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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 11:15 mean?

Explanation

Mark 11:15 describes an event where Jesus enters the temple area in Jerusalem and begins to cleanse it.

As part of his action, he casts out the people who were using the temple for commercial purposes, including those buying and selling, as well as the money changers and those selling doves.

The mention of overturning the tables and seats indicates Jesus' disapproval of commercial activities in a place meant for worship.

The deeper meaning points to the need for purity in worship practices and the upholding of religious spaces as sanctuaries for devotion, rather than marketplaces for profit.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

The episode occurs during the week preceding Jesus' crucifixion, around the time of the Jewish festival of Passover.

The temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish religious life, and Passover was one of the main pilgrimage holidays, attracting Jews from all over to participate in festivities and sacrificial offerings.

Money changers were present to exchange foreign currency into the local currency used to pay the temple tax, and doves were sold for sacrifices, especially for those who could not afford costlier animals.

Jesus' actions were a protest against the commercialization of religious practices and the exploitation of worshippers.

Theological Insights

Different theological perspectives interpret this event in varying ways:

Traditional Christian theology often views this as an assertion of Jesus' authority over religious practices and his concern for the sanctity of worship.
Liberation theology might emphasize Jesus' actions as a form of social protest against the exploitation of the poor by the temple authorities.
Reformed or evangelical theology may see this as a foreshadowing of the New Covenant, where the sacrificial system would be replaced by the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus.

Practical Applications

This verse encourages modern Christians to examine their places of worship and personal practices, reflecting on whether they facilitate or hinder a sincere devotion to God.

It challenges individuals to resist the commercialization of religion and maintain the church as a place of prayer and fellowship.

Moreover, it inspires believers to stand up against systems that exploit the vulnerable, advocating social justice within religious communities.

Cross-References

Matthew 21:12-13: "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,"
John 2:14-16: "And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:...

Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise."

Isaiah 56:7: "...for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people."

Language Study

In the original Greek text:

"εκβάλλω" (ekballō) is a strong term used for "cast out," indicating a forceful removal.
"καταστρέφω" (katastrephein) used for "overthrew," has a connotation of violently turning things upside down or ruining.
"κερματιστῆς" (kermatistes) refers to "money-changers," indicating those who exchanged currency.
"πωλοῦντας" (pōlountas) for "sold" and "ὠνούμενοι" (ōnoumenoi) for "bought" reflect the commercial transactions that were taking place.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

This incident involving Jesus can be compared to other ancient narratives where a figure challenges a corrupt or misguided religious system. For instance, in some ancient myths, deities cleanse or renew spaces to restore their sanctity.

However, Jesus’ cleansing of the temple is unique in its historical grounding and its emphasis on reform from within a living religious tradition.

Scientific Perspectives

While there is no direct scientific correlation, sociological studies may bring insights into the dynamics of religious spaces and how they can be affected by commercial influences.

Behavioral science also recognizes the impact of environment on spiritual experiences, underscoring the importance of maintaining the integrity of worship spaces as Jesus did.

Commentaries

Commentaries on this verse offer various interpretations:

William Barclay emphasizes Jesus’ reaction as a defense of genuine worship, stating that the court of the Gentiles in the temple was being misused, obstructing non-Jews from praying.
R.T.

France discusses how this act of Jesus was a sign of judgment on a system that prioritized profit over piety, causing a disruption to the temple's activities.

John Calvin notes that Christ demonstrates his authority over the temple and symbolically shows the end of the old covenant and its sacrifices through his actions.

Mark 11

Mark 11

What does Mark 11:15 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 11:15 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?