Mark 11
The Triumphal Entry
1When they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethsphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples
2and said to them, “Go your way into the village that is opposite you. Immediately as you enter into it, you will find a young donkey tied, on which no one has sat. Untie him and bring him.
3If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs him;’ and immediately he will send him back here.”
4They went away, and found a young donkey tied at the door outside in the open street, and they untied him.
5Some of those who stood there asked them, “What are you doing, untying the young donkey?”
6They said to them just as Jesus had said, and they let them go.
7They brought the young donkey to Jesus and threw their garments on it, and Jesus sat on it.
8Many spread their garments on the way, and others were cutting down branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.
9Those who went in front and those who followed cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
10Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
11Jesus entered into the temple in Jerusalem. When he had looked around at everything, it being now evening, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
The Cursing of the Fig Tree
12The next day, when they had come out from Bethany, he was hungry.
13Seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came to see if perhaps he might find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” and his disciples heard it.
The Cleansing of the Temple
15They came to Jerusalem, and Jesus entered into the temple and began to throw out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves.
16He would not allow anyone to carry a container through the temple.
17He taught, saying to them, “Isn’t it written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers!”
18The chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching.
19When evening came, he went out of the city.
The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree
20As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots.
21Peter, remembering, said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.”
22Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.
23For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening, he shall have whatever he says.
24Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.
25Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions.
26But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”
The Question About Authority
27They came again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him,
28and they began saying to him, “By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?”
29Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
30The baptism of John—was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me.”
31They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we should say, ‘From heaven;’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
32If we should say, ‘From men’”—they feared the people, for all held John to really be a prophet.
33They answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Mark 11 presents Jesus' dramatic final week in Jerusalem, beginning with his triumphant entry as crowds acclaim him as the Davidic king. Jesus demonstrates his divine authority through cursing a fruitless fig tree and cleansing the temple of corrupt commerce, declaring it should be a house of prayer for all nations. When religious leaders challenge his authority, Jesus responds with a counter-question about John the Baptist, exposing their unwillingness to acknowledge divine truth.
Context
This chapter marks Jesus' final approach to Jerusalem following his journey from Galilee, setting up the confrontations with religious authorities that will lead to his crucifixion in the following chapters.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-11The Triumphal EntryJesus rides a donkey into Jerusalem as crowds spread garments and branches, shouting 'Hosanna' and proclaiming the coming kingdom of David.
- 12-14The Cursing of the Fig TreeFinding no fruit on a leafy fig tree despite it being out of season, Jesus curses it as a symbolic act of judgment.
- 15-19The Cleansing of the TempleJesus drives out merchants and money changers, declaring the temple should be a house of prayer rather than a den of robbers.
- 20-26The Lesson of the Withered Fig TreeSeeing the cursed fig tree withered, Jesus teaches about faith, prayer, and the necessity of forgiveness.
- 27-33The Question About AuthorityReligious leaders challenge Jesus' authority, but he counters by asking about John the Baptist's authority, leaving them unable to answer.
The Triumphal Entry
11:1–11:11Jesus enters Jerusalem riding a donkey while crowds spread garments and branches, shouting 'Hosanna' and blessing him as the one who comes in the Lord's name and David's kingdom.
person_contrast
Jesus deliberately fulfills Zechariah 9:9's prophecy of a humble king on a donkey, yet Mark uniquely omits any explicit messianic declaration, creating tension between prophetic fulfillment and concealed identity.
The Cursing of the Fig Tree
11:12–11:14Jesus curses a fig tree for bearing no fruit, demonstrating his divine authority and foreshadowing judgment on fruitless Israel.
person_contrast
Jesus performs his only destructive miracle in Mark, cursing the leafy but fruitless fig tree outside fig season—an act that defies both botanical logic and his typical healing ministry.
The Cleansing of the Temple
11:15–11:19Jesus cleanses the temple by driving out merchants and money changers, declaring it should be a house of prayer for all nations rather than a den of robbers.
person_contrast
Jesus's quotation combines Isaiah 56:7 ("house of prayer for all nations") with Jeremiah 7:11 ("den of robbers"), uniquely linking temple universality with covenant judgment in a single prophetic indictment.
The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree
11:20–11:25Using the withered fig tree as an object lesson, Jesus teaches about the power of faith in prayer and the necessity of forgiveness.
person_contrast
Jesus transforms from the judge who cursed the fig tree into a teacher of prayer, uniquely linking divine judgment with instructions on faith and forgiveness.
The Question About Authority
11:27–11:33Religious leaders question Jesus' authority, but he cleverly counters by asking about John the Baptist's authority, exposing their hypocrisy and fear.
person_contrast
Jesus transforms a confrontational interrogation into a theological trap by linking his divine authority to John's baptism, forcing the religious leaders to choose between admitting their spiritual blindness or contradicting their public stance.
Mark 11:1
Matthew 21:1lexicalWhen they came near to Jerusalem and came to Bethsphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
Luke 19:29lexicalWhen he came near to Bethsphage and Bethany, at the mountain that is called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples,
Luke 19:37lexicalAs he was now getting near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice…
Matthew 24:3lexicalAs he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What…
Luke 22:39lexicalHe came out and went, as his custom was, to the Mount of Olives. His disciples also followed him.
Mark 11:2
Luke 19:30lexicalsaying, “Go your way into the village on the other side, in which, as you enter, you will find a colt tied, which no man…
Matthew 21:2lexicalsaying to them, “Go into the village that is opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with…
Mark 11:4
Matthew 21:2lexicalsaying to them, “Go into the village that is opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with…
Luke 19:30lexicalsaying, “Go your way into the village on the other side, in which, as you enter, you will find a colt tied, which no man…
Mark 11:9
Matthew 21:9lexicalThe multitudes who went in front of him, and those who followed, kept shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is…
John 12:13lexicalthey took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet him, and cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in t…
Matthew 21:15lexicalBut when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children who were crying in the…
Mark 11:10
Matthew 21:9lexicalThe multitudes who went in front of him, and those who followed, kept shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is…
Luke 1:32lexicalHe will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
Matthew 25:34lexicalThen the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from…
John 12:13lexicalthey took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet him, and cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in t…
Mark 11:13
Matthew 21:19lexicalSeeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves. He said to it, “Let there be no fruit f…
James 3:12lexicalCan a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
Matthew 24:32lexical“Now from the fig tree learn this parable: When its branch has now become tender and produces its leaves, you know that…
Mark 13:28lexical“Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now become tender and produces its leaves, you know that…
Mark 11:15
Matthew 21:12lexicalJesus entered into the temple of God and drove out all of those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the mon…
Luke 19:45lexicalHe entered into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it,
John 2:15lexicalHe made a whip of cords and drove all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ mo…
John 2:14lexicalHe found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting.
John 2:16lexicalTo those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!”
Mark 11:17
Matthew 21:13lexicalHe said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers!”
Luke 19:46lexicalsaying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of robbers’!”
Romans 4:17lexicalAs it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who…
Mark 11:18
Luke 22:2lexicalThe chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death, for they feared the people.
Matthew 22:33lexicalWhen the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
Luke 20:19lexicalThe chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people—for they knew he…
Mark 14:1lexicalIt was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes sought…
Mark 1:22lexicalThey were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.
Mark 11:20
Matthew 21:20lexicalWhen the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree immediately wither away?”
Matthew 21:19lexicalSeeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves. He said to it, “Let there be no fruit f…
Mark 4:6lexicalWhen the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
Matthew 13:6lexicalWhen the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away.
Mark 11:21
Matthew 21:19lexicalSeeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves. He said to it, “Let there be no fruit f…
Matthew 21:20lexicalWhen the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree immediately wither away?”
Mark 11:23
Matthew 21:21lexicalJesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you will not only do what was done t…
Revelation 8:8lexicalThe second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea beca…
Matthew 17:27lexicalBut, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have…
Revelation 18:21lexicalA mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence will Babylon…
Mark 11:25
Matthew 6:15lexicalBut if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14lexical“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:6lexicalBut you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and…
Luke 11:2lexicalHe said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your…
Matthew 6:9lexicalPray like this: “‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
Mark 11:27
Matthew 16:21lexicalFrom that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, c…
Luke 20:1lexicalOn one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Good News, the priests and scribes c…
Mark 7:5lexicalThe Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but ea…
Mark 10:33lexical“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes. They will…
Matthew 20:18lexical“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they w…
Mark 11:28
Luke 20:2lexicalThey asked him, “Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?”
Matthew 21:23lexicalWhen he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and sai…
Mark 11:29
Matthew 21:24lexicalJesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority…
Mark 12:28lexicalOne of the scribes came and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Whi…
Matthew 21:27lexicalThey answered Jesus, and said, “We don’t know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do th…
Matthew 25:40lexical“The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you…
Luke 23:9lexicalHe questioned him with many words, but he gave no answers.
Mark 11:30
Matthew 21:25lexicalThe baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?” They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘Fr…
Luke 20:4lexicalthe baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?”
John 3:27lexicalJohn answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
Acts 4:19lexicalBut Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge fo…
Mark 11:31
Matthew 21:25lexicalThe baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?” They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘Fr…
Luke 20:5lexicalThey reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’
Mark 11:33
Matthew 21:27lexicalThey answered Jesus, and said, “We don’t know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do th…
Luke 20:8lexicalJesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Matthew 21:24lexicalJesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority…
Interlinear
Word-by-word original language
Historical Context
Places and events in this chapter