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,
(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.
(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.
(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.
(5)  And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?
(6)  And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.
(7)  And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
(8)  And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
(9)  And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
(10)  Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
(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.
(12)  And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
(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.
(14)  And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
(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;
(16)  And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
(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.
(18)  And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
(19)  And when even was come, he went out of the city.
(20)  And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
(21)  And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
(22)  And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
(23)  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
(24)  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
(25)  And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
(26)  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
(27)  And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,
(28)  And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?
(29)  And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
(30)  The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.
(31)  And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?
(32)  But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.
(33)  And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

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Study Questions

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1. Mark states that they came near to Jerusalem. How close to Jerusalem was Bethphage and Bethany? Verse 1.

2. What is significant about the fact that the colt had never been ridden? Verse 2.

3. Do you think the owner of the colt knew Jesus? Verse 3.

4. How was the foreknowledge of Jesus involved in this incident? Verse 4.

5. Did the bystanders make any further objection when the disciples told them what Jesus said to say? Verses 5-6.

6. What was the purpose of the garments on the colt and the garments and tree branches spread upon the way? Verses 7-8.

7. What is the meaning of the word “hosanna”? Verse 9.

8. What bearing does the shout of the people have upon their thought “that the kingdom of God should immediately appear” Verse 10. (See Luke 19:11)

9. What do you think Jesus was doing when He entered Jerusalem and the temple and “looked round about upon all things”? Verse 11.

10. Some have speculated that Jesus spent the night with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany. Is there anything that would raise doubt about the accuracy of that? Verse 12. (See Luke 21:37-38)

11. Why would Jesus look for something to eat on a fig tree if the “time of figs was not yet”? Verse 13.

12. Why do you think Mark notes that the disciples heard what Jesus said to the fig tree? Verse 14.

13. Why did Jesus cast the moneychangers and retailers out of the temple and why did He not permit any to carry any vessel through the temple? Verses 15-17.

14. Was the statement that “they feared Him” given as a reason for wanting to destroy Jesus or as a reason for seeking how they might destroy Him? Verses 18-19.

15. If the withering of the fig tree began as soon as it was cursed, why do you think the disciples didn’t notice it when they returned to Bethany in the evening? Verse 20.

16. Which disciple called attention to the withered fig tree? Verse 21.

17. Is the faith by which miracles are wrought by those miraculously endowed merely faith in God or in Christ? Verses 22-23.

18. Was the power to perform miracles, even by those miraculously endowed, without the faith and energy of the individual? Verse 24.

19. Should the disciples curse hypocrites, represented by the fig tree, when they encounter them? Verse 25.

20. What had Jesus done the day before that caused the chief priests, Scribes, and elders to ask him about his authority to do it? Verses 27-28.

21. Why was it foolish and impertinent for them to ask him for His authority? Verse 28.

22. What question did Jesus ask that stymied the chief priests, Scribes, and elders? Verses 29-30.

23. What dilemma did the chief priests, Scribes, and elders face as a result of Jesus’ question? Verses 31-32.

24. Instead of choosing either horn of the dilemma posed by Jesus’ question, what false and foolish alternative did the chief priests, Scribes, and elders decide upon? Verse 33.