The Son In The Stone (Mark 12:1-12)

Don’t shoot the messenger! That phrase (in one form or another) has roots all the way back in 400 B.C.^[1] Historically, people don’t usually take the advice. It’s rough business being a messenger bringing unwanted news. But sometimes even good news leads to the death of the messenger.

In the early 13th century, the Khwarazmian Empire was a powerful kingdom spanning territory in what is now Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia.

A ruler from a neighboring kingdom wanted to establish peaceful trade with them. And so, the neighbor king sent a caravan of merchants with rich goods, hoping to establish a partnership. But the merchants were labeled as spies. Their goods were taken and the whole caravan was executed.

Hearing of this injustice, the neighbor king sent diplomats to try to resolve the tension. He wanted the Shah to make things right, but was still willing to live at peace, despite what they had done.

The Shah took the junior diplomats and shaved their beards, which were symbols of masculinity in their kingdom. Then he sent them back with them the severed head of the senior diplomat.^[2]

Unfortunately for the Shah, the neighboring ruler he was offending was Genghis Khan. His response was to not send an envoy, but an army. Within two years, the Khwarazmian Empire was obliterated. Millions were dead. And the governor who originally carried out the killing of the merchants was caught and had molten metal poured into his mouth, eyes, and ears. They had killed the messengers, so Genghis made sure the whole world got the message.

All this after a mighty king had wanted to extend peace and prosperity to a neighbor!

For years Jesus shared the message of the Kingdom. It was good news. But the leaders of Israel rejected the message and the Messenger. Now they were conspiring how they could slay Him.

Jesus wanted everyone in Israel and everyone after to understand exactly what was going on. And so, just days before His crucifixion, He told a vivid story of wicked fools who killed the messengers.

Mark 12:1 – ¹ He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug out a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went away.

It’s important to identify what different elements symbolize in parables. We need to be careful not to be overly specific with every single thing we see. Usually parables are meant to deliver a distilled spiritual truth. So, for example, we shouldn’t find some allegorical meaning for the “digging” of the winepress.

But we can identify several key figures in this story. The tenant farmers will be identified as the unbelieving leaders of Israel – specifically those contending against Jesus right then in the temple, but also extending to all the rebellious leaders of the nation throughout her history.

The vineyard is Israel. God used this illustration many times in the Old Testament. Psalm 80, Isaiah 27, Jeremiah 2, Ezekiel 19, Hosea 10. Those listening would understand this connection. Imagine if I started telling us a story where a bald eagle flies over a field full of amber waves of grain.

That means that the land owner refers to God. You see, in Isaiah 5 there is a song. A tender love song about how God planted a vineyard – Israel. How He dug a winepress there and built a tower in it and a hedge around it. Jesus is quoting from this song.^[3] And the Jews would’ve known that this love song is a sad one. It’s about the failure of the vineyard and the judgment that followed.

Look at all this landowner did. He didn’t just plant a vine or two. This is a major undertaking. A great investment of time and effort and wealth to create this vineyard.

The fence would’ve been made of unmortared stones. Rock after rock carried and placed. The owner installed equipment and facilities necessary not just to grow plants, but to generate products like wine for use and sale. The tower was not only a lookout post, but it would also be a place they could store the crop^[4] and it would provide a place for the people working the vineyard to live in.^[5]

We’re given the impression that the land owner does it all himself. He set this vineyard up for protection, for production, for preservation, and to give a place to those who wanted to partner with him. He opens the vineyard up to lease to others who want to work there and he supplies all they need for a profitable, long-term partnership.

Mark 12:2 – ² At harvest time he sent a servant to the farmers to collect some of the fruit of the vineyard from them.

It would usually take a vineyard 4 or 5 years to produce at commercial levels.^[6] But the landowner is patient. As we continue through the story, notice the patience of God. He’s almost too patient!

The landowner sending this servant to collect was very normal. In fact, that was the prevailing way things were done at the time.^[7] A portion of the crop would be sent back to the owner as rent.

But the rest of the fruit was for the farmers. Theirs for eating and enjoyment and enrichment. The land owner was happy to have them benefit from his hard work and his great wealth.

He sent his servant to collect different types of wine, including as one scholar notes, “a cheap wine designated for the slaves to the state.”^[8]  So, the owner isn’t just hoarding the proceeds totally for himself – even though it all belongs to him! But he’s then taking from his profits to bless others. That’s the kind of Master God is. Full of patience. Full of generosity. Full of care and kindness. Inviting us to be a part of His incredible, life-changing work.

Mark 12:3-5 – ³ But they took him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ Again he sent another servant to them, and they hit him on the head and treated him shamefully. ⁵ Then he sent another, and they killed that one. He also sent many others; some they beat, and others they killed.

God said this in Jeremiah 7:

Jeremiah 7:25 – ²⁵ Since the day your ancestors came out of the land of Egypt until today, I have sent all my servants the prophets to you time and time again.

That’s who the servants are in this parable. But God’s people wouldn’t listen. As Stephen said in his famous sermon, “Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute?”^[9]

The farmers had so much. They could’ve had a vibrant life of purpose and provision and participation in this great landowner’s estate. Instead, they produced only rebellion and violence.

In Hosea 10, God says, “Israel is a lush vine; it yields fruit for itself. The more his fruit increased, the more he increased the altars.”

Despite the evil things these famers were doing, the master is still patient. Did you notice? “He also sent many others.” Even though how wicked the farmers were. When it says they beat some, the term is sometimes used when speaking of literally flaying off someone’s skin.^[10]

Why would God allow it? Why not just bring the hammer down after the first rebellion? In other words: Why was God so patient and merciful to these men who deserved death?

Because the Lord is gracious and compassionate. Slow to anger and abounding in hesed love.^[11]

Friends, we may not have killed any prophets, but our sins deserve death, too. It is through the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed.^[12] We were at war with God, hostile against Him, and unwilling to submit.^[13] But Jesus extends us mercy. He extends us grace because He loves us. That’s why He is patient. He renews His mercy every morning. Because He’s not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance.

And that means, at times, He allows His servants to suffer. Because how can the wicked be saved unless they repent? And how can they repent unless they believe? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent?^[14]

We are the messengers that carry the message. It demands boldness and fearlessness and selflessness, putting the call above our own desires, understanding that the world may hate and reject us the way Christ was hated and rejected, but carrying the message wherever we’re sent.

Mark 12:6 – ⁶ He still had one to send, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

God is not naive. He knew exactly what would happen when He sent His Son to earth. But He is hopeful. He wants people to repent and reconcile. To lay their weapons down in surrender. This group of farmers already deserved death. But the Master is merciful.

Mark 12:7-8 – ⁷ But those tenant farmers said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸ So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

This is absolute folly. Maybe these guys convinced themselves that they had killed all the servants and that, hopefully the owner was dead, too, so if they kill the son, there’s no one left.^[15]

The point here is that the tenant farmers are being presented as wicked and stupid to an insane degree.^[16] Jesus does so to highlight how insane it is to reject God’s compassionate and generous offer of peace. “Come to Me,” He says, “And I will give you rest. I will give you peace. I will give you eternal life. I will forgive you and cleanse you and empower you and make you a new creation.”

Instead, many people reject the Son. They dishonor and insult the Lord of glory. In the parable, the farmers murder the son and desecrate his corpse, denying him even a proper burial. This was the ultimate insult in the ancient world.^[17] But the son was the final offer of peace from the master.

Mark 12:9 – ⁹ What then will the owner, of the vineyard do? He will come and kill the farmers and give the vineyard to others.

For all their previous ability to resist the servants, once the owner comes, there’s not even any record of resistance. When he arrives, the only result is death. There’s no fight, only judgment.

Who are the others? You and me! Paul told the Jews that Jesus is Messiah. When they resisted and blasphemed, Paul said, “Your blood is on your own heads! From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”^[18]

To close out His message, Jesus quickly pivots to a second metaphor in verses 10 and 11.

Mark 12:10-11 – ¹⁰ Haven’t you read this Scripture: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. ¹¹ This came about from the Lord and is wonderful in our eyes?”

Jesus ties His parable of wicked farmers killing the son to this Scripture about the builders rejecting the cornerstone. The Son is the stone. Not only had they read it, this was one of the Psalms they all sang every year at Passover – the feast they’re celebrate that very week. For centuries they had been repeating these words. Now here’s Jesus saying, “You’re the rejecters and I am the cornerstone.”

This was controversial, not only because it condemns the leaders, but Jews thought that the stone being rejected was the nation of Israel and that the builders were the other nations of the world.^[19]

But now Jesus reveals that He is the cornerstone. Which means that He is the new temple.^[20] It is a broadside against the Levitical system, which was coming to an end. The veil would be torn so that all of us could have access to the Father and be blessed by His generosity and grace.

How did the farmers/builders/religious leaders feel about it?

Mark 12:12 – ¹² They were looking for a way to arrest him but feared the crowd because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. So they left him and went away.

Ah, so they did understand on one level. And here they live out the very parable they’re angry about. They go out to conspire how to kill the Son. I wonder if the irony was lost on them.

When Genghis Khan swept through the Khwarazmian Empire, there were cities who surrendered. Sadly, Genghis’ son was nothing like the Son of God. One city surrendered and were promised mercy. When they opened the gates, the people were slaughtered. One ancient historian says, “It was a memorable day for weeping and wailing.” 700,000 people died that day.^[21])

When we surrender to the Son of God, He not only spares our lives, He ransoms our lives. He brings us into His Kingdom as citizens and partners. He frees us. He equips us. He assigns us. He sends us. He grows harvest after harvest in our lives. He becomes the cornerstone of our lives, our families, our communities. Name another King like this!

Authority Politics (Mark 11:27-33)

“Everyone has a plan until they get hit.” That is probably Mike Tyson’s most famous quote in a long catalog of memorable maxims. Over the years, people have embellished the line to make it more hard-hitting. Usually you hear it repeated as, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” But Iron Mike confirmed the simpler version when asked about it back in 2012.^[1]

The quote has taken on a life of its own, but Tyson first said it back in 1987 before fighting Tyrell Biggs for the undisputed heavyweight championship. It was billed as “The Clash For The Crown.” When they entered the ring, Biggs was undefeated. He was also 12 pounds heavier than Tyson.^[2] People had been asking Mike what he was going to do. “[Biggs] is going to move, he’s going to dance. He’s going to do this, do that,” “He’s going to give you a lot of lateral movement.”

But Iron Mike wasn’t worried. He said, “Most talkers, they can’t handle it.”^[3] And he was right. Biggs threw a lot of sharp jabs, but after seven rounds, “Tyson hit Biggs with a left hook that sent Biggs to canvas and almost out of the ring.” He was on his feet before the 10 count, but it was clear who was going to win this fight.

On the Tuesday and Wednesday before His crucifixion,^[4] Jesus contended in a multi-round fight with some heavy hitters who wanted the crown for themselves. From Mark 11:27 to 12:37, there are five conflict episodes stacked together. And Jesus’ opponents weren’t just out for a belt or bragging rights. They wanted to knock Jesus out. They wanted Him discredited and destroyed. They had quite a strategy to take Him down…or at least they thought they did. We’ll find that every time they try to land a blow on Jesus, every time they throw a jab, Jesus delivers a spiritual left hook sending them out of the ring to regroup, re-conspire, and try again round after round.

Mark 11:27-28 – ²⁷ They came again to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came ²⁸ and asked him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do these things?”

The chief priests, the scribes, and the elders are the three groups that made up the Sanhedrin.^[5] This probably wouldn’t have been the whole 72 of them, but a delegation that represented the whole. They came to challenge the Lord and try to put Him in His place.

His place, in their minds, was to be under their authority. That’s what they cared about. Notice, when they came to ask Him about why He stopped the commerce in the Temple and flipped all the tables, they don’t bother arguing about right and wrong, lawful or unlawful. They didn’t really care about that. They didn’t care about the prophecies of Isaiah or Jeremiah or the Father’s intention to bring Gentiles into the family of God. They cared about authority. They’re not concerned with theological integrity, but with power and control.

Power can be a terribly addictive narcotic. It can cloud the mind and warp a person’s attitude and interactions with others. These guys were obsessed with power and convinced that they were the most important, most consequential people in the nation. The irony is their nation was occupied and oppressed by a much more powerful nation – Rome. But these religious leaders were constantly on a power trip.

Christians, sometimes we get some measure of power. Maybe at work. Maybe in our community. We need to remember all that Jesus has been teaching His disciples in Mark about Kingdom power and Kingdom greatness. We do well to remember that we are called to humility, to deference, and to not thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought. As Paul bluntly puts it in Galatians 6: “You are not that important.”

Now, if Jesus was merely a man, this would’ve been an incredibly intimidating situation. The Sanhedrin is the nation’s executive, legislative, and judicial government rolled into one.^[6] These are heavy hitters, determined to focus all their attention and ability on silencing this Teacher from Nazareth. But Jesus was not just a man. He’s the GodMan. He is not intimidated. In fact, He saw them coming and met them head on.

This situation is a direct fulfillment of what Jesus predicted back in Mark 8:31. He said that the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes would reject Him. And here is Jesus, coming again into the ring to fight so we could be redeemed. We’ll watch Him do it round after round, going the distance till the work was done.

Here’s what’s interesting: They want to know what authority Jesus had to do and say the things He was doing and saying. In other words, “What are Your credentials? What gives You the right, the status, to dare to disagree with us?”

It’s true, Jesus had no “formal” training. He had no pedigree, humanly speaking. But here’s the stark truth: Everyone knew Jesus had more authority than the scribes, the pharisees, the elders, the chief priests. What did Mark say all the way back in chapter 1? The people “were astonished because Jesus was teaching them as one who had authority, and not like the scribes.”^[7] Even as they debate here, it’s clear that Jesus holds all the true power.

Mark 11:29 – ²⁹ Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; then answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

Jesus demonstrates total authority, right here. See, they came and said, “We want to point out that we never gave you any authority.” But Jesus doesn’t need it, so their complaint makes no impact. The punch doesn’t land. I’m guessing some people listening in the crowd rolled their eyes.

Now, the question is: Why not just say “Because I’m the Messiah?” Why not just have heaven open, angels descend, and silence these craven scoundrels once and for all?

It’s because Jesus always wants faith. That we choose to believe Him based on revelation. Based off His word. Not based off some sort of sign or manifestation to prove it. And Jesus knew their hearts. They didn’t want to know, they wanted Him gone. They had seen the signs. They had heard the teachings. It was undeniable, yet they denied it. And when hearts are hard like that – when hearts are closed to truth – God does not smash His way in. He says, “Fine. Stay in your ignorance and rebellion. I’m not going to force you to accept the truth.”

There are many times in the Gospels where someone will come and ask Jesus something but it’s not asked in humility or faith or true searching. In those cases, Jesus usually asks them something back. He asks something deeper to reveal the heart behind the question. Not to just win an argument, but to expose truth.

This is why He taught so often in parables. So that only those who truly wanted to know, who truly wanted to seek God, would follow up and then have those wonderful secrets explained to them.

Mark 11:30 – ³⁰ Was John’s baptism from heaven or of human origin? Answer me.”

When He says, “John’s baptism,” Jesus means the totality of John’s ministry.^[8] But why bring up John after all this time? If I’m honest, John seems almost superfluous. Did he really do that much? Was he really that necessary?

The answer is, yes! He was the forerunner of the Messiah. He was an essential part of God revealing Who the Christ was. And Jesus’ ties His ministry to John’s here. It wasn’t just that John was doing his thing and then Jesus came and did His thing. John was sent from God as part of Jesus’ work.

If John was sent by God, then Jesus must also be sent by God. Because John said that the One Who was coming, the One he was preparing people for, was from heaven. and would baptize people with the Holy Spirit. And John identified Jesus as that Person – the eternal Son of God.^[9]

So, if John was a true prophet, Jesus is the Messiah they’ve been waiting for. If John was just making things up – if he was a liar – then they as the leaders of Israel had the duty of stopping him from teaching lies and prophesying falsely. At least of warning the people. They were out there, listening to John preach. And many people were convinced by his message.

You know, Mike Tyson once discussed his punching strategy. He said, “I’m not trying to punch him in the nose. I’m trying to punch the soft tissue behind his nose.”

When Jesus asked this question, it wasn’t just to deflect and it wasn’t just to push His opponents into a corner they couldn’t get easily out of. He was punching into a much deeper spiritual truth.

John was in the wilderness preaching that a person could repent and be saved without offering any sacrifices in the temple. A “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”^[10] If John’s baptism was from heaven, the temple was obsolete.^[11] At least it would be after the Lamb of God laid down His life. And of course, that’s exactly what happened. But with one question the Lord lays out just how powerful He really was.

So, the Sanhedrin is absolutely on the ropes. Let’s see their response.

Mark 11:31-32 – ³¹ They discussed it among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ³² But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ ”—they were afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought that John was truly a prophet.

John’s spiritual authority was never in question among the people of Israel. Did you know even Josephus, the Jewish historian, says John was a “good man,” who commanded the Jews in righteousness and piety toward God. And that John was so beloved and respected that when Herod’s army was destroyed it was because of God’s displeasure toward Herod for murdering John.^[12]

Understand – Josephus was no Christian. That’s how revered John was by everyone other than Herod.

Now, this is a comedic moment in the temple. This official delegation, full of pomp and venom, confront Jesus. They think they’re ambushing Him and are going to knock Him out. Jesus asks them one question and they have to say, “Time out! Give us a second.” Then they go huddle up and discuss what they’re going to say. And they’re downright scared to answer. Did you see them stop mid-sentence in verse 32? “But if we say, “Of human origin…” The sentence just dies there.

Mike Tyson’s famous quote, “Everyone has a plan until they get hit,” doesn’t end there. No one ever says the rest of the line, but here’s what Iron Mike said in full: “Everybody has a plan until they get hit. Then, like a rat, they stop in fear and freeze.”

That’s exactly what happens to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders here. They are exposed as phonies, as hypocrites. They did not care if John was a prophet. They only cared about holding onto their own power and influence over the crowds, who they did not care about or respect.

Mark 11:33 – ³³ So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

We don’t know?!? What a joke. It’s their job to know! They are the ones who are tasked with maintaining the spiritual and doctrinal integrity for the nation! That’s the job! To know whether John was a prophet from God or a false prophet who needed to be stoned! If you don’t know, then what are you here for?

Jesus has no interest in playing games with them. They don’t want truth, they want status. If they had really been seeking God, like Nicodemus (a member of the Sanhedrin) did, He would’ve responded to them like we see in John chapter 3. But for those who don’t care, the truth is withheld.

They could’ve had an answer to their original question if they really wanted one. R.T. France writes, “For those who will look below the surface there is a clear enough answer.”^[13] And Jesus will give the answer to those listening into this debate in the very next passage. He will teach a parable which reveals exactly Who He is for those who are interested in really learning.

Mike Tyson beat Tyrell Biggs in a TKO. His victory was clear, but it wasn’t a Hollywood knockout. Biggs was powerless, but still standing.

The chief priests, the scribes, and the elders limped away from this round only to come back for more. Each time, Jesus showed just how much authority He had. This wasn’t just about Jesus being a great debater. It’s that His absolute power and authority and right-ness could not be denied.

And yet, many continually deny it. May we live in acceptance, not denial of Christ’s authority over heaven, over earth, over our lives as we follow Him.

Tree Speech (Mark 11:12-25)

There is a tree that grows at Syracuse University known as The Tree of 40 Fruit.^[1] It is a living, growing art project of professor Sam Van Aken, who has grafted the tree in such a way that it does, in fact, bear 40 different varieties of stone fruit every year. Peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, cherries, and almonds all grow on this tree, along with their unique leaves and blossoms.

The first Tree of 40 fruit was planted in 2011.^[2] Others can be found growing at the University of Southern Indiana, Colby College in Maine, Roanoke College in Virginia, and various museums on the east coast. You can’t plant a Tree of 40 fruit seed. You have to graft each branch, year by year. But the result is both beautiful and bountiful.

In our text, Jesus inspects a fig tree. It’s mature and well-supplied with all it needs. After all, it’s growing in a town whose name means “House of Figs.”^[3] But Jesus doesn’t find a tree with many varieties of fruit. He doesn’t find any figs. He doesn’t even find the precursor to fruit on the tree. He then does something we’ve never seen Him do before: He works a destructive miracle. Then He goes into the temple and violently disrupt what was happening there, only to go back to the fig tree and give the disciples what, on first listen, seems like an unattainable teaching about true faith.

What is going on? Is this a scene where, as one infamous commentator dares to suggest, Jesus “wastes” His miraculous power because He was in an “ill-temper?”^[4]

No, this isn’t Jesus losing His cool. Something prophetic and theological is happening in this text. It has many ties to many other passages of Scripture. So, let’s listen to what our Lord wants to reveal as we see Him curse a fig tree, cleanse His Father’s house, and counsel His followers about faith.

Mark 11:12 – ¹² The next day when they went out from Bethany, he was hungry.

Did Jesus get sick? We’re not specifically told, but a question like that helps us gauge our assumptions about Jesus’ humanity. He is fully God and fully Man. We see Him tired in the Gospels. We see Him thirst. And here, He was hungry. Not hangry – that’s not why the tree gets cursed, but the Lord experienced humanity in a real and comprehensive sense.

It makes sense that He was hungry. They’re doing a lot of walking in these passages but the first meal was eaten at midmorning, not straightaway like we usually do.^[5] But more important than the hunger is the connective work Mark is bringing into this text. “The next day.” In the last passage, Jesus had just come into Jerusalem, entered the temple and examined everything there, then He left. “The next day.” Mark wants to tie these scenes together.

And he’s not only tying this text to the last, he’s also going to use this “sandwich” technique we’ve seen him use before.^[6] Remember when it was the story of Jairus’ daughter being raised from the dead? It starts one story, then interrupts the telling with a separate story, then he returns to the first story. He does this a few times in his Gospel to develop themes and what these situations reveal.

Remember: The Gospels are not just a list of biographical facts. They are carefully constructed literary works of inspiration, given that we might know truth. We must understand this fig tree story in the context of Jesus’ entry into the temple in verse 11, His return to the temple in verse 15, and in connection with the many passages of Scripture that are tied to what we see in this scene.

Mark 11:13 – ¹³ Seeing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to find out if there was anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs.

Why would He expect figs if it’s not the right season? Well, Jesus wasn’t actually hoping to find a fig for His hunger. He’s not trying to solve a problem, but preach a sermon. He’s acting out a prophetic parable for His disciples. This would first remind them of the parable He told in Luke 13 about a master examining a fig tree, finding no fruit, and demanding it be cut down. It should also remind them of Micah 7, where God laments the fact that when He came looking for faithful people in the land of Israel, He found none. He said it was like finding no early figs, which the Lord craves.^[7]

Our God craves spiritual fruit in our lives. He’s looking for growth. He’s looking for faithfulness. He examines our lives, just as He examined the temple and this fig tree. Does He find fruit?

We’ll get back to the personal application at the end. But Christ’s main teaching was about the national situation. And to do that, the fig tree was a great illustration. Figs were incredibly important in Israel. They were the most fruitful of all trees and their fruit was often used to produce the firstfruits offerings required in the temple.^[8]

Now, fig trees have an interesting phenomenon called the breba crop. These are small green figs that appear at times even before the leaves.^[9] They taste bad and are not normally eaten,^[10] but they signal a true crop of fruit is coming. This tree had no ripe figs and no breba figs, but lots of leaves. It was leafy by sterile. Good for nothing. Soaking up light and water, but giving no crop.

This image is the opposite of what Jews hoped for, ideally and prophetically. In Haggai, in Micah, in Zechariah, we’re given the ideal image of the Messianic age: You will sit under your own fig tree and gather its fruit. Whereas in Jeremiah 8, when pronouncing God’s judgment on Israel, the image is “There will be…no figs on the fig tree, and even the leaf will wither.”^[11]

Mark 11:14 – ¹⁴ He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And his disciples heard it.

He wanted them to hear it. This isn’t irritation, it’s instruction. He’s trying to help the disciples understand what is at stake personally and nationally as Christ heads into Passion week.

When the Master came to inspect the fig tree of Israel, did He find faith? Did He find obedience? Did He find fruit? In some cases He did on the individual level, but not on the national level. For thousands of years, Israel had recited Proverbs 27:18:

Proverbs 27:18 – ¹⁸ Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever looks after his master will be honored.

But they did not look after their Master, they did not tend the spiritual fig tree, and judgment would be the result.

But why did Jesus curse the tree? Seems “mean” to us, right? He could’ve just done a miracle of fruit producing like He had done with the loaves and fishes. But it’s not actually about the physical fruit and His physical hunger. This is about Israel and faith and obedience.

God will not force fruit to grow in your life if you will not cooperate with Him. Now, He is the Author and Finisher of our faith – He will complete the work He began in you – but spiritual growth does not happen if we refuse to walk with God and obey Him and present ourselves as sacrifices.

Mark 11:15-17 – ¹⁵ They came to Jerusalem, and he went into the temple and began to throw out those buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple. ¹⁷ He was teaching them: “Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves!”

Usually when I read this text, my first interpretation is that Jesus was upset that the money changers were ripping off pilgrims coming to offer sacrifice. And that is true – but that’s only half of it.

First, let’s understand the scam. This system had only started in 30AD.^[12] The high priest’s family bought their priesthood from Rome and they actually owned the booths that the merchants used.^[13] When you came, you had to convert your money into the temple shekel, and they would add a surcharge on when you did. On top of that, things like doves would be tripled in price.^[14] It was quite a racket – one that put a burden on people trying to worship God. That’s a big no-no in God’s eyes.

But there was another layer here, one that Jesus specifically called out in the two Old Testament Scriptures He quoted. The first was Isaiah 56:7 which reminded Israel that God’s plan was not to isolate the Jews, but that ultimately all the Gentile nations would be brought into the family of faith.

But instead of being a light to the Gentiles, the leaders of Israel made it impossible for any Gentile God-fearers to join in. The temple of Jesus’ time was segregated into various courts. You had the court of the men, for Jewish men, the court of the women, and then the court of the Gentiles. It was a big area where anyone seeking the God of Israel could come in and pray. But now it was overrun with commerce. All these booths, all the animals, all the transactions happened there.

So, you’re a Gentile, who God really loves and wants to come and find faith, but instead of being able to pray, you’re dealing with thousands of sheep and birds and merchants and pilgrims and animal poop and noise. Gentile worshippers were effectively pushed out though God wanted to graft them in, like the Tree of 40 fruits!

Jesus had already cleared this nonsense out once at the beginning of His ministry. But they went right back to it. Now, at the end of His ministry, He does it again. This time He also quotes Jeremiah 7, “where Jeremiah condemns the idea that the temple is a safe haven for Judah in its sin.”^[15]

Sadly, the leaders of Israel rejected God’s mercy and His patience and His warnings. They kept bringing robbers into the temple. And in the end they would reap what they sowed. In 66 AD, Josephus records that “robbers” took possession of the temple and slaughtered the priests.^[16] Josephus used the same word for robbers that Mark used.

Mark 11:18 – ¹⁸ The chief priests and the scribes heard it and started looking for a way to kill him. For they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was astonished by his teaching.

Jesus essentially brings the activity of the temple to a stop. At least for the moment, He shut down the cash cow for the corrupt family of the High Priest. But what was worse news for them was the multitudes of people were in agreement with Jesus. “Yeah! These guys are ripping me off!”

And so, the chief priests and scribes decided it was time to kill Jesus. Of course, the Pharisees and the Herodians were like, “What took you so long?” They’ve been plotting to kill Jesus since chapter 3! But now we have a unified conspiracy: Pharisees, Sadducees (represented by the High Priest and chief priests), the scribes, the Herodians, and nearly all the Sanhedrin.

Mark 11:19 – ¹⁹ Whenever evening came, they would go out of the city.

I love this because, despite the power wielded by all those involved in the conspiracy against Jesus, despite the power of Rome, despite everything going on, it’s clear that Jesus is in charge. He comes and goes as He pleases because He would accomplish what His Father sent Him to do. But now, Mark closes the sandwich with a few more challenging verses.

Mark 11:20-21 – ²⁰ Early in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. ²¹ Then Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 

This tree was an object lesson. On the national level, Israel was spiritually dead. From the roots up. Look at the corruption of their leaders. Instead of nourishing their people, they exploited them. Look at the temple, defiled with commerce. It was fruitless and ruined.

Mark 11:22-24 – ²² Jesus replied to them, “Have faith in God. ²³ Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. ²⁴ Therefore I tell you, everything you pray and ask for—believe that you have received, it and it will be yours.

Doesn’t this seem to come out of nowhere? What does this have to do with Israel and the coming judgment? And how can we take these verses other than to think, “Well, if I’m honest, I’ll never have faith like that?” If I really was a Christian, shouldn’t I be going around working crazy miracles?

Well, first of all, these words also connect back to Old Testament prophecy. This brings us back to Zechariah 4, where the Lord spoke to Zerubbabel about how God can overcome any difficulty, even a mountain standing in our way. It’s that famous passage that says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts.”

Also, we need to understand that this is not the only time Jesus taught these words to His disciples. These same phrases are used multiple, different times in both Matthew and Luke.

Let’s try to put ourselves in the place of the 12. Jesus has been saying things that are totally different than what you’ve always assumed about the Messiah, about the Kingdom and when and how it is established. And now, throughout Mark 11 through 16, Jesus is going to suggest that He Himself is going to replace the temple.^[17] He has totally rejected all the leaders of their nation.

So, if you’re one of the 12, your entire traditional belief system has been upended by this interaction with the fig tree and Jesus’ actions in the temple.^[18]

So now, Jesus gives them personal comfort and instruction that God has not proclaimed them as fig-less trees. God has not given up on them, even if His glory has departed from the temple. We can have faith in God and it’s important that our faith is founded, focused, and flowing from His will and His power, not traditionalism or nationalism or materialism. Instead of relating to God through dead formality, we can commune with Him with living and power-filled faith. And when we’re walking with Him, nothing is too hard for Him to accomplish in and through our lives. And that’s how we bear fruit. Not through legalism. Not through traditionalism. Not through nationalism. Through personal, obedient faith.

Mark 11:25 – ²⁵ And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.”

And now we inspect the tree of our own lives. It’s easy to see the deadness of a Sadducee. It’s easy to write off the temple when it’s full of scammers. But Jesus encourages the disciples – and us – to carefully examine our own lives. Are we growing in spiritual fruit? God is a forgiver. He was willing to forgive the merchants, the Pharisees, even the High Priest himself if they would repent. So, if we think we’re living for God, if we think we’re walking with Him, but we’re not like Him, we’re more like this leafy but sterile tree.

May God save us from being a tree like that. May the Lord cleanse the temple of our hearts from any corrupt merchant we’ve given space to. Instead, may we grow in many fruits. Fruits of forgiveness. Of repentance. Of obedience. Of worship. Fruit of all kinds as the Lord continues to graft onto our lives, to cultivate in our lives, and to reap a harvest of His powerful grace as we grow in Him.

Let That King In (Mark 11:1-11)

In 2022, Elon Musk shocked everyone by buying Twitter. When he arrived at headquarters as boss that first day, he made some bold moves. He threw out four top executives and pledged to get rid of 75% of the staff. Most famously, he arrived at the front door holding a kitchen sink, tweeting, “Entering Twitter HQ – Let that sink in!” One reporter noted, “Elon isn’t afraid to commit to the bit.”

The truth is, Elon’s big gesture almost didn’t happen. He sent his team to go get a sink, but due to miscommunication and the strangeness of the request, Musk said the store almost refused to sell them one.

In our text tonight, Jesus arrives to Jerusalem as Messiah and King for the first time. In earlier chapters of Mark, Jesus frequently demanded that people not proclaim Who He is and what He did for them, but now that phase is over. The King has arrived.

On His way into the royal city, He sends a team of disciples to go and get a special item – one with great significance. Elon carrying a sink into Twitter HQ falls into the “antics” category as far as I’m concerned. Jesus wasn’t joking around – these weren’t antics – this was prophetic. The Son of David had arrived and, though He came in peace, He would be confronted, betrayed, conspired against, and ultimately killed.

Mark 11 through 16 focuses on what we call Passion Week. Forty percent of the book all about these last few days before Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. He’s been approaching for a few passages now, but the final act starts in verse 1 of chapter 11.

Mark 11:1-3 – ¹ When they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ² and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. ³ If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’”

Bethany is about 2 miles from Jerusalem. Bethphage is about 1 mile. The Mount of Olives was a ridge east of Jerusalem with a valley in-between. These geographical markers have significance. First of all, Bethphage literally means, “House of unripe figs,” which foreshadows what happens in the very next set of verses.

But it’s the Mount of Olives that grabs our attention tonight. You see, in Ezekiel 11, something dramatic and terrible happens: Because of the sin of the nation, the glory of God departs from the Temple and from Jerusalem. Guess where it stops? The Mount of Olives. But here the Lord God returns from the Mount of Olives. He comes as a Savior, a Suffering Servant, to rescue not just the Jews, but all mankind from our sin. He comes to restore the relationship between God and man.

Now listen: Jesus knew that He was the Messiah. Recently the ladies of The View made news when one of them said Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah. That’s absolutely untrue. He definitely did. And this scene is one of those times. He is purposefully fulfilling prophecy in this scene.

There were many prophecies that Jesus fulfilled without trying. Like being born of a virgin or being from Nazareth. Those weren’t of His own accomplishment. But at other times, He carefully, purposefully accomplished Biblical prophecy which foretold the Messiah. God loves to reveal.

In this scene, the prophecies in question are found in Zechariah 9 and Genesis 49. Both speak about how the Christ would arrive to Judah and Jerusalem.

Arriving on a colt would stand out. Many people were on their pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Culturally, it was expected that if you could walk, you should walk. But Jesus pauses and changes His normal behavior. We’ve never seen Him riding an animal before. He always walked everywhere unless He was on a boat. Now He sends His guys to go get this donkey to not only signify that He’s the Messiah of Genesis and Zechariah, but to demonstrate that He is a holy King coming in peace.

It was significant that He used a colt that had never been ridden. First, it would signal this animal was being used for a sacred purpose. In the Law of Moses, there were certain rituals and sacrifices set apart for animals that had never been ridden or worked in a normal way. This was not just a convenient way to get into town. Jesus was doing a sacred, holy, divine work.

Second, the Mishnah taught that a king’s mount could not be ridden by anyone else. So not only was He saying He is holy, but that He is a King.

The third significance is when a king came on a donkey, it wasn’t to cmake war. It was for peace. So, Jesus is making a very big statement here. He’s living out a prophetic parable for all to see.

Mark 11:4-6 – ⁴ So they went and found a colt outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, ⁵ and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” ⁶ They answered them just as Jesus had said; so they let them go.

We don’t know which two disciples this was, but good on them. They’re obedient, they’re bold, they’re brave. This could’ve gone sideways if it didn’t work out. A donkey normally cost between 2 and 10 months’ wages. So, walking off with someone else’s colt is like grand theft donko.

And the message Jesus gave them to say was a little light on detail. They had to trust His foreknowledge. They had to trust in providence. They had to trust His leading. And they did!

What’s wonderful about this scene is that here we have this all important detail: Jesus needs to enter Jerusalem on not just a donkey but the colt of a donkey. Not just a colt, but a colt on whom no one has ridden. Not just a colt on whom no one has ridden, but – given the prophecy of Genesis 49 – it actually matters that the colt be tied up and be untied when the moment comes. This is what was required to properly prophetically accomplish this monumental arrival into Jerusalem. And, in this moment, Jesus shares the activity, the opportunity, the responsibility with His followers. With the two disciples. With the owner of the donkey. With the other people standing around. He brings believers into the work in meaningful ways. That is grace. That’s His heart for us. He makes us instruments of His glorious activity.

Providence still includes us in God’s work. He doesn’t have to but He wants to. The question is: What is God leading me to be a part of? It’s not nothing! We are still emissaries of the coming King.

Mark 11:7-8 – ⁷ They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and he sat on it. ⁸ Many people spread their clothes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields.

They roll out a red carpet for Jesus. Different Gospels use different words for what sort of plants the people were putting down. Some were dropping straw, some rushes or leaves, others large palm branches. It was an impromptu and makeshift moment of worship and devotion for the Lord.

The people didn’t understand all of what was going on, but they realized Jesus was not just another pilgrim. They do for Him what was done for a king back in 2 Kings chapter 9. It had been done for Simon Maccabaeus in the inter-testamental period when he came into Jerusalem.

Some of the pilgrims on the road would’ve been traveling with palm fronds, because that was part of the Feast of Tabernacles. Many would have brought the palm branches from Jericho – 17 miles away. But imagine: As Jesus gets onto the colt, as those passages of the Old Testament came together in your mind after years of reminder and memorization, suddenly you’re there, holding a palm branch and you realize that the Reason the Feast exists is in your midst! The palm is not for the Temple, it’s for Him! The day you spent your life singing about, the Person that the Feasts and the Temple and the Psalms had been preparing you for for generations was there, with you on the road. Of course they broke out into acts of praise and shouts of joy!

Meanwhile, the King of kings is a King of love and of grace. He did not demand golden fabric or even red velvet. He was blessed to be honored with palm branches and soft leaves.

Christian, you have devotion and worship that can please the Lord, that can glorify and honor the Lord. It’s not about the value, it’s about your heart. But do not refuse to give Him the praise and the devotion and the sacrifice that He is owed.

Mark 11:9-10 – ⁹ Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted: 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 heaven!

They’re quoting Psalm 118 here. It’s one of the Hallel Psalms. There are three sets of Hallel Psalms and Psalm 118 specifically was sung every year at the Feast of Tabernacles and at Passover. And now they get to sing it to the Passover Lamb, Himself – God Who came to tabernacle with us.

Hosanna means “oh, save us now!” And so, though it’s clear no one fully knew that Jesus’ saving work was going to lead to the cross, the expectation is high. Luke explains that there were many people who thought the Kingdom of God was going to appear right away.

Apparently the Romans knew that some were calling Jesus a King, but clearly they did not understand all the implications of what Jesus was doing that day. Because, had they understood, Jesus would’ve been immediately arrested.

There’s good evidence indicating that “He Who comes” is also a Messianic Title, by the way. So, here’s a group of people who want salvation and Kingdom.

What they didn’t understand is how the King would bring the Kingdom. This is what the last number of passages have been about. Jesus trying to help His followers understand what the Kingdom required. How the Messiah must first suffer and die. How we don’t go out conquering, but serving. How salvation comes first personally, then one day it will come nationally and globally.

Sadly, we’ll see that when the saving work that they’re praying for with every hosanna finally happens, everyone has abandoned Jesus, His countrymen stand at the foot of the cross reviling Him, not worshiping Him. They wanted political salvation. But they needed propitiation for sin.

But in this moment, something huge has happened. This is a truly historic, prophetic, powerful moment as the King enters the city. If the people didn’t praise, the very rocks would’ve cried out. This was a once-in-human-history manifestation of God’s intervention in human history. And then…

Mark 11:11 – ¹¹ He went into Jerusalem and into the temple. After looking around at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

That’s it? It’s kind of anti-climactic. He goes to the Temple. It’s late in the day because they just walked 17 miles from Jericho, no one is there. Jesus looks around the 37 acre Temple complex, then He says, “Alright, let’s walk 2 more miles back to Bethany.”

Why not do something? Well, He’s going to do a lot, but it’s all on a specific timeline. He’s going to cleanse the temple, but He wants to do so at a time when a lot of people will see it happen and realize what has become of God’s house. And then He will face wave after wave of opposition, and day by day He will come closer to Calvary, the reason He came. The King had arrived, but before being enthroned, He would first be rejected, beaten, killed, and entombed. The King’s first coming was not about conquering the city of Jerusalem. It wasn’t about taking over. It was about taking our sins upon Himself and bearing them away.

Forbes magazine wrote that the day Elon came to Twitter, “Chaos reigned.” He flexed the power of his authority, making it clear who was in charge of the office.

Here in Mark, as the King of kings arrives in His city, meekness reigns. He came in peace. He came with restraint. Knowing all that was going on behind the scenes, knowing all that would happen. Yet He held back the power of His wrath which He would’ve been right to pour out not only in the Temple or Jerusalem, but the whole world. Consider all He could’ve demanded. All that was owed Him. Consider what humanity deserved. And yet, at His first coming, He came in grace, in peace, in compassion.

What if you came home tonight and there are evil, criminal squatters trying to take over your house? That’s what had happened to Jesus’ Father’s house, right? Now, He does drive out the money changes the next day, but before the cross Christ moves with meekness.

But understand: Meekness is not weakness. He was a Servant, but He was not subservient. There’s a cultural idea out there today that Jesus’ highest command was “Thou shalt be nice.” And that all He did was go around being cool with everybody and accepting everything everyone did. But it’s not true. He called people to repentance. He set them free from sin and commanded them not to return to it. Yes, in His first coming, He came in meekness, but in His second coming, He does not come like a King at peacetime. The next time He returns, He comes not on the colt of a donkey, but on a charging white horse, with a sword in His mouth.

Our part is to enthrone Him in our lives. Not to reject His rule over us. Our part is to give Him our praise and our worship and our hearts. And to be used as instruments of His work according to His leading.