Mark 11:27-33

Mark 11:27-33Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Messiah’s Authority Challenged

²⁷ They came again to Jerusalem. As He was walking in the temple complex, 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?”

²⁹ Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ³⁰ Was John’s baptism from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”

³¹ They began to argue among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ³² But if we say, ‘From men’”—they were afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought that John was a genuine prophet. 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.”

Questions:

1.       Why were the priests, scribes, and elders upset at Jesus?

A.     He destroyed the money making opportunity the day before and people were more interested in Jesus than the church officials. This made them upset.

2.      Why do you think the leaders of the church ask Jesus the question, “By what authority are you doing these things?”

A.     To see if Jesus will say that God has sent Him, that He is the Christ King.

3.      What are these things the leaders are questioning Him about?

A.     All the miracles Jesus preformed.  Say some 

4.      Jesus responds with a question, “Was John’s baptism from heaven or from men?” What does that mean?

A.     If John was from heaven then that means that John was blessed by God and sent by God, and his message was about the second coming of Christ who is Jesus.  That means that if the leader say this they agree that Jesus is the King. If they say John is from men then all the people in the crowed will explode with anger because they all believed John was a prophet.  It is a lose, lose situation for the church leaders.

Mark 11:12-26

Mark 11:12-26Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

The Barren Fig Tree Is Cursed

¹² The next day when they came out from Bethany, He was hungry. ¹³ After 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, because it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples heard it.

Cleansing the Temple Complex

¹⁵ They came to Jerusalem, and He went into the temple complex and began to throw out those buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the money changers’ tables and the chairs of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple complex.

¹⁷ Then He began to teach them: “Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations?^[a] But you have made it a den of thieves!”^[b]18 Then the chief priests and the scribes heard it and started looking for a way to destroy Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished by His teaching.

¹⁹ And whenever evening came, they would go out of the city.

The Barren Fig Tree Is Withered

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 is withered.”

²² Jesus replied to them, “Have faith in God. ²³ I assure 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, all the things you pray and ask for—believe that you have received^[c] them, and you will have them. ²⁵ And whenever you standpraying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Fatherin heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing. [²⁶ But if you don’t forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your wrongdoing.]”^[d][e]

Questions:

1.      Why did Jesus cures the fig tree?

A.    Because it didn’t have fruit on it.

2.     Why is Jesus mad about people selling animals on Temple property?

A.    It was a place of worship, not the selling of animals between robber and crooks. 

3.     What is the Passover all about?

4.     Why does Jesus flip all the tables over?

A.    Because people shouldn’t sell these items on the temple mount and they are selling them for an unfair price. 

5.     What does the dead tree represent?

A.    It represents our faith in Christ if we don’t believe in Him, or if we don’t have faith in Him, or if we don’t repent of our sins.