Mark Lesson #17

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
MARK 11:12-33
LESSON #17
A BASIC IN THE NATURE OF FAITH

• MEMORY VERSE: MARK 11:24

• AFTER THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM, JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES RETURNED TO BETHANY FOR THE NIGHT. THE NEXT DAY, THEY RETURN TO JERUSALEM. ON THE SECOND DAY, JESUS CASTS THE MONEYCHANGERS OUT OF THE TEMPLE AND HE CURSES THE FIG TREE.

• READ MAR 11:12-14 THE CURSED FIG TREE
• IN OUR STUDY OF MARK, WE HAVE CONSIDERED IN DETAIL MANY OF THE MIRACLES JESUS PERFORMED.
• ALL OF THEM HAD SOME POSITIVE BENEFIT FOR THE PERSON INVOLVED.
• BESIDES THE POSITIVE BENEFIT, ONLY ONE ALSO HAD A NEGATIVE RESULT.
• THIS WAS THE HEALING WHERE JESUS CAST OUT DEMONS THAT ENTERED INTO PIGS THAT DROWNED IN THE LAKE. (MAR 5:12)
• HOWEVER, THE CURSED FIG TREE IS THE ONLY MIRACLE JESUS PERFORMED THAT HAS NO OBVIOUS BENEFIT.
• BECAUSE OF THAT IT IS OFTEN MISHANDLED AND MISUNDERSTOOD.
• WHAT DOES THE FIG TREE SYMBOLIZE?
• THE FIG TREE IS A SYMBOL OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL.
• THE OLD TESTAMENT SYMBOLISM:
• IT WAS A SYMBOL OF FERTILITY, PEACE, AND PROSPERITY FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL IN THE PROMISED LAND THAT GOD EITHER BLESSES OR DESTROYS. (1KIN 4:25 MIC 4:4 ZEC 3:10 PSA 105:33 JER 8:13 HOS 2:12)
• THE SHADE OF THE TREE WAS OFTEN A MAN’S PRIVATE PLACE FOR MEDITATION, PRAYER, AND SCRIPTURE READING. (JOH 1:48)
• TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE HERE IN THE GOSPELS, WE MUST KNOW THE GROWING AND FRUIT-BEARING HABITS OF FIG TREES:
• THE FIG TREE GROWS FROM 15-20 FEET TALL. ITS BRANCHES SPREAD 25-30 FEET. IT WAS VALUED FOR ITS SHADE AS WELL AS ITS FRUIT AND OIL.
• THE FIG TREE BEARS 2 CROPS A YEAR. THE FIRST CROP BEARS FRUIT ON THE OLD WOOD.
• EARLY IN THE YEAR, LITTLE GREEN KNOBS APPEAR AT THE END OF THE BRANCHES. THEY BECOME THE FIGS. THESE FRUIT BUDS COME IN APRIL, BUT THEY CANNOT BE EATEN. GRADUALLY THE LEAVES AND FLOWERS OPEN SO THAT THE TREE IS IN FULL FRUIT, FULL LEAF, AND FULL FLOWER ALL AT THE SAME TIME. THIS HAPPENS IN JUNE.
• NO FIG TREE EVER BORE EATABLE FRUIT IN APRIL.
• THIS PROCESS IS REPEATED FOR THE SECOND CROP IN SEPTEMBER WHEN FRUIT GROWS ON NEW WOOD.
• THE STRANGE FIG TREE THAT JESUS CURSED:
• THE TIMING:
• IT IS THE TIME OF THE PASSOVER, 15^TH OF NISAN, WHICH IS ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF APRIL.
• NOTICE THAT THE FIG TREE IS IN FULL LEAF IN APRIL.
• NOTICE THAT JESUS LOOKED FOR FIGS FROM A TREE THAT NEVER HAD FIGS IN APRIL. (MAR 11:13)
• THEREFORE, JESUS CURSED THE FIG TREE THAT DID NOT PERFORM AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK.
• JESUS’ DRAMATIC LESSON AND WHY HE CURSED THE TREE:
• PROPHETS OFTEN MADE USE OF SYMBOLIC ACTIONS TO CALL ATTENTION TO AN IMPORTANT TRUTH. JESUS USES THIS OFF-SEASON TREE TO TEACH US TWO THINGS:
• =1= A LESSON ABOUT THE NATION OF ISRAEL:
• USELESSNESS INVITES DISASTER!
• READ ISA 29:13
• THE TREE WAS USELESS BECAUSE IT PRODUCED NO FRUIT, ONLY LEAVES. THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM OF JUDAISM WAS USELESS. IT LOOKED LIKE A GODLY ORGANIZATION BUT THERE WAS NO SPIRITUAL FRUIT.
• THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO WELCOME THE MESSIAH INTO THE WORLD, BUT THEY FAILED.
• FAILURE TO FULFILL GOD’S PURPOSE BRINGS JUDGMENT.
• GOD CONDEMNS PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE.
• THE TREE HAD LEAVES. IF A FIG TREE HAD LEAVES, IT WAS A CLAIM THAT THERE WAS FRUIT PRSESENT AS WELL. IT’S CLAIM WAS FALSE.
• THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM OF JUDAISM CLAIMED TO HAVE FAITH IN GOD, BUT THEY ONLY WANTED TO KILL GOD’S SON.
• GOD JUDGES FALSE CLAIMS.
• FRUITLESSNESS BRINGS A CURSE FROM GOD.
• IN MAT 23:13-36 JESUS PRONOUNCES CURSES ON THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES FOR HAVING LEAVES BUT NO FRUIT.
• =2= A LESSON ABOUT TRUE FAITH AND PRAYER
• USELESSNESS INVITES DISASTER.
• GOD DESIRES CHRISTIANS WHO WILL PRODUCE FRUIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
• GOD CONDEMNS PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE.
• READ JAM 2:17-18
• THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT MUST ACCOMPANY OUR OUTWARD PROFESSION OF FAITH. (GAL 5:22-23)
• FRUITFULNESS COMES FROM AN INNER FAITH.
• FRUITFULNESS BRINGS POWER IN ANSWERED PRAYER.
• WHAT KIND OF POWER?
• POWER TO DO MIGHTY THINGS FOR GOD.
• POWER TO ACCEPT GOD’S WILL IN YOUR LIFE.
• POWER TO BEAR THE UNBEARABLE, TO PASS THE BREAKING POINT AND NOT BREAK.

• READ MAR 11:20-21 THE EVIDENCE OF THE CURSED FIG TREE
• JESUS CURSED THE TREE PUBLICALLY IN THE MORNING OF THE SECOND DAY.
• JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES WALKED BY THAT TREE ON THE EVENING OF THE SECOND DAY AS THEY LEFT THE CITY TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN BETHANY.
• HOWEVER, THE TREE EVIDENTLY STILL LIVED FOR THE DISCIPLES DID NOT CALL ATTENTION TO IT THEN.
• IT IS THE MORNING OF THE THRID DAY WHEN THE DISCIPLES NOTICE THAT THE TREE IS DEAD.
• THE IMPORTANT THING TO NOTICE HERE IS THE LAPSE OF TIME BETWEEN THE SPOKEN CURSE AND THE FULFILLMENT OF IT.
• THEY ARE AMAZED AND JESUS USES THEIR AMAZEMENT TO TEACH ABOUT PRAYER AND THE BASIC NATURE OF FAITH, WHICH WE WILL CONSIDER IN A MOMENT.

• READ MAR 11:15 JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE
• REMEMBER THAT THIS IS THE WEEK OF PASSOVER. JESUS CHRIST, THE PASSOVER LAMB, ENTERED JERSUSALEM ON PALM SUNDAY JUST AS THE PASSOVER LAMB ENTERED THE CITY.
• THEN THE PASSOVER LAMB WOULD SPEND 4 DAYS TIED TO THE ALTAR WHILE THE PRIESTS EXAMINED HIM FOR ANY DEFECTS.
• JESUS SPENDS THESE 4 DAYS IN THE TEMPLE WHERE THE PRIESTS EXAMINE HIM WITH QUESTIONS AND OBSERVE HIS ACTIONS.
• THE LAYOUT OF THE TEMPLE AREA:
• THE TEMPLE AREA WAS DIVIDED INTO BUILDINGS AND COURTYARDS.
• THERE WAS A COURT OF THE GENTILES:
• THIS WAS A COURTYARD WHERE ANY PERSON, JEW OR GENTILE, COULD GO.
• THERE WAS A COURT OF WOMEN:
• THIS WAS A COURTYARD WHERE ANY JEW COULD GO, INCLUDING JEWISH WOMEN.
• THERE WAS A COURT OF THE ISRAELITES:
• THIS WAS A LARGE COURTYARD WHERE PEOPLE ASSEMBLED FOR TEMPLE SERVICES.
• THERE WAS A COURT OF PRIESTS:
• THIS WAS A COURTYARD WHERE ONLY PRIESTS COULD GO.
• ONE BUILDING CONTAINED THE HOLY PLACE AND THE HOLY OF HOLIES JUST LIKE THE OLD TESTAMENT TABERNACLE.
• ONLY THE PRIESTS COULD GO INTO THE HOLY PLACE, AND ONLY THE HIGH PRIEST COULD GO INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES ONCE A YEAR.
• THE SCENE IN MAR 11:15 (MAT 21:12-14) TAKES PLACE IN THE COURT OF THE GENTILES WHERE ANYONE COULD GO. IT WAS A PLACE INTENDED FOR GENTILES TO COME AND PRAY.
• TWO KINDS OF ECONOMIC TRADING OCCURRED THERE:
• MONEY CHANGING:
• EVERY JEW HAD TO PAY A TEMPLE TAX. THAT TAX WAS PAID NEAR THE TIME OF THE PASSOVER, AND MANY PEOPLE WAITED UNTIL PASSOVER AND PAID IT WHEN THEY CAME TO THE TEMPLE TO OBSERVE PASSOVER. THE TAX HAD TO BE PAID IN A CERTAIN CURRENCY. BECAUSE PEOPLE CAME TO THE TEMPLE FROM DISTANT PLACES, THE MONEYCHANGERS CHANGED FOREIGN CURRENCY INTO THE CORRECT CURRENCY TO PAY THE TEMPLE TAX. MONEYCHANGERS CHARGED A FEE FOR THIS SERVICE AND EVENTUALLY THE FEE BECAME EXORBITANT.
• SELLING ANIMALS:
• IF YOU TRAVELED TO JERUSALEM FROM A GREAT DISTANCE, YOU WOULD NOT BRING YOUR ANIMALS FOR SACRIFICE WITH YOU. INSTEAD YOU WOULD BUY SACRIFICE ANIMALS IN JERUSALEM. THE PRICES CHARGED FOR THESE SACRIFICE ANIMALS WERE HIGHER WITHIN THE TEMPLE AREA THAN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM.
• FOR EXAMPLE: A PAIR OF DOVES COULD COST AS LITTLE AS 4p OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE AND AS MUCH AS 75p INSIDE THE TEMPLE.
• WHEN ANIMALS WERE SOLD TO THE PEOPLE FOR SACRIFICE, THEY WERE NOT ALWAYS THE MOST PERFECT ANIMALS. GOD REQUIRED THE BEST, BUT MAN’S EXPEDIENCY PASSED OFF DEFECTIVE ANIMALS AS PERFECT.
• SOMETIMES, AFTER THE ANIMALS WERE SOLD FOR SACRIFICE, THE PRIESTS WOULD NOT SACRIFICE THEM BUT INSTEAD THEY RETURNED THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN TO THE PEN FOR SALE.
• A CENSUS OF ANIMALS USED AT A PASSOVER WEEK WAS MORE THAN 250,000 ANIMALS.
• WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT JESUS FROM THIS EVENT?
• THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE AND THE CURSING OF THE FIG TREE ARE INTERWOVEN STORIES, SO THEY ARE RELATED.
• THE CURSED FIG TREE IS ABOUT A SPIRITUALLY FRUITLESS NATION.
• THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE IS ABOUT A SPIRITUALLY USELESS RELIGION.
• JESUS WAS UPSET BY THE CORRUPTION AND GREED OF THE PRIESTS IN BOTH THE CHANGING OF MONEY AND THE IN THE SELLING OF ANIMALS. HE DID NOT LIKE TO SEE THE PEOPLE BEING CHEATED BY RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN THE NAME OF GOD.
• JESUS WAS UPSET BY THE FACT THAT THE JEWS WERE TO BE A LIGHT TO THE GENTILES AND INSTEAD THEY ARE DISPLAYING GREED BY USING THE PLACE FOR GENTILES AS A PLACE FOR PROFIT.
• HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN JESUS’ ANGER WITH THE MONEYCHANGERS AND THE FACT THAT HE WAS WITHOUT SIN?
• JESUS’ CONCERN WAS FOR THE PEOPLE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD. HIS ANGER WAS WHAT WE CALL “RIGHTEOUS ANGER”. IT WAS NOT A PERSONAL ANGER. HIS ANGER WAS TOWARD THOSE WHO EXPLOITED GOD’S PEOPLE.
• JESUS IS EXPRESSING GOD’S ANGER OVER A LONG TIME PRACTICE.
• READ JER 7:11
• JESUS’ CONCERN WAS FOR A CORRUPTED WORSHIP, WHICH MADE PRAYER AND THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN IMPOSSIBLE.
• JESUS IS EXPRESSING GOD’S ANGER OVER A LONG TIME PRACTICE.
• READ ISA 56:7
• JESUS DID NOT THROW EVERYONE OUT OF THE TEMPLE. THE SICK AND THE POOR REMAINED. HE THEN MINISTERED TO THEM AND THEIR NEEDS.
• WHY DID JESUS THROW OVER THE TABLES OF THE MONEYCHANGERS AND SET THE BIRDS FREE?
• EVEN JESUS KNEW THAT THE SAME CORRUPT PRACTICES WOULD CONTINUE THE NEXT DAY JUST AS THEY HAD FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
• JESUS WAS MAKING A DEFINITE POINT FOR EVERYONE TO SEE…THAT HE HAS AUTHORITY OVER THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM. HE IS GOD’S REPRESENTATIVE EXPRESSING GOD’S WRATH AGAINST A CORRUPT SYSTEM.

• READ MAR 11:22-26 JESUS’ TEACHING ABOUT FAITH AND PRAYER
• REMEMBER THAT THE EXAMPLE OF THIS TEACHING IS THE CURSED FIG TREE AND IMPORTANT CONCEPT OF THE LAPSE OF TIME.
• THE FIRST STEP TO ANSWERED PRAYER IS FAITH.
• READ HEB 11:1 THE DEFINITION OF FAITH
• JESUS CURSED THE TREE BUT THEY DID NOT SEE THE EVIDENCE OF THAT CURSE UNTIL THE NEXT DAY.
• THIS TELLS US THAT ONE OF THE BASICS IN THE NATURE OF FAITH IS PATIENCE.
• WE EVEN SEE THIS LAPSE OF TIME IN THE DEFINITION OF FAITH IN HEB 11:1.
• SINCE THE FIG TREE REPRESENTS ISRAEL AND THEIR LACK OF SPIRITUAL FRUITFULNESS, JESUS’ ACTIONS IN CURSING THE FIG TREE REPRESENT A CURSE UPON JUDAISM WHICH DID NOT IMMEDIATELY BECOME EVIDENT.
• JESUS CURSED THE FIG TREE (ISRAEL) ABOUT 32 AD BUT THE TREE (ISRAEL) DID NOT ACTUALLY WITHER UNTIL 70 AD WHEN THE ROMANS ATTACKED AND DESTROYED THE TEMPLE AND THE NATION.
• THE MOVABLE MOUNTAIN:
• JESUS DID NOT EXPECT BELIEVERS TO MOVE MOUNTAINS. HE IS SPEAKING SYMBOLICALLY.
• MOUNTAINS REPRESENT THE PROBLEMS IN MAN’S LIFE:
• THEY APPEAR LARGE AND OVERWHELMING.
• THEY APPEAR FIRMLY ESTABLISHED AND IMMOVEABLE.
• MOVING THEM REQUIRES GREAT SUPERNATURAL POWER
• MOVING THEM MAY REQUIRE TIME.
• THE GREAT SUPERNATURAL POWER IS FAITH:
• IT IS NOT FAITH IN YOUR OWN ABILITY TO REMOVE THE MOUNTAIN (THE PROBLEM).
• IT IS NOT FAITH IN THE MOVEABILITY OF THE MOUNTAIN (THE PROBLEM).
• IT IS FAITH IN GOD, IN HIS POWER, AND IN HIS WILL.
• THE RESULTS OF FAITH MAY NOT BE IMMEDIATELY SEEN.
• REMEMBER THAT THE DISCIPLES COULD NOT SEE THAT THE FIG TREE WAS DEAD UNTIL THE NEXT DAY.
• THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE NATURE OF FAITH THAT WE OFTEN FORGET.
• THIS MEANS THAT WE MUST HAVE PATIENCE AND HOLD ON TO OUR FAITH UNTIL WE SEE THE ANSWER.
• THE CONDITIONS TO A FAVORABLE ANSWER TO PRAYER: (24-26)
• FAITH IS REQUIRED. (HEB 11:6)
• FORGIVENESS IS REQUIRED.
• YOUR FORGIVENESS TOWARD OTHERS WHO HAVE OFFENDED YOU.
• GOD’S FORGIVENESS TOWARD YOU FOR YOUR SINS.
• OF COURSE, GOD’S FORGIVENESS TOWARD YOU DEPENDS UPON YOUR REPENTANCE.
• UNFORGIVENESS IN ANY OF THESE AREAS WILL SHORT-CIRCUIT THE POWER OF GOD TO ACCOMPLISH GOD’S WILL IN REGARDS TO YOUR PRAYER.

• READ MAR 11:27-33 A CHALLENGE TO JESUS’ AUTHORITY
• THE CHIEF PRIESTS, THE SCRIBES, AND THE ELDERS (IN OTHER WORDS, THE SANHEDRIN) CHALLENGE HIS AUTHORITY IN THE TEMPLE.
• NOTICE THIS CHALLENGE OCCURS IN THE TEMPLE WHERE THESE LEADERS ASSUME THAT THEY ARE THE ONES WITH AUTHORITY OVER THE AFFAIRS OF THE TEMPLE.
• IN THEIR PRIDE, THEY HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT THEY ARE MERE MEN. IT IS GOD WHO HAS AUTHORITY OVER RELIGIOUS THINGS. THEY ARE SIMPLY STEWARDS OF WHAT GOD GIVES.
• ON THE OTHER HAND, JESUS POSSESSES THE RIGHTFUL AUTHORITY OF GOD, THE FATHER.
• JESUS’ TRICK QUESTION:
• WAS THE BAPTISM OF JOHN FROM HEAVEN OR NOT? (30)
• IF THE LEADERS SAID THAT JOHN’S BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE WAS FROM GOD, JESUS WOULD HAVE ASKED WHY THEY DID NOT REPENT AND ACCEPT THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.
• IF THE LEADERS SAID THAT JOHN’S BAPTISM WAS MERELY A RITUAL BY MAN, THE PEOPLE WHO LOVED JOHN WOULD BE ANGRY.
• BECAUSE THE LEADERS WIGGLE OUT OF GIVING AN ANSWER, JESUS DOES NOT TELL THEM OF HIS SOURCE OF AUTORITY.
• THESE LEADERS DID NOT HAVE A SINCERE, SEARCHING HEART. THEY ONLY WANTED TO TRAP HIM.
• SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
• RELIGION MUST BE A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS BY FAITH TO PRODUCE FRUIT AND TO SEE POSITIVE ANSWERS TO PRAYER.
• RELIGION THAT IS EXTERNAL RITUAL WILL NEVER PRODUCE FRUIT AND LACKS POWER IN PRAYER.
• JESUS CONTRASTED DOUBT AND FAITH. WHAT MAIN POINTS DID HE MAKE?
• THE DISCIPLES REPRESENT THOSE WITH A SINCERE, SEARCHING HEART WHEN THEY ASK ABOUT THE FIG TREE.
• JESUS GAVE THEM THE ANSWER THAT PRAYER REQUIRES FAITH.
• THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS REPRESENT THOSE WHO ARE NOT SINCERE. THEY RECEIVE NOTHING FROM JESUS.
• READ HEB 11:6

HOMEWORK

MARK 12

• APPLICATION OF MAR 11:12-33
• HOW ARE YOU DOING IN THE AREA OF PATIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO USING YOUR FAITH TO BELIEVE GOD FOR AN ANSWER TO PRAYER?

• PREPARATION FOR MAR 12
• READ MAR 12:1-12
• WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH FROM THE PARABLE OF THE HOUSEHOLDER AND THE HEIR?

• READ MAR 12:13-17
• WHAT GENERAL PRINCIPLE DOES JESUS TEACH REGARDING A BELIEVER’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOVERNMENT

• READ MAR 12:18-44
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT TRUE RELIGION AND TRUE GIVING FROM THIS PASSAGE?

• MEMORY VERSE: MARK 12:30-31