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Mark 11

And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,

And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.

And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.

And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.

And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?

And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.

And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.

And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.

And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:

Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

And when even was come, he went out of the city.

And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,

And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.

And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?

But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.

And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

What does Mark 11:12 mean?

Explanation

[Mark 11:12] depicts a moment in the life of Jesus Christ as he and his disciples were traveling from Bethany back to Jerusalem.

The verse highlights Jesus' humanity by noting that he felt physical hunger.

The narrative continues to describe an event where Jesus looks for figs on a fig tree but finds none as it was not the season for figs.

This event leads up to the Cursing of the Fig Tree, which is often interpreted as a symbolic act with deeper spiritual meaning, including the judgement against spiritual barrenness.

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Historical Context

This verse is set during the final week of Jesus' earthly ministry, often referred to as the Passion Week.

Bethany was a village on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives, less than two miles from Jerusalem.

During this time, Jesus would often retire to Bethany at night and return to Jerusalem during the day.

The historical setting is significant as it portrays Jesus' last activities before his crucifixion.

Jewish customs, the socio-political climate of Roman Judea, and the Jewish expectations of a Messiah contribute to the atmosphere of the narrative.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse highlights several themes.

Firstly, it establishes the dual nature of Jesus Christ, being both fully human (experiencing hunger) and fully divine (performing miracles and teaching with authority).

Secondly, some theologians interpret the fruitless fig tree as representing Israel's spiritual condition at the time, having the appearance of religious life but lacking fruitful works.

Thirdly, this incident is viewed as a precursor to the Temple cleansing, symbolizing the judgement on the Temple authorities and their practices.

Practical Applications

Practically, this verse can encourage believers to self-reflect on their own spiritual lives, asking whether their faith is bearing fruit in the form of good works, compassion, and a commitment to justice.

It serves as a reminder that external religious practices are insufficient without the substance of a transformed life.

The verse also teaches about Jesus' understanding of human needs and offers a model for acknowledging and addressing physical needs without shame, as part of holistic spiritual living.

Cross-References

Matthew 21:18-19 - "Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever.

And presently the fig tree withered away."

Luke 13:6-9 - "He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none," which also discusses the expectation of finding fruit on a fig tree and the consequences of barrenness.
James 2:17-18 - "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." This highlights the importance of faith being demonstrated through action, similar to the expectation of the fig tree bearing fruit.

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek text for Mark 11:12 include:

"πεινᾷν" (peinan): Generally translated as "he was hungry," indicating a physical need for food.
"ἐκ" (ek): A preposition typically meaning "from" or "out of," which establishes the departure from Bethany.

Each of these words reinforces the literal interpretation that Jesus experienced natural human hunger after leaving Bethany.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient times, the fig tree was a symbol of prosperity and peace in Near Eastern culture, including the Israelite context.

It represented security and sustenance, and was often associated with the messianic age (Micah 4:4).

The event of Jesus approaching the fig tree could be seen as his evaluation of the true spiritual state of the people in light of cultural expectations of prosperity and blessing associated with the Messiah's coming.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern scientific understanding accepts that hunger is a physiological state that arises from the body's need for nutrients.

Jesus, being fully human, would have experienced such a need.

On the other hand, the metaphoric elements in this narrative, the expectation of finding fruit out of season, are not addressed by science, which recognizes the regularity of natural seasons and plant biology.

Commentaries

Expert commentators on this verse offer varied insights.

Some emphasize the importance of understanding Jesus' actions symbolically rather than literally, focusing on the significance of the fig tree as a parable for religious fruitfulness.

Others point out the narrative's timing, as it reflects Jesus' deliberate actions during a period of high tension leading to the Passover festival.

Some modern scholars discuss the ethical implications of the fig tree's cursing, assessing whether it was a just act, while others justify it as a demonstration of divine judgement against unfruitfulness.

Mark 11

Mark 11

What does Mark 11:12 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 11:12 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?