Jesus the Puzzling King.
 

Mark 11

1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; 

2 and He said to them, "Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. 

3 And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it,' and immediately he will send it here." 

4 So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. 

5 But some of those who stood there said to them, "What are you doing, loosing the colt?" 

6 And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. 

7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. 

8 And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 

9 Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' 

10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David That comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" 

11 And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve. 

12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 

13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 

14 In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it. 

15 So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 

16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 

17 Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.' " 

18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. 

19 When evening had come, He went out of the city. 

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

21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away." 

22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. 

23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 

24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 

25 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 

26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses." 

27 Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. 

28 And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?" 

29 But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 

30 The baptism of John--was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me." 

31 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' 

32 But if we say, 'From men' "--they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. 

33 So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

The actions of Jesus must have puzzled a lot of people, even His disciples and other followers.
Up to this point, we have seen Jesus going around doing good. Quietly healing people, casting out demons and teaching about the kingdom of God.
He has shown compassion and patience and love.
He has done this without promoting Himself and has on numerous occasions told others to keep things low key.
Now we see a different Jesus.
He causes a near riot turning over tables and driving money changers out of the temple.
We see Him cursing a fig tree.
It is time for Him to come out, as it were and show that whilst He is come in meekness and peace, He also comes with judgement.

Jesus arrives at Bethphage, “House of early figs”, and Bethany, “House of dates”.
 

1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; 

2 and He said to them, "Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. 

 

Jesus knew beforehand that this colt would be ready. The text does not tell us how He knew where the colt would be and that it had never been ridden. (on which no one has sat).
Whether this had been prearranged or whether it was by divine knowledge, the writer Mark does not say.
However, it must have been divine knowledge because He also knew that they would be questioned about it and He also knew what the response of the owner would be.

Of course the owner of the animal responded just as Jesus had said.

3 And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it,' and immediately he will send it here." 

4 So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. 

5 But some of those who stood there said to them, "What are you doing, loosing the colt?" 

6 And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. 

Jesus would not be riding into Jerusalem on a horse, as a king would, but riding a lowly colt. Jesus wasn’t coming to Jerusalem as a Conquering King but a Suffering Servant.
 

7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. 

8 And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 

9 Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' 

10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David That comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" 

Because of Rome’s oppression and their expectation that God would send a deliverer, the Jews were looking for a king, a Saviour, Meshiach ben David, the Messiah son of David.
This is why, on entry into Jerusalem on what we know as Palm Sunday, the people waved palm branches and shouted, Hosanna to the son of David, when in fact Jesus had come as Meshiach ben Joseph, the son of Joseph, the Suffering Servant.
He came the first time as a suffering servant but one day will return as the King of Kings.

Matthew parallels this passage:
Matt 21:9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' Hosanna in the highest!" 

The son of David, was King Solomon and he built the temple in Jerusalem, he reigned as king.
Whereas, Joseph was the son of Jacob, (Israel) and was betrayed by his brothers. He was the Suffering Servant. However, God raised him up.

Mark 11: 11 And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve. 

12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 

13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 

 

Even though it was not the season for figs, Jesus saw a fig tree with leaves. The fig tree having leaves, suggested there must be fruit. However, Jesus found none.
Here was a fruitless tree, with an outward show of fruitfulness but no figs.
Here is an analogy of false life. Professors of faith but not possessors of faith.
People say they believe but there is no evidence of faith, no evidence of that belief.

Life will always show itself in one way or another. If indeed life is there.
False professors are like the false teachers spoken of in the book of Jude

Jude 12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;.

Clouds without water: are useless clouds, they possess no water to nourish the earth. Fruit trees without fruit are also useless, they feed no one.
Twice dead: They are awaiting their appointed natural death, first death and at the judgement will be cast into the fire, which is the second death.
These are in the world, as the living dead, where those that are in Christ are the dead living.
Plucked up by the roots: Completely dead, without roots, although planted in the soil, the tree dies.

So too the professor of faith, they do not possess roots and have no life in them.
If we are rooted in Christ, although we were dead in sin we are alive in Christ.
If not rooted in Christ we are still dead and cursed for our outward form.

Jesus did not curse the tree because it had no fruit but because it appeared to have fruit but it was just an outward form.

2 Tim 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

The Apostle Paul exhorted men to examine oneself to see if they are in the faith.
Do you see fruit of repentance in your life? Are you bearing figs?

Jesus and His disciples came again to the temple in Jerusalem and Jesus saw all the money changers and the corruption that was going on there. Here was another form of godlessness.
 

15 So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 

16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 

 

We see here, the angry Jesus.

It is not wrong to be angry when there is wrong doing.
It is right to be angry when one sees abuse. Any Christian, who is not angry when they see child abuse, or the abuse of women or the disabled. Abuse because of colour, or race would be wrong.
There is such a thing as righteous anger.
God is angry at sin. Jesus was angry at the misuse and abuse of His Fathers house.
 

17 Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.' " 

This stirred up ill feeling in the Scribes and Pharisees and they began to plot how they could destroy Jesus.
 

18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. 

19 When evening had come, He went out of the city. 

 

In verse 14, when Jesus cursed the fig tree, at the end of the verse we read, And His disciples heard it. 
 

Then in verse 20,21:
20 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 

21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away." 

Again Jesus takes the opportunity to teach His disciples.
He pointed out that the withered tree was a result of judgement and they should have faith in God.

22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. 

It is suggested that the Greek transliteration would read, “Have God’s faith”.

 

23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 

This was a saying that meant, overcoming an insurmountable problem was not impossible to God.

24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 

Warren Wendel Wiersby ( American Christian Clergyman, Bible Teacher.) says:
This promise of God’s answer to prayer made in faith was made to the disciples, not to the multitude. Nor should we interpret Mark 11:24, to mean that if you pray hard enough and really believe, that God is obligated to answer your prayer, no matter what you ask. That kind of faith is not faith in God; rather it is nothing but faith in faith, or faith in feelings. End of quote.

 

Bible reference says:
Jesus promises that the disciples demands will be met if they have suitable faith. “Doubt” is from the Greek root word, “diakrino”.

It is the same word James uses when he talks about being like “a wave of the sea, that is driven and tossed about by the wind”, James 1:6.
This is not a promise devoid of context, however, there are conditions and expectations attached. We must ask for what is in God’s will to give,(1 John 5: 14,15) and we must abide in Christ in order to know what God’s will is, ( John 15:17).
If we do so, our desires will match what Jesus wants, making it easy for God to answer our prayers. We must ask with the right motives, (James 4:1-3). If we ask God to provide us with things that will give us worldly pleasures, we are heading towards conflict with Him and others, not answered prayer.
End of quote.
 

Jesus made it quite clear that they should be in a right relationship with God and the brethren.
When one comes to God in prayer, it is important to have clean hands and a clean heart.
Only then will we be able to determine what the will of God is.
 

25 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 

26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses." 

Jesus actions caused questions amongst the authorities. They questioned, “By what and who’s authority do you do these things?

27 Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. 

28 And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?" 

Jesus answered with a question of His own.
“What do you think of John and his baptism, was it of God or not”?
 

29 But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 

30 The baptism of John--was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me." 

Jesus knew that if they said, from God, then they would have to admit that John was right about Him. For John declared, “Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world”.

If they said no, then it would very likely cause a riot amongst the people who believed that John was a prophet of God.
 

31 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' 

32 But if we say, 'From men' "--they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. 

It proved how insincere these men were, that they were just trying Him, so Jesus refused to answer their questions.

33 So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Jesus here was showing authority with humility. However His authority is questioned.
True leadership is the balance of serving and ruling. Authority without humility is self serving, while humility without authority is self defeating.

This is what puzzled those around Jesus. Jesus was the ultimate paradox!

Paradoxical because in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ we find perhaps the clearest evidence of God’s upside-down kingdom: where the weak are strong, the poor are rich and the meek inherit the earth.
 

This is what makes Jesus the Puzzling King.

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