his shoes. If you were him, would you not want a little bit more information and maybe some sort of signed, written document? I would.

Verses 4-6: They went away and found a colt tied at the door, outside in the street; and they untied it.  ⁵ Some of the bystanders were saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”  ⁶ They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission. 

• It is not clear in the text if these so-called “bystanders” even included the owner of the donkey colt. It would be interesting to know if these friends and neighbors of the donkey’s owner even had authority to give them permission to borrow the donkey.
• Matthew records in 21:2 that there were in fact two animals, the colt, and its mother. They brought both to Jesus. 

Verses 7-8: They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it.  ⁸ And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields. 

• “…and put their coats on it” Some of them laid their colorful outer cloaks on the colt’s back to provide a soft seat for Jesus to sit on. Other people spread their cloaks on the ground over which the donkey would walk making a royal carpet for the procession as Jesus approached the entrance of the city. Still others laid down leafy branches on the roadway. John describes them as “palm branches.”
• What was the significance of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey colt? It was in fulfilment of the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9, which was almost universally accepted by Jews as referring to the appearing of the Messiah: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The donkey was a lowly animal and no Jewish king since Solomon had ridden upon one officially and publicly. But meekness and lowliness were characteristics of Messiah predicted by Zechariah, and now fulfilled by Christ Jesus. 

Verses 9-10: Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna!  BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; ¹⁰ Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!” 

• The crowd surrounded Jesus on all sides. There were some who went out in front of the procession shouting praises and others brought up the rear declaring the same things about Him.
• But what were they shouting? “Hosanna” is a transliteration of the Hebrew expression meaning, “Save, I pray” and is taken from Psalm 118:25. By that time it had come to be a term of praise and acclamation as well as a plea to God for help. “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD” is an exact quotation from the Septuagint [i.e., the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the OT] of Psalm 118:26. The verse is clearly Messianic in nature, and it is clear in the context that the people understood that very well. They were welcoming Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah. The next phrase makes that fact even more clear. “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David.” They were referring to the Promised Messiah who, according to the covenant God made with David, would rule and reign from David’s throne as his descendent.

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

• That “Palm Sunday” comprised what we might call a reconnaissance mission. Jesus was scoping out the territory. He entered the city to the shouts and accolades of His followers. Then He walked around the city observing all that was going on. He visited the Temple, taking special note of the porches and courtyard area, filled with people selling all kinds of things, trading currency, and selling sacrificial animals. He saw everything and pondered it. He would be back the next day to deal with them. Then He led His disciples back the 2-mile walk to Bethany to spend the night there again. Monday morning would begin the last week of His life. This was the end of the beginning, the fulfilment of all He had come to do. From this point on, Christ abandoned the caution that had caused Him to withdraw from areas of possible crisis. He was no longer keeping Himself aloof from the Jewish leaders. The time had come for Him to present Himself to them as the Servant of Jehovah who had come to suffer and to lay down His life as a ransom for sinners. 

CONCLUSION:

These verses in Mark describe what has come to be called “the Triumphal Entry.” It is entitled as such in nearly everyone’s Bible. But was it really all that “triumphal”? If so, then why did Jesus stand gazing out over the city and weep over it? This tender moment is recorded by Luke in 19:41-44. When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, ⁴² saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace!  But now they have been hidden from your eyes.  ⁴³ For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, ⁴⁴ and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” 

If it was such a triumphal entry, why did it make Jesus so sad? I believe that the answer to that question is found in John 1:10-12. “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  ¹¹ He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.  ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” That day should have been a day of great joy for Jesus. The shouts of the children and His followers calling out, “Hosanna to the King! Blessed is the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of Jehovah! Hosanna in the highest!” should have brought Jesus great happiness. After all, didn’t it mean that He was finally getting His due, that He was finally being accepted for who He really was? No. Jesus knew that the city was filled with people who in a few short days would be shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Yet, He went ahead with the plan anyway. He did that for you, and for me. 

Gospel of Mark Study #34

“A Blind Man’s Last Chance”

Mark 10:46-52

Study #34 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:
Many of the books of the Bible have a key verse that summarizes the content of the book and helps us visualize the book as one. For example.

·         Key verse of Matthew’s Gospel = 1:1, “The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.”

·         Key verse of Luke’s Gospel = 19:10, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

·         Key verses of John’s Gospel = 20:30-31, “Therefore many other signs [miracles] Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”

·         Key verse of the Book of Acts = 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

·         Key verse of Mark’s Gospel = 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” This verse from Mark is beautifully illustrated by the story that immediately follows it, the story of the healing of Blind Bartimaeus.

TRANSITION:

This story is recorded three times in the NT: in Matthew 20:29-34; in Luke 18:35-43; and here in Mark 10:46-52. In each account there are details added that give us the full picture. I will supplement Mark’s text from the other two.

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 46: And they came to Jericho. And as He was going out from [the old city of] Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road.  

·         Mark focuses his whole story on two men—Bartimaeus, the blind beggar of Jericho, and Jesus. Matthew relates that there were two beggars that Jesus healed. Luke only mentions one. However, neither writer includes their names. Mark, on the other hand, chooses to focus his attention on just one of them, and gives his name.

·         What do we know about this man, Bartimaeus? Not much. We know his name, his father’s name, the town he lived in, and his general situation. And just what was Bartimaeus’ situation? He was in big trouble! He was blind. He lived in total blackness. He could not see anything. That meant He was limited to supporting himself and perhaps a family on what he could make by begging along the roadside. His situation was desperate!

·         Darkness is often used in the Bible as a metaphor for evil, and physical blindness as a picture of spiritual blindness. A good example is Acts 26:16-18 where Paul gives his testimony before King Agrippa. Here he quotes from the words spoken to him by Jesus on the road to Damascus: “But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.”

·         Jesus was just passing through Jericho. He had no plans to stay there. Look at the beginning of the verse—He came… and He went. On His way to Jerusalem, He first passed through the area of the ancient walled city of Jericho. That had long been destroyed leaving only ruins, and no one lived there anymore. This story took place between the old city and the much newer Roman city. That is why Matthew and Mark’s accounts say that it happened as He was “leaving Jericho” and Luke’s account says that it happened as he was “coming into” Jericho. The NT town of Jericho was located 15.5 miles from Jerusalem. It sat in the Jordan Valley just to the northwest of the upper end of the Dead Sea at an elevation of 1,000 ft. below sea level (the Dead Sea is at 1,300 ft. below sea level). Jericho was well known for its rich palm and balsam groves that yielded lucrative revenues for the Romans [thus, Zacchaeus the tax collector in the story that follows in Luke’s Gospel]. Jerusalem, on the other hand, sits at 2,625 ft. above sea level. That means a climb of 3,625 ft. in 15.5 miles, or an average grade of 4.4%. For the purpose of comparison, just to give you an idea for those of you who have been there, on the Hawaiian island of Maui the climb up Haleakala from the airport is an average of 5% grade.

·         It says there was a “great multitude” with Him. Remember, this was just one week before the start of Passover and there were hundreds of people on the road, all making their way to Jerusalem. Besides the large group of people following along with Jesus there were many others who just happened to be there at the same time. They all witnessed what happened next.

Verse 47: And when he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  

·         Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside begging. How did he hear that Jesus was passing by? We do not know. How did he know who Jesus was? Again, we do not know. But somehow, he had heard about this one that many people said was the Messiah and was able to do great miracles. When he learned that it was Jesus who was passing by, he began to shout as loudly as he could: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” He used a title that specifically referred to the Messiah. He was not just being polite or politically correct. He was making a theological statement about who Jesus really was. [See Matthew 12:23.] Bartimaeus recognized that this was his great chance. 

Verse 48: And many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he began crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  

·         The crowd around him tried to shut him up. They “sternly” told him to shut up and to quit yelling. The text uses the imperfect tense, which carries the meaning that they kept rebuking him repeatedly. In that moment Bartimaeus had to make a choice: (1) To listen to the crowd that was telling him to sit there and shut up; or (2) Listen to that small voice in his head that told him this was his last chance. So, he shouted even more and all the louder: “Son of David, have mercy on me!” [See the publican’s prayer in Luke 18:13.] This shows us the courage of Bartimaeus. 

Verse 49: And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, arise! He is calling for you.”  

·         “Jesus stopped.” Those are beautiful words! Jesus was busy, but never too busy to hear the cry of faith of someone in trouble. The other beautiful words here are, “He is calling for you.” Jesus was calling Bartimaeus in that moment, but He is still calling men and women today. In fact, He may be calling to you right now.

·         In this verse we see a second group of people—the ones who encouraged him to quickly make his way to Jesus. The verb they used means “to be of good cheer, to be courageous.” When a person is considering following Jesus there are always two crowds: the first group that says, “Don’t be a chump. This is just a passing fancy. Sit down and have another beer.” Then there is the group that will encourage you to go after Jesus, saying, “Quickly, He’s calling for you.” The question always is, “To which voices are you going to listen?”

Verse 50: And casting aside his cloak, he jumped up, and came to Jesus.  

·         You can see right here to whom he chose to listen. The verbs used here suggest that Bartimaeus acted with great haste. He sprang up! Immediately upon hearing that Jesus was calling for him he threw off every impediment and leaped to his feet. He was blind but obviously not weak. This was the opportunity of a lifetime, and he was not about to let it slip away from him. 

Verse 51: And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!”  

·         “And answering him…” This refers to Jesus answering Bartimaeus’ cry for help. The Lord heard and now He answered.

·         The Lord’s question: “What do you want [lit. wish, Gr. thello] Me to do for you?” The answer seems obvious to us, but Jesus wanted Bartimaeus to verbalize his need. The same is true of us today. God wants us to tell Him what we need. He invites us to come to Him and ask.

·         In this verse we see Bartimaeus’ petition. His answer to Jesus’ question begins with “Rabboni.” [The same word that Mary Magdalene used at the Resurrection. Cf. John 20:16]. This is an Aramaic word for teacher/master that shows great respect. It is a strengthened form of the word “Rabbi.” Literally it means, “my teacher, or my Master.” Bartimaeus said, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Bartimaeus used the Greek verb anablépo, which is a compound word from blépo, “to see” with the preposition ana, which here means “again.” Literally he says, “…in order that I may see again.” This leads us to conclude that Bartimaeus was not born blind but lost his sight through an illness or an injury. 

Verse 52: And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and began following Him on the road.  

·         In this verse we witness Bartimaeus’ salvation. Jesus made it clear that Bartimaeus’ healing was in response to his faith, demonstrated by his persistence and eagerness and his recognition of Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus said, “Go; your faith has healed [literally, saved, Greek sodzo] you.” I think that both senses of the word are true here. He was healed and he was saved, both through the power of Jesus.

·         The miracle occurred immediately: “And immediately he saw again.” The text repeats the same verb used in verse 51, which means “to see again.”

·         Matthew’s account adds a tender detail in 20:34, “Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.”

·         Luke’s account gives another precious piece of information in 18:43, “Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.”

·         All three accounts say that Bartimaeus followed Jesus on the road. That is, he followed them into the new Roman Jericho.

·         Can you imagine his joy and the joy of his friends and loved ones when he went home that night with a whole different future, telling the story of his meeting with Jesus? I am sure there was a party at his house that night!

CONCLUSION:
The healing of Bartimaeus was the last healing miracle of Jesus’ ministry. What if Bartimaeus had decided, “Well, He is busy, so I won’t bother Him today. I’ll catch Him next time He comes through town”? But the fact is, Jesus never passed through Jericho again. Although he did not know it, this indeed was Bartimaeus’ last chance!

Before He continued toward Jerusalem Jesus made only one other stop-off. It was to talk to another man, a tax collector by the name of Zacchaeus.  Luke records that meeting in Luke 19. He sums up the miracle that occurred in Zacchaeus’ life in verses 9-10: “And Jesus said, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.’” This sums up beautifully what happened in both Zacchaeus’ and Bartimaeus’ lives. Salvation came to their homes. They had both been lost but were now found. Their encounters with Jesus had changed them completely, eternally.

To sum up…

·         Bartimaeus recognized his dire situation. (v. 46)

·         Bartimaeus saw his chance. (v. 47)

·         Bartimaeus ignored the crowd and exercised courage. (v. 48)

·         Bartimaeus responded to Christ’s call. (v. 49)

·         Bartimaeus made his plea directly to the Lord. (v. 51)

·         Bartimaeus received his healing and salvation from Jesus. (v. 52)

·         Bartimaeus went home rejoicing because of the grace and mercy of God. 

This is the simple blueprint for every person who wants to come to Jesus. Today Jesus is passing by here. But He may never pass this way again. Do not miss your chance today to experience the healing and salvation that He came to give you. Trust Him today with your life. The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”  Those words were true for Blind Bartimaeus, and they will be true for you as well.