Cleaning House

After Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus begins to deal with the Israel’s attitude and the condition of God’s Temple. Mark’s Gospel frames this section by the fig tree stories and ends with Jesus’ teaching on faith. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke differed from Mark on the timing of these events. Mark’s Gospel recorded the actual chronology while Matthew and Luke’s Gospels gave a more topical arrangement within the broad chronology.

On the next day, Jesus returned from Bethany to the Temple in Jerusalem (Mark 11:12). During His last week on earth (often called Holy Week), Jesus spent His nights outside Jerusalem in Bethany, a village on the Mount of Olives and entered Jerusalem during the day (Mark 11:11; see also Matthew 21:17). That Monday morning of Holy Week as Jesus and His disciples were returning to Jerusalem, Jesus was hungry (Mark 11:12). Jesus noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so He went over to see if He could find any figs (Mark 11:13). However, the fig tree was fruitless and had only leaves because it was too early in the season for any fruit (Mark 11:13). Then, Jesus said to the fig tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” (Mark 11:14, NLT). Jesus’ disciples overheard Jesus cursing the fruitless fig tree (Mark 11:14).

Many biblical scholars believe Jesus’ harsh words to the fig tree applied Israel. During Jesus’ day, Israel appeared fruitful on the outside. However, Israel was spiritually barren inside and bore no good fruit (see Matthew 3:2, 8-10). The Old Testament prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, and Micah repeatedly proclaimed to Israel God’s desire for good fruit and deeds (e.g., mercy, fairness, truth, humility, and goodness) more than religious rituals (e.g. see Isaiah 1:10-20; Isaiah 66:3; Jeremiah 6:20; Jeremiah 7:22-23; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21; Micah 6:6-8). John the Baptist first announced before Jesus’ arrival that God’s people must repent and manifest good fruit (see Matthew 3:2, 8-10) and the Apostle Paul’s messages also emphasized the need for God’s people to bear good fruit (e.g., love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) (see Matthew 7:16-20; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:9). The Holy Scriptures clearly state we are saved and declared righteous through our wholehearted faith in God and also His Son, Jesus (e.g., see Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 3:22-26; Romans 10:4-10; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:4-5; Hebrews 10:37-38). Our genuine faith in God will also manifest righteous living, loving deeds, good fruit, and good works for God’s glory (e.g., see Matthew 5:14-16; 1 Corinthians 10:31; James 2:14-26). Genuine faith means bearing fruit for God's glory. God is always seeking “the first ripe fruit” from His people (Micah 7:1) and for God’s people to be fruitless is sin (John 15:16).

¹⁵ When they (Jesus and His disciples) arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the moneychangers and the chairs of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and He stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. ¹⁷ He (Jesus) said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” Mark 11:15-17 (NLT)

When Jesus and His disciples arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple (Mark 11:15; see also Matthew 21:12). Jesus had previously surveyed Temple on Sunday, His first day in Jerusalem (Mark 11:11). On His second day in Jerusalem, Jesus began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices (Mark 11:15; see also Matthew 21:12; Luke 19:45). Jesus knocked over the tables of the moneychangers, and the chairs of those selling doves and He stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace (Mark 11:15-16; see also Matthew 21:12). Then, Jesus declared in the Temple, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves” (Mark 11:17, NLT; see also Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11; Matthew 21:12; Luke 19:46). This was the second time Jesus cleansed the Temple of “religious business.” John’s Gospel records Jesus cleansing the Temple at the beginning of His public ministry (John 2:13-16). Jesus opened His ministry by cleansing the Temple during His first Passover visit to Jerusalem three years earlier and proclaimed, “Stop turning My Father’s house into a marketplace!” (John 2:16). Thus, in spite of Israel’s many privileges and opportunities, many people during Jesus’ day was outwardly fruitless (the tree) and inwardly corrupt (the Temple).

The Temple’s original purpose was for all people to have access to the presence of God. God created the Temple to be a house of prayer for all nations without charge and with no commercial value. In Jesus’ day, activities at the Temple had taken on a commercial cast with buying and selling in the Temple, particularly during Passover. Moneychangers and merchants did big business in the Temple. The outer court of the Temple, accessible to non-Jews (Gentiles), covered a huge area the size of ten football fields. The “buying and selling” took place in the larger outer court of the Gentiles. Some business there was legitimate: out-of-town pilgrims needed a way to obtain sacrificial animals and to change money into local currency. Sadly, what began as a service and convenience for visitors soon turned into a lucrative business filled with greed, dishonesty, and corruption. This system became more for profit and wealth than for the true worship of God (Isaiah 56:6-7). No wonder Jesus was angry! Jesus responded to this religious business and commercialism by aggressively turning out these “robbers,” and then by turning His attention to the people with real needs – the poor, blind, and the lame (Matthew 21:14; see also Matthew 4:23). God’s House is a place of worship, godly teaching, and healing, not a place for making a profit!

When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill Him (Mark 11:18; see also Luke 19:47). The religious leaders understood Jesus’ action as a direct threat to their political, authoritative, and financial status. Jesus was preaching against injustice and corruption. Instead of praying for the people, the religious leaders were preying on the people! People take action when their money and power are affected. However, the religious leaders were afraid of Jesus because the people were so amazed and captivated by His authoritative teaching (Mark 11:18; see also Luke 19:48). Matthew’s Gospel adds that the leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw Jesus’ wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David” (Matthew 21:15). However, the religious leaders were indignant against Jesus (Matthew 21:15). The religious leader’s stubborn refusal to believe in Jesus is contrasted with the high-spirited faith and praise of little children (Matthew 21:15).

²² In reply, Jesus said to the disciples, “If you only have faith in God — ²³ this is the absolute truth — you can say to this Mount of Olives, ‘Rise up and fall into the Mediterranean [sea],’ and your command will be obeyed. All that is required is that you really believe and have no doubt! ²⁴ Listen to Me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you have it; it is yours! ²⁵ But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive you your sins too.” Mark 11:20-25 (TLB)

On the third day (Tuesday), Jesus’ disciples passed by the fruitless fig tree Jesus had previously cursed. The disciples noticed the tree had withered from the roots up (Mark 11:20). Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day (Monday) (Mark 11:21). As the spokesperson for the disciples, Peter shouted, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree You cursed has withered and died!” (Mark 11:21, NLT). Then, Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart (Mark 11:22-23, NLT; see also Matthew 21:21; Mark 9:23). The all-powerful and living God can do anything we ask in prayer to Him when we obey and seek His will (see; Matthew 6:10; Matthew 19:26; Matthew 26:42; Mark 14:36; John 15:7-14; James 4:3; 1 John 5:14-15). Nothing is too hard for God (see Jeremiah 32:27; Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37). Therefore, we must constantly trust God and live in an attitude of wholehearted dependence on Him. We can only move mountains by trusting God. Faith produces fruitful prayer. Nevertheless, God does not grant prayers that would hurt and harm others or ourselves, or that would violate His own holy nature or will.

Next, Jesus said to His disciples, “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you have received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too” (Mark 11:24-25, NLT see also Matthew 21:22). Some manuscripts add Jesus also saying, “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:26, NKJV). True prayer involves both forgiveness as well as faith. We must be in good fellowship with God in heaven and our fellow brothers and sisters on earth if God is to answer our prayers (see Matthew 5:23-26). True faith works by love (Galatians 5:6). If we have faith in God, we will also have love for one another (e.g., see Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-28; John 13:34-35; John 15:12, 17; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:7; 1 Timothy 3-7).

References

Disciple's Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 1988).

Life Application Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005).

New Student Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992).

Ryrie Study Bible (Chicago, IL: Moody, 1995).

Cabel, Ted. The Apologetics Study Bible: Understanding Why You Believe (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2012).

Zondervan NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008).

Loyd, Melton, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament (Due West, SC: Erskine Theological Seminary, 2015).

Wiersbe, Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament (Victor Books, 1989).