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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 11:21 mean?

Explanation

Mark 11:21 captures a moment between Jesus and His disciples, specifically calling attention to Peter's reaction upon seeing a fig tree Jesus had previously cursed now withered.

This occurrence happens the day after Jesus had pronounced a curse on the tree because it had no fruit.

When Peter notices the tree's condition and points it out, the incident serves as an opportunity for Jesus to teach about faith and the power of prayer.

On a literal level, Peter is simply stating a fact about the physical state of the fig tree.

However, on a deeper level, the withering of the fig tree symbolizes the sterility and impending judgment on spiritual fruitlessness, as well as the power inherent in true faith.

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Historical Context

The event took place in the context of Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, often referred to as the Passion Week.

During this time, Jesus was teaching in the temple, confronting the religious leaders, and preparing his disciples for his upcoming death and resurrection.

The fig tree, in the agrarian society of ancient Israel, was a common and valuable source of nourishment.

Moreover, the fig tree often symbolized Israel itself, and its fruitfulness was sometimes used as a metaphor for the spiritual state of the nation.

Theological Insights

Different theological perspectives offer a range of insights on this verse.

From a traditional Christian viewpoint, the withering of the fig tree is often seen as a metaphor for the consequences of unbelief and the lack of spiritual fruitfulness.

It is also interpreted as a demonstration of Jesus' divine authority over nature.

Some theologians have suggested that this narrative illustrates the end of the Old Covenant and the judgment on the Temple in Jerusalem.

In contrast, liberation theology might emphasize the role of active faith that challenges unjust structures, seeing the curse as a form of prophetic judgment against systems that fail to provide for the needs of the people.

Meanwhile, Prosperity Gospel advocates could interpret the verse as an example of the power of faith to affect one's physical reality if aligned with divine will.

Practical Applications

This verse serves as an encouragement for believers to examine their own lives for spiritual fruitfulness.

It also exhorts individuals to have faith in God's power to bring about change.

In practical terms, one might understand this passage as a call to prayer, trusting in the efficacy of prayer backed by faith.

It challenges people to live lives of genuine faith that produces tangible action and not just outward ritual or appearance.

Cross-References

Matthew 21:19-22: The parallel account of Jesus cursing the fig tree and teaching on faith.
James 2:17: Emphasizes that faith without works is dead, paralleling the idea of fruitlessness.
Jeremiah 8:13: Uses the imagery of a fig tree to discuss God's coming judgment on Israel's fruitlessness.
Luke 13:6-9: The parable of the barren fig tree, which also deals with themes of judgment and repentance.

Language Study

In the original Greek text:

"Calling to remembrance" (ἀναμιμνῄσκω/anamimnēskō): To remind or to be brought to one's mind.
"Master" (Ῥαββί/Rabbi): A title of respect, meaning teacher or master.
"Cursedst" (καταρᾶσαι/katarasai): Here it means to pronounce a curse that destines something for destruction.
"Withered away" (ἐξηράνθη/exēranthē): To dry up, wither, or shrivel, showing a sudden change in the state of the fig tree.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various ancient cultures, trees were often seen as symbols of life and fertility.

The act of cursing a tree might be compared to other myths where a deity curses or blesses the land or its produce, often tied to the moral actions of the people.

In the Hebrew Bible, prophetic actions, like that of Jesus cursing the fig tree, were not uncommon as a means of communicating a message from God.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, plants cannot wither instantaneously from being cursed as they respond to natural processes.

The account of the withered fig tree is thus seen by some as a miracle, an event that transcends natural law, or as an allegorical story not meant to be taken literally, but rather to convey a spiritual lesson.

Commentaries

Commentators have provided various interpretations of this passage:

Traditional exegesis often sees this as a historical event that demonstrates Jesus’ authority over creation and serves as a metaphor for judgment.
Some modern commentators suggest that the cursing of the fig tree was a prophetic act symbolizing the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.
Others consider the event as an object lesson on the power of faith; that believers can accomplish great things if they have the faith Jesus speaks of in the ensuing verses.
Skeptical scholars might view the passage as a fictional creation by the early church to communicate a theological point about faith and judgment.

Mark 11

Mark 11

What does Mark 11:21 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 11:21 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?