Day 39 – Monday, February 24, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Mark 11

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

The Triumphal Entry

Matt. 21:1–11; Luke 19:29–40

1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; ² and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. ³ And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.”⁴ So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. ⁵ But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?”⁶ And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. ⁷ Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. ⁸ And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:“Hosanna!‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’¹⁰ Blessed is the kingdom of our father DavidThat comes in the name of the Lord!Hosanna in the highest!”¹¹ And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mk 11:1–11.

Points to Ponder:

• The story turns in Mark 11, much as in Matthew 21. Jesus moves toward the triumphal entry on Palm Sunday, and then eventually to Passover and the crucifixion.
• Here, as He nears Jerusalem, Jesus instructs the disciples to borrow a colt and tell the owner that the Lord had need of it. They found the colt, told the owner, and they let them have the colt.
• The disciples put clothing on the colt as a saddle, and He rode it toward Jerusalem. Many threw clothes on the ground and other palm branches.
• The crowd cried, “Hosanna” and glorified the house of David. Jesus went into the temple, looked around, and then went to Bethany with the twelve disciples.
• In this passage, there is just one animal recorded, not the mother with the colt. Just a different perspective. The other animal being recorded is not essential to the story.

A Fig Tree is Cursed

Matt. 21:18, 19

¹² Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. ¹³ And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”And His disciples heard it.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mk 11:12–14.

Points to Ponder:

• This passage has a parallel in Matthew 21 as well.
• In Matthew, it is not mentioned that figs were not in season. However, the fig tree having leaves indicated that it should have figs.
• When Jesus came to get figs, it had none, and Jesus cursed the tree so that it never bore again.
• Let us be fruitful when we claim to be fruitful!

The Temple is Cleansed

Matt. 21:12, 13; Luke 19:45, 46

¹⁵ So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. ¹⁶ And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. ¹⁷ Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”¹⁸ And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. ¹⁹ When evening had come, He went out of the city.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mk 11:15–19.

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus came back to Jerusalem and entered the temple, driving out the sellers and money changers that extorted pilgrims seeking to buy sacrifices unto the Lord.
• He called the place ordained by God to be a house of prayer a “den of thieves.” The way they did business dishonored the purpose of the temple. They offered a service, but they charged a premium for that service.
• The scribes and Pharisees were afraid of Jesus, because the people revered Him. They sought to destroy Him.

Power of Faith

Matt. 21:20–22

²⁰ Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. ²¹ And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”²² So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. ²³ For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. ²⁴ Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mk 11:20–24.

Points to Ponder:

• The next morning, they saw that the fig tree was dried up from the roots. The disciples were amazed at the occurrence.
• Jesus used this as an opportunity to teach on faith. He helped them understand that faith could result in much greater things than a withered tree to happen. He even said they could move mountains if they had faith.
• He promised that when they prayed in faith, they would receive what they asked for.

Necessity of Forgiveness

²⁵ “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. ²⁶ But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mk 11:25–26.

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus then transitioned into a call for forgiveness. This is unique to Mark’s gospel.
• He said that before one prays to God, they should forgive anyone that has offended them. Then, God could forgive the sins of the one praying.
• However, unforgiveness will hinder one’s prayers and stand in the way of their own forgiveness.

Question of Authority

Matt. 21:23–27; Luke 20:1–8

²⁷ Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. ²⁸ And they said to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?”²⁹ But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: ³⁰ The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”³¹ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ ³² But if we say, ‘From men’ ”—they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. ³³ So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.”And Jesus answered and said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mk 11:27–33.

Points to Ponder:

• Finally, Mark’s gospel records another confrontation between the Pharisees and Jesus.
• They ask Him by whose authority He does the mighty things which He does. He turned the table and asked them by whose authority John the Baptist did His great things.
• They would not answer for fear of creating an uprising among the people.
• Jesus then refused to answer them about His authority.
• People want to question Jesus and Christianity, but never want to be accountable for themselves. Jesus power is greater, His authority is greater. His name is higher than any other. Worship Him. Question your own actions, but worship His.

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page.