Introduction
The triumphal entry is recorded in all four Gospels, Matthew 21:1-11 / Mark 11:1-11 / Luke 19:24-44, and John’s account is the briefest, John 12:12-19.
The fact that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, John 11:38-44, was well known by now and the people of Jerusalem and other surrounding villages heard that both Jesus and Lazarus were to be seen together, John 12:9, so typically they flocked to see this ‘show’.
The chief priests realised that Lazarus’s presence now also constitutes a threat to their power, John 12:10, so in their ruthlessness, they decide to rid themselves of this problem.
The fact that Lazarus had died and then had been resurrected was now a great source of embarrassment to the Pharisees and other Jews of high religious standing. They wanted to put Him to death in order to prove, to themselves, that they were greater than Jesus.
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
‘As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’” They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”’ Mark 11:1-10
It is about five days before the Passover feast, Exodus 12:3 / Nehemiah 8:15 / Zechariah 14:4. The ‘next day’, John 12:12, we know from the Gospels that this was the first day of the week. The crowd, already excited at his potential arrival, John 11:56, now hear that Jesus is on His way to the feast.
As Jesus and His disciples approached Jerusalem and arrived at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Matthew 21:1 / Mark 11:1 / Luke 19:28-29.
Jesus Comes To Jerusalem As King
‘A great crowd’ appeared, John 12:12, in Jerusalem crowded with Passover pilgrims, many of whom would be disciples of Jesus, Luke 19:37. As He approached the city, a crowd accompanied Him and another crowd went out whom meet him, Matthew 21:9.
The crowd, already excited at His potential arrival, John 11:56, now hear that Jesus is on His way to the feast. Great excitement overtakes them, they have heard of the raising of Lazarus and all the other miracles He had done before. Many must have believed that He was the Messiah and was about to restore the Kingdom to that which was in David’s time.
People were continually shouting that Jesus was the Messiah, the King of Israel. Jerusalem was packed with Passover pilgrims, ‘was thrown into confusion’, Matthew 21:10. A popular uprising looked possible and that would bring savage reprisals from the Romans, John 11:48.
Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah, His so coming is in fulfilment of Zechariah 9:9 / Isaiah 62:11 / Matthew 21:4-5. The crowd of disciples wanted Him to assert publicly that He was the Messiah and He did but in such a way as to assert the peaceful nature of His kingdom, Zechariah 9:10.
The Donkey
John 12:14 tells us that ‘Jesus found a young donkey.’ Matthew 21:1-2 tells that He sent two disciples to find and bring an ass and colt. Luke 19:30 says, ‘a colt on which no one has ever yet sat’.
Why would a donkey and a colt both be needed if Jesus only rode one into Jerusalem? The simple answer is that the colt was young and still attached to the mother, and vice versa. They would travel together as a mother and offspring naturally would among many animal species.
The donkey was traditionally ridden by kings who came in peace, if He had come on a horse instead, that would have reflected a more aggressive tone. The Gospels tell us that this was a young donkey, not yet ridden by any man. Luke 19:30.
Jesus was the first on the back of this donkey. The disciples laid their garments over the donkey to make a saddle upon which Jesus could comfortably ride, Matthew 21:7 / Mark 11:7 / Luke 19:35 / 2 Kings 9:13.
Jesus said to His disciples, ‘if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”, Matthew 21:3 / Mark 11:3 / Luke 19:31. This implies that Jesus possibly already knew the person who owned the donkey, hence why the owner gladly did as Jesus asked, Luke 19:32-34.
The horse was the symbol of war and conquest, and the donkey was the symbol of peace. The disciples only made this connection between Jesus the King of peace, the donkey and the Scriptural quotation after Jesus had ascended and they had received the Holy Spirit, John 12:13. Much became obvious to them at that time.
A King’s Welcome
A welcome for a king is being written of here, as they, ‘spread their garments on the road, also spread leafy branches before Him, Psalm 118:25-26 / Leviticus 23:40 / Matthew 21:8 / Mark 11:8 / Luke 19:36 / John 12:13.
Many carried branches of palm which are symbols of victory, Revelation 7:9, and of the righteousness and vigorous spirituality of God’s children, Psalm 92:12. They point to the joy of victory, the feeling that everything will now be better. The people were expecting something to change.
The Saviour
‘Hosanna!’ they cry, Matthew 21:9 / Mark 11:9 / John 12:13, this was a joyous call meaning ‘save’ or ‘save us now’. It hadn’t become a simple exclamation of surprise such as we use ‘hurrah’ today. The call had a great deal of meaning to it.
The Messiah
‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’, Matthew 21:9 / Mark 11:10 / Luke 19:38 / John 12:13, is an extract from Psalm 118:25-26. This Psalm was part of the ‘Great Hallel’, Psalms 113-118, recited at the Feast of Tabernacles. They now acclaim Jesus as the Messiah, Matthew 21:9 / Mark 11:9-10 / Luke 19:38 / John 12:13.
The context of the Psalm is of a Messianic tone, indicating that they considered Jesus the Messiah, still expecting Him to establish some sort of earthly kingdom. The balance of the call that rang out seems to confirm this idea, ‘Blessed is the King of Israel,’ John 12:13.
Jesus Wept
As Jesus drew near to the city and He wept over it, He foresaw and described the disaster coming to a people who rejected the Messiah, Luke 19:41-44 / Matthew 23:37-40. We can almost feel the emotions of Jesus’ words here.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘If thou had known, says he, even thou, with all thy guilt, the things that make for thy peace, if thou had repented, had been righteous, and had received the Messiah, if thou had not stained thy hands with the blood of the prophets, and shouldn’t have with that of the Son of God, then these terrible calamities would not come upon thee. But it is too late. The national wickedness is too great; the cup is full: mercy is exhausted and Jerusalem, with all her pride and splendour, the glory of her temple, and the pomp of her service, ‘must perish!’
The days did indeed come when Jerusalem fell and the temple was destroyed, the days indeed come when not one stone was left on another, Matthew 24:1-35. This was done by Titus in 70 A.D., about thirty years after this was spoken.
All this was done, says Christ, because Jerusalem knew not the time of its visitation, that is, did not know, and ‘would not’ know, that the Messiah had come. ‘His coming’ was the time of their merciful visitation.
That time had been predicted, and invaluable blessings promised as the result of his advent, but they would not know it. They rejected him, they put him to death, and it was just that they should be destroyed.
The Reaction
Look at the reactions to all of this, ‘All the city was stirred’, ‘agitated’, ‘went wild with excitement,’ Matthew 21:10-11. Remember that most in the crowd had seen Lazarus raised from the dead, so they would be witnesses to this, John 12:17.
The local people informed the visitors to Jerusalem who Jesus was, Matthew 21:10-11. He was the prophet, Deuteronomy 18:18 / John 1:21 / John 1:25 / John 6:14 / John 7:40 / John 9:17 / Acts 3:22ff / Acts 7:37. But Jesus was more than a prophet, He was the Messiah, He was the Son of God.
John records that Jesus’ disciples didn’t understand what was going on, but they eventually would after Jesus was glorified, John 12:16.
In Luke 19:39-40, we read that the Pharisees objected, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples,’ but Jesus tells them, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out!’
The Pharisees objected, but Jesus tells them that the very things we would assume could never speak or respond, that is, the stones, Habakkuk 2:11, would actually give testimony to the Sonship of Jesus.
If the stones of the city of Jerusalem were in the mind of Jesus when He made this statement, the meaning again would be obvious, Jerusalem would be levelled by the Romans in A.D. 70. Matthew 24:1-35.
Jesus was basically saying to the Pharisees, ‘you can’t hide from what is happening right now, even if you could silence everyone, these very stones would have shouted glory to God because even they recognise that it’s God’s Son who is entering Jerusalem’.
The Pharisees didn’t greet the arrival of Jesus with all that much enthusiasm and they wanted Jesus dead, this crowd would make it all the more difficult, John 12:19.
They seem somewhat frustrated by these goings-on, and their difficulty in finding Jesus in a quiet, dark alley where that could finish all this ‘foolishness’.
The Pharisees saw Jesus as a serious threat to their position as leaders in the religious community, even if they did have some idea that He was the Messiah, it was now too late to acknowledge Him, that would lose too much.
The ‘Pharisees’, who were the Sanhedrin officials, were extremely worried, and they had reason to be because huge crowds were involved, John 12:19.
Conclusion
We’re living in a society where Christians are being told to ‘shut up’, by the ‘politically correct’ brigade, if we speak out against sin, any sin, we get told we’re judging and need to ‘shut up’.
It’s almost like we’re allowed to have our faith, but we’re not allowed to express our faith in any shape or form as some people will find it offensive.
Society is permitted to speak out against Christians, but it seems like time goes on, Christians aren’t being permitted the same freedom of speech to defend their beliefs.
The world can try and silence Christians because they find their faith offensive, but the truth is, God would be even more offended if Christians didn’t share their faith with others.
Let’s continue to praise Him and lift up His Holy Name before the world because the time is coming when every being in heaven, everyone on earth, and every demon in hell, are going to bow down and confess what Christians have been confessing for years, Philippians 2:9-11.
‘Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.’ Mark 11:11
Jesus entered into Jerusalem and the temple to look around, however because it was late, He went on to Bethany with His disciples.
He went to Bethany to the house of Mary, Martha and Lazarus as a final retreat before entering Jerusalem, John 11:1 / John 11:18 / John 21:1.
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree
‘The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.’ Mark 11:12-14
Early in the morning as Jesus is heading towards Jerusalem, He was hungry, Matthew 21:18 / Mark 11:12. He saw a fig tree, Matthew 21:19 / Mark 11:12. There were a variety of fig trees in and around Jerusalem in Jesus’ day, but this particular fig tree grew leaves first and then produced fruit.
I don’t believe we are to think that this was the only fig tree in the orchard, but it was certainly a tree which stood out and the reason it stood out to Jesus was because this fig tree had leaves on it but no fruit, although it was wasn’t fig season, Mark 11:13.
Why Did Jesus Curse The Tree?
Out of all the miracles Christ did, this is the only miracle which involved a curse, but why curse the tree? Certainly not for the fun of it! He cursed the fig tree and used it as an object lesson for the disciples.
The lesson was simple enough, Israel as a nation were producing an outward show of righteousness, Matthew 15:1-9 / Mark 7:1-9, it was all pretence, and the religious leaders didn’t produce fruit by accepting Jesus as the Messiah.
Jesus is telling us that Israel would no longer produce fruit because they had rejected the Son of God and so God is going to reject them as a nation. Jerusalem and the Jewish nation would come to an end in A.D. 70.
The Cleansing Of The Temple
‘On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, ‘Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers. The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.’ Mark 11:15-19
Mark tells us that every evening of that week, Jesus withdrew from the city, because it was evening the city gates were closed, Mark 11:11. Jesus returned the next day and went straight to the temple and cleansed it again. Jesus entered Jerusalem at the commencement of the final week of His earthly ministry.
The Temple
The Temple had taken 46 years to build, John 2:20, it was started around 20 BC, the main work was finished in 10 BC, which gives us the date of this statement at AD 26.
The Temple was still being worked on when it was destroyed in 70 AD. Some of the blocks used in building the temple were 15 feet square by 4 feet high.
The original temple was built on ground purchased by David and built by Solomon, 2 Samuel 24:18-25 / 2 Chronicles 3:1. It was by a long shot, the grandest and rich of the temples, and once it was destroyed its grandeur was never recaptured. It was destroyed in 586 B.C. by the rampant Babylonians.
A new temple, Zerubbabel’s temple, was built in 520 B.C. after its foundations were laid in 536 B.C. Zechariah 4:9. This was rebuilt by Herod in 20 B.C. and the work was paid for before a start was made, and the sanctuary took just 18 months to complete, however, was still going on in Jesus’ time about 46 years later?
It is thought that work wasn’t yet complete in the outer areas when this last temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. by Romans. The site is now being used by Muslims who have built a Mosque, the Dome of the Rock.
Much is currently being said in Israel about rebuilding a temple. However political considerations regarding the current Mosque on the site prevent this.
The internal area was 33 ½ acres. Some wall blocks were 15 by 4 feet. Built with cream-coloured stone, with spikes on the roof. It was topped off with gold. There was also a plaque on the wall which read, ‘a no enter sign’ warning of death to all non-Jews who enter in three languages, Hebrew, Greek and Arabic.
The Temple was divided into two parts, the Holy Place, with the altar of incense, golden candlestick and table of shewbread. The second part is the Holy of Holies, the heart of the temple, entered into only once a year by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement. The different courts emphasised the strata of religious society, the more important you are, the closer you get to the Holy of Holies.
The two parts were separated by a veil, made of thick cloth. This is the veil that separated man and God and it was torn in two at the point of Christ’s death.
The Inner court or priests court was reserved only for priests, and the sacrifice was burnt on the alter located there. The Antonia Fortress was a Roman fortress, that they used to keep an eye on the happenings on the Temple grounds.
When Jesus reached Jerusalem, He entered the temple courts, drove out those who were buying and selling. He also overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those would were selling doves, Mark 11:15-16 / Luke 19:45.
He also stopped trade from coming through the temple courts, and. He quotes Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11 / Mark 11:18 / Luke 19:46.
What was it that angered Him? The abuse of the temple courts and total lack of reverence and respect for both the temple and the law is what angered Him.
The Market Held In The Court Of The Gentiles
This had become a recognised institute and was protected by the temple guard on behalf of their superiors, the priests. The market was known among the Jews as ‘The shops of Annas,’ because it was under the patronage of the High Priest and his family.
They took the franchise, so to speak, the monopoly and took their profit from everything that was sold. The market was not supposed to be a place for general merchandise but only for things needed for the temple ceremonies, i.e. sacrifices, wine, oil and salt used in the ceremonies.
Buyers were largely pilgrims who had travelled far but were also used by local Jews who could afford to spare themselves the inconvenience of bringing their own animals for sacrifice. Not only this, but they could avoid the uncertainty of the ‘Official Inspection’ which was compulsory.
Priests examined animals for sacrifice, for flaws or imperfections or disease and I imagine that, in order to boost flagging sales, they would refuse to accept certain animals. Probably many animals failed its spiritual M.O.T.
Money Changers
The money was needed because of the duty of every male Jew who came to the temple to worship, to pay half a shekel for the upkeep of the temple. This was called ‘Temple Tax’. A half-shekel was equal to a third, or a fourth of a Denarius, or a penny and could only be paid in the temple or Jewish money.
But many coinages were in use in the Roman Empire at that time, and pilgrims from abroad usually only had Greek, Roman or Syrian money, which could not be used. Obviously, Jewish money was not likely to be used in the wider Roman Empire. So, their foreign money had to be exchanged into coins that the temple treasury would accept.
We must note that Mark’s and Luke’s accounts of Jesus clearing the temple took place in the last week of the Lord’s ministry, John puts the account at the commencement of His ministry, John 2:13-22. This is important to understand because some believe it’s the same account of Jesus cleansing the temple.
One of the arguments, probably the strongest argument they are able to advance in favour of this theory, is that John does not mention the second cleansing, nor do Matthew, Mark and Luke.
I suggest to you, that, far from being an argument against the genuineness of these accounts, this is an argument in favour of their genuineness.
There is obviously no attempt on the part of these writers to make their accounts harmonise and you might have expected such an attempt if they had not been genuine.
On the contrary, if you examine the three records carefully, you see that there are several differences, which should make it plain that we are dealing with two separate events.
John tells us that Jesus dealt with those who ‘sold’ in the temple, John 2:14, as does Luke 19:45, but Mark, for instance, tells us that, he turned out those who ‘bought and sold’, Mark 11:15. Not just the sellers but also the ‘buyers’ who evidently had taken no notice of the first warning.
Similarly, John says that Jesus told those who sold doves to take their birds and their cages out of the temple court, John 2:15-16. But the second time, again because his warning had gone unheeded, he condemned the sellers of doves along with the rest and overturned their chairs, Mark 2:15.
John says that the Jews challenged Jesus as to His authority, and His right to do this, John 2:18, but the second time there is no such challenge or question from the Jews.
John does not report that Jesus dealt with those who carried objects through the temple, Mark 11:16, or the cries of the children, Mark 10:13-16, and the healing of the blind, Mark 10:46-52, and the lame and the apparently favourable reaction from the people, Mark 11:18.
Of course, the first time He cleansed the temple, he was virtually unknown, and His action was resented. But after three years and particularly with the presence of the Galileans, He has more popular support.
John does not quote Isaiah 56:7, and the mention of the temple as a ‘House of Prayer for all nations’. Nor that Jesus quoted Jeremiah 7:11, ‘Den of robbers’, Mark 11:17. Nor the fear of the Jewish authorities for the people, Mark 11:18.
In fact, to really accept that there was only ‘one’ cleansing of the temple which the writers have put into two different ends of the Lord’s ministry, I think you have to come to the Scriptures with your mind already made up.
If these two accounts were submitted to unbiased critics, with the question, do these records deal with the same event? I am sure they would see many differences that they would say, ‘the situation in the temple had grown worse’, this is suggested by the words, ‘you have made it into a den of robbers,’ Mark 11:18.
Pilgrims in particular, of course, were at the mercy of these temple traders. What went on, was ‘not’ honest trade, which itself would have been wrong in the temple anyway. This was dishonest trade. No! more than that, Jesus said it was a downright robbery, Mark 11:18.
For instance, one record tells that those who sold doves in the temple court, were at one time demanding a piece of gold for every bird they sold to the poor women who came to the temple for cleansing.
And Rabbi Simeon Ben Gamaliel urged them to be satisfied with a piece of silver. Now if the poor local women were subject to this kind of exhortation, what do you suppose happened to the wealthier Jews, coming in from Rome or from other provinces?
And in this way, because they imposed an exchange fee, a great deal of profit was made, a part of which found its way to the priests. The doves are mentioned, Mark 11:17 / John 2:14, because they were required by the law for ceremonies concerned with cleansing, women after childbirth, Leviticus 12:1-8, lepers, Leviticus 14:1-32, and others. So, they too provided a good profit.
Mark reports that Jesus stopped the people from using the temple as a public thoroughfare, Mark 11:16. The people often carried things through the temple court, coming in at the East Gate and going out at the West, or vice versa. In fact, the temple was used as a shortcut between the city and the Mount of Olives.
The Jewish authorities had condemned this practice, according to some scholars. They had said that a sign of reverence for the temple was that no one went up into the Mountain of the temple, with his staff, or shoes, or purse, or dust of the road on his feet; and that no one made it a common thoroughfare.
But it seems that they had not enforced this ruling and so the people were defiling the temple and showing disrespect for it. So, Jesus took the unpleasant action that the authorities neglected to take.
Notice the quotation Jesus uses to cover His actions, Mark 11:17. ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’ Isaiah 56:7 / Luke 19:46.
This is because the only place that the Gentiles were allowed to enter, the only part of the temple open to them and the only place where they were allowed to pray, was the ‘Court of the Gentiles.’
But how could they pray in a place which had been turned into an open cattle market and money exchange and a public thoroughfare? John 2:14. So, Jesus points out that in allowing these things, the priests were defeating the fulfilment of Scripture.
Notice the strong language He uses, ‘A den of robbers’, Jeremiah 7:11 / Mark 11:17 / Luke 19:46. Remember that Jesus had just travelled to Jerusalem from Jericho, coming, along that notorious Jericho road, where the man fell along with thieves and was helped by a Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37.
Judea in those days was full of thieves and robbers, and they occupied the limestone caves in the hills. But Jesus says that what went on in the temple was every bit as bad as what went on outside.
So, He quotes from Jeremiah’s temple sermon, Jeremiah 7:11. Notice first the reaction of the people, they gathered for Jesus to teach them, Mark 11:17. In fact, these last words were spoken to the people during that teaching, ‘you have made it a den of robbers’, Mark 11:17 / Luke 19:46.
Certainly, the priests were to blame for permitting this traffic to go on, but the people were also to blame for encouraging it by ‘buying’ and they were to blame for using the temple as a shortcut.
But there was also healing, the blind and lame came to Him. These poor sick people usually remained outside the temple altogether, because many of them would not be permitted to enter. But they were emboldened by the presence of Jesus, and they came to Him and He healed them.
And notice the shouts of the children in the temple gates. Hosanna! Mark 11:9. So, the reaction to Jesus was favourable, at least from the people.
But the reactions from the authorities were violent, ‘that they might kill Him’, Mark 11:18 / Luke 19:47-48. However, the priests had to exercise caution, ‘for they feared him because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching,’ Mark 11:18.
Any of those who had come with Jesus to the city had also come with Him to the temple. In other words, there were many good Galileans present, not just people from the city, who would be under the thumb of the priests and with such enthusiasm being shown for Jesus, it might be dangerous for the priests themselves, if they dared to lay hands on Jesus, Luke 20:1-6.
In any case, they would not stone Him in the temple itself, so they had to plan to put Him to death elsewhere. When the leaders asked Jesus if He heard what the children were saying, Luke 19:40, Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2. Jesus allowed the people to exalt Him to the status of king.
We must never use what God has given us for purposes He has not authorized. God gave us a pattern for the local church. Its function is to worship, teach the gospel and help needy Christians. But many churches have begun to do other things: they sponsor recreation, entertainment, secular education, etc.
If Jesus returned, would He not come to churches and begin to cast out all of the unauthorised practices that have crept into them?
Jesus then goes to Bethany to spend the night, He possibly stayed with Lazarus, Martha and Mary, John 11:1 / John 11:18 / John 12:1.
‘In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” Mark 11:20-21
The disciples were amazed at how quickly the fig tree withered, Matthew 21:20. Peter remembers what Jesus did to the fig tree the day before. Mark 11:20-21. It appears that the tree was cursed on Monday morning as Christ was on the way to the cleansing of the temple.
Matthew indicates that it withered immediately, but the following morning Peter noticed that it was withered completely from its roots upward and totally dried up.
They probably didn’t notice this on Monday evening as they returned to Bethany, because it was evening time, and it would have been dark.
Mountain Moving Faith
“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:22-26
Barclay, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The phrase about removing mountains was a quite common Jewish phrase. It was a regular, vivid phrase for removing difficulties.’
Jesus replies to His disciples and teaches them a lesson on faith, Matthew 21:21-22. We must remember that faith isn’t the source of power, God is the source of that power, and the disciples had to learn to trust their source, who is God, Matthew 17:20 / James 1:6 / James 5:16.
When Christians pray in faith, we need to trust that God will answer our prayers, there may be times our prayers aren’t answered in a way which we would like or as quickly as we would like but we must trust that He will answer them.
We must also remember that there are times our prayers won’t be answered simply because we don’t ask, or we don’t believe God can do what we request of Him and there are times our prayers aren’t in line with God’s will, 1 John 5:14 / James 4:3.
If these words of Jesus concerning ‘a faith which can move mountains’, are to be taken literally, then they literally have to apply to His disciples, not Christians today.
This kind of faith was of the miraculous kind, this wouldn’t be the faith of Romans 5:1. This is a miraculous faith that enabled one to ‘remove mountains’, 1 Corinthians 13:2 / Matthew 17:20 / James 5:14-15. This kind of faith, along with all the other miraculous gifts have ceased to exist, 1 Corinthians 13:8-12.
Jesus knew that over the next few days the disciples would need to have their faith increased because of the great trials and persecution they were about to go through; they were about to face some huge obstacles of their own and it was going to take great faith to overcome them.
Conclusion
The whole purpose of a fig tree was to produce fruit and as Christians, we too must produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, Galatians 5:22-23 / John 16:16 / James 3:17-18.
But if we don’t produce the Spirit’s fruit in our lives, we too will end up like the fig tree Jesus used as an object lesson, we become useless, Matthew 7:19 / John 15:1-2.
We may not have the miraculous faith which can move mountains today, but we certainly should have a faith which trusts that God can remove any giant obstacles which come our way.
Jesus was hungry and saw a fig tree in leaf. When He approached, He observed that it had no fruit. He cursed it and by the next day, it was withered up. Jesus’ action taught the amazed disciples some lessons.
1. People who bear no fruit will be cursed by God.
This principle applied to the Jewish nation as a whole because it was bearing no fruit for the Lord.
2. Jesus noted that God has the power to wither fig trees and move mountains; in short, to respond to prayer.
What we must do is trust Him and turn to Him with our needs.
The incident of the fig tree was to offer a visual illustration for the disciples to have faith in God. Their faith would move them to trust in God who would work in their lives in order to confirm them to be His messengers, Mark 16:17-20.
Their faith must produce fruit in the years to come, James 2:14-26. Fruit would be produced as the disciples went forth into all the world and preached the Gospel.
Jesus reminds us that we cant hold grudges against others, we must be willing to forgive others, if we are to be forgiven by God, Matthew 6:12 / Mark 11:25 / Romans 12:18.
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
‘They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. ‘By what authority are you doing these things?’ they asked. ‘And who gave you authority to do this?’ Jesus replied, ‘I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!’ They discussed it among themselves and said, ‘If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.) So, they answered Jesus, ‘We don’t know.’ Jesus said, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’ Mark 11:27-33
Remember that at this time it was the aggression of the religious leaders that developed the confrontation between themselves and Jesus, Mark 11:27-12:12 / Luke 20:1-19.
Jesus had violated their system of religious regulations. He didn’t conform to their system of institutional religiosity. He didn’t fit in with their idea of who the Messiah should be.
Jesus’ bold actions in clearing out the temple stirred opposition, Matthew 21:12-16 / Mark 11:15-18 / Luke 19:45-48. The Jewish leaders thought that the temple belonged to them, so they questioned Jesus’ right to come into it and make such drastic revisions, Matthew 7:28-29 Matthew 21:23 / Mark 11:27-28 / Luke 20:1-2.
Jesus replied to their challenge with a question. He asked whether John’s baptism came from God or men, Matthew 21:24-25 / Mark 11:29-30 / Luke 20:3-4.
John had confessed that Jesus was the Son of God, John 1:34, and by doing so, he confessed that Jesus was greater than he was, Matthew 3:11-15.
They consulted among themselves and decided that it would be politically unwise to answer, Matthew 21:25-27 / Mark 11:31-33 / Luke 20:5-7. Their refusal demonstrated that they were not sincerely seeking truth. Therefore, Jesus refused to answer their question, Matthew 21:27 / Mark 11:33 / Luke 20:8.
Jesus’ Question Is A Model
Anyone can ask questions, but Jesus was the Master at asking THE question. Jesus asked the Jewish leaders an outstanding question, ‘did John’s baptism come from God or man?’
This is the question that we should ask about every religious practice. Anything that originates in man should be rejected, all that God commands should be carefully observed.
There is an easy way for us to determine whether a given teaching or activity comes from God or man. Everything that comes from God is in the Bible. If a particular doctrine or practice is not in the Bible, it is not from God.
We should verify everything we do by this simple test: Does it come from God or from man?
