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Mark 11:20
The withering of the fig tree was of a nature as to be quite noticeable. Though not a horticulturist, I can say that this withering would be somewhat unnatural. Few outward conditions would cause such a death of the tree. To dry up from the roots was quite strange. Perhaps poisoning in the ground, or some serious tree desease, might simulate this type of destruction. So, this tells us that the effect on the tree was very obviously due to Christ’s words, and not some other condition.

Heavenly  Father, thank you for your power. Your mighty power reassures us as we face the evil of this world. We know you are in control. What a blessing that is! We will praise you for your mighty power and steadfast love. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:19
Why does Jesus always exit the city? Why not stay? Well, there would be several answers to this. For one, finding a place to stay in Jerusalem would be very difficult. For another, staying outside of the city afforded them more relaxation, and less noise. And finally, it gave them an opportunity to be away from many of the enemies of the cause of Christ.

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us peace and safety in our spiritual lives. Wherever a Christian is, he or she can experience spiritual peace and safety. You are so kind to us! We will serve you forever! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:18
These men wanted to kill Jesus for the same reason that they didn’t want to do it in public. They thought only of themselves and the religious aristocracy they had comfortably set within Roman power. It was not an easy trick. They maintained a shaky ballance. Due to their focus on their own devices, they would not consider that Jesus could be the Messiah. And, in the same way, though they wanted to rid themselves of his  disruption of their fine juggling act, they didn’t want to rock the boat.

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the freedom to live without fear.  Most people live with so much fear. In Christ we can live free from all of this. You have made our lives so different. Life in Christ is wonderful! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:17
What a contrast! Jesus’s message on this occasion was easy for anyone to grasp. The evidence of the truth of his words was all around. Everyone knew why the setup was like it was. They all knew the temple elite were getting rich off of everyone. Indeed, many of the Jews living in Jerusalem likely benefitted from the arrangement. Bilking the visitors of their extra dough was easy for the residents. Rather than looking forward to prayer, the visitors could expect to spend much of their earnings for their trouble.

Heavenly Father, you are worthy of our attentions. We tend to give our best attention to our greatest interests. You should be at the top of the list. Other things must not crowd you out of our lives, nor can we compartmentalize you. You are primary, and you influence everything. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:16
This is an intriguing irony. Though the Jews were very strict on Sabbath laws, they allowed for the temple to be a thoroughfare. In other words, if something wasn’t specifically forbidden, they felt it was perfectly allowable. The rules were structured for the greatest benefit of the ruling elite, not for the greatest glory of Almighty God.

Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding us that it is important what our motives are. So often our underlying motive for things is selfish. May we learn to praise you not just with our words and ways, but with our will. You should receive all of the glory. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:15
   Jesus seems out of character to many when he does this. But really he is not at all. Consider this, were these activities not going on at other times when he went through the temple? Yes. Did he do this every time he went there? No. Was he disruptive for no reason? No, he had a very good reason.
   The answers to these questions show us that these were the actions of the level-headed Jesus we would expect. He was not acting like a raving madman. He was doing this with authority. He was ‘cleaning up shop’ so to speak.
   The moneychangers would have been those who exchanged one type of currency to another, while charging a fee as well. The dove sellers would sell doves to the poorest of the visitors. The poor buyers would have to accept whatever price was being charged, having no other way to secure the birds they needed.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your fairness. You don’t respect one person over another. You treat us all as your special creation, for indeed we are. May we love others the way you love us and are patient with us. We will study your truth to know what we shouldn’t do because we don’t want our temple to be full of mischief. You are worthy of our best. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:14
   The disciples heard it. Interesting. Mark, of course, tells us this so that we will know how they knew later that the tree withered due to his words. But, it also tells us something else. Jesus didn’t yell at this tree. He didn’t make a big deal out of it. Our verse here makes it sound as if they just barely overheard his words. It may have been ‘under his breath’ so to speak.
   Why would I say this? Am I thinking Jesus was trying to hide what he said? No. It just reveals the tone and tenor of his words. He wasn’t happy. Part of his displeasure over the fruitlessness of the people of God was dispensed on this tree
    And this highlights yet another point. Though Jesus already knew before he ever came to Earth that this would be the outcome, he was still displeased. So, Just as he came to his people anyway, he was displeased anyway. This gives us a glimpse into the inner workings of God’s thought process. He knows all of everything from the outset. He operates outside of time. Place and circumstance have no pull with him. And yet, we see him operate throughout history as though he were one of us. And this is because he is personal and alive. A living person interacts with time and space and circumstances as they are. God does no less, though he is in no way dependent upon any of it. It is because of this that we see the progressive buildup of his wrath, and the linear nature of the dispensation of his mercy.

Heavenly Father, you are such a wonderful person! Though we do not deserve to live, you have considered your glory, and that is naught but good for us. Your mercy sweeps over us as you have planned a way to make us once again your beautiful creation. It’s all about you, for it must be. Only you would have the love and patience to make us what we ought to be. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you. Amen.

Mark 11:13
   Though on the face of it this verse seems to be quite straightforward, it has been the cause of much consternation to Bible scholars. And why is this? It is due to the wording here. It sounds as if Jesus is looking for fruit on a tree, and doesn’t know that there is no fruit on it. As we know he proceeds to curse the tree, so that it will bear no more fruit.
   Well, this causes all kinds of problems. Why would he not realize that there was not fruit on this tree? Isn’t cursing a fruitless tree a bit harsh? So, we see there are some serious interpretive challenges here.However, as always, we must consider the issues in context.
   It is in this passage that Jesus finds the nation of Israel sadly lacking in their faith. It is here that he begins to think in earnest of the cross. It is at this time that the nature of the Suffering Servant comes into view. That the Messiah has come to be the sacrifice we now see.
   And how does this bear upon our verse? Well, we realize that it was not a regular occurrence. We are not usually told where Jesus found his meals. And, it is not to be expected that he was in the habit of cursing things. More than that, we have already seen in the context that though Jesus knew the nation of Israel would reject him, he came into his temple anyhow.
   This reveals then that the following is the sense of this verse. Jesus sees a fig tree with leaves. Though it was not at that time the season for figs, the leaves would indicate that there were figs present. Jesus knows all along that there is not fruit, but the tree serves as a perfect example of the fruitlessness of the Jews. It advertised fruit, but it was barren. The nation of Israel was the same way. Advertisements of fruit were found everywhere, but actual fruit was scarce. This is why Jesus curses the tree, as an example of the judgement of the false fruit of hypocrisy.

Heavenly Father, your careful love so much reflects the heart of a gardener. You nurture us and you look for fruit. Thank you for working in us to produce the fruit of the Spirit. It is the ambition of our lives to be better than we are. We fall so far short, but that is when we rely only on ourselves. In Christ we can bear much fruit. He is worthy of our sacrifice of praise, our fruitfulness for his kingdom. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 11:11
This is one of the very interesting verses of Scripture. Jesus comes into the temple, looks around really good, and then leaves. Strange! Why this weird behavior? Well, it is not strange at all when you put it in context. Scripture reveals to us what he was looking for, and what he found.
This is prophesied in Malachi 3:1. Jesus had come into Jerusalem as the King on this day. He, the Lord, came to His temple. And what was he looking for? Genuineness. Faithfulness. Love. Truth. Now, some might object, saying that Jesus knew he wouldn’t find these things. Ah, but that is the point, he came anyway. The chance was given. The Lord came as he said he would.
We will see in the coming verses what he did as a result of what he did find on this occasion.

Heavenly Father, when you inspect our hearts, which are your temple, may you find nothing but praise for you. We want our sanctuary to be a holy place that is comfortable to you. We want you to see love for you all over in there. You are worthy! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.