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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 11:29 mean?

Explanation

Mark 11:29 features Jesus responding to a challenge to his authority by the chief priests, scribes, and elders with a question of his own.

They had asked him by what authority he was doing the works and teachings he performed, which included driving out money changers and sellers from the temple (Mark 11:15-18).

Instead of directly answering their challenge, Jesus presents his own question to them regarding the baptism of John, which implies a test of their sincerity and willingness to answer truthfully.

This verse emphasizes Jesus's wisdom in dealing with his opponents and introduces a strategic conversational shift that aims to reveal the intentions of the religious leaders.

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Historical Context

The verse is part of a passage in the Gospel of Mark that depicts Jesus's activities in Jerusalem shortly before his crucifixion.

This time period is often referred to as the Passion Week.

This confrontation took place after Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly (Mark 11:1-10) and then cleansed the temple (Mark 11:15-17).

The chief priests, scribes, and elders represented the Jewish religious leadership who felt threatened by Jesus's popularity and challenge to the status quo, and they were looking for ways to discredit him.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse can be seen from various viewpoints:

Divine Wisdom: Some see this as an example of Jesus's divine wisdom in handling hostile questions. 2.

Authority of Jesus: Others interpret this passage as highlighting the divine authority of Jesus's ministry as not needing justification by human standards. 3.

The Challenge of Discernment: It also touches on the idea that discernment is needed to recognize God's work, as the religious leaders failed to do.

Practical Applications

In daily life, this verse can encourage believers to:

Respond Wisely: We should seek to respond to challenges and tests not with defensiveness but with wisdom that helps to clarify truth. 2.

Evaluate Authority: It reminds individuals to consider the source of authority in their lives, whether it be divine, personal, traditional, or institutional. 3.

Hold Accountability: It serves as an example of holding leaders and teachers accountable for their teachings and beliefs.

Cross-References

Matthew 21:23-27: A parallel account where Jesus is asked the same question and responds similarly.
Luke 20:1-8: Another parallel account in the Gospel of Luke.
John 2:18-22: Where the Jews ask Jesus for a sign of authority and he predicts his resurrection.

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word for "authority" (ἐξουσία, exousia) used in this verse carries connotations of power, privilege, or jurisdiction.

The use of this word is significant as it reflects the challenge to Jesus's legitimacy and the religious leaders' hierarchical view of spiritual power.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparisons to other ancient myths or religious interpretations reveal varied conceptions of authority.

For example, in Greek mythology, the gods often settled matters of power and authority through displays of strength or cunning, while in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), authority was divinely bestowed and often challenged by prophets.

Scientific Perspectives

While there are no direct scientific perspectives on this verse, discussions concerning authority can intersect with social sciences, such as psychology and sociology, which analyze leadership, influence, and the dynamics of power and control within groups.

Commentaries

Commentaries offer varied perspectives on this verse:

John Calvin noted Jesus's tactic of answering their question with a question as a way of exposing the hardness of their hearts. 2.

William Barclay highlighted Jesus's refusal to play into their hands and instead, making them face their own insincerity. 3.

The Pulpit Commentary suggests the religious leaders were given a chance to show their integrity, yet they failed to answer honestly, revealing their fear of the people.

Mark 11

Mark 11

What does Mark 11:29 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 11:29 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?