Why did Jesus ride into town on a donkey’s colt, like an Israelite king? Why did the crowd yell, Save us, please? Why did Jesus curse a fruitless fig tree? Why did He cause a scene in the temple over merchandising? Why did the religious leaders challenge His authority? Let’s find out in Mark 11.
What arrangements did Jesus make regarding a donkey? Was it a young donkey?
Jesus and his disciples reached Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives. When they were getting close to Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of them on ahead. He told them, “Go into the next village. As soon as you enter it, you will find a young donkey that has never been ridden. Untie the donkey and bring it here. If anyone asks why you are doing this, say, ‘The Lord needs it and will soon bring it back.’ ” (Mark 11:1-3 CEV)
What did they do with the colt? Did Jesus ride it?
And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. (Mark 11:4-7 ESV)
Why did Jesus ride in this parade? Did the people recite a Psalm of a king? Hosanna means “save, please” or “save, we pray.” Did they think Jesus was going to be a political savior?
Many people spread their robes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting: Hosanna! He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One! The coming kingdom of our father David is blessed! Hosanna in the highest heaven! (Mark 11:8-10 HCSB Psalm 118:25-26)
What did they do after the parade? Did they return to Bethany?
Then Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the Temple and looked around at everything. Since it was already late, he went out with the Twelve to Bethany. (Mark 11:11 ISV)
Did Jesus curse a fruitless fig tree? What was the reason?
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. (Mark 11:12-14 KJV)
What did Jesus do to the merchants in the temple? What did He refuse to allow?
Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He was not permitting anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. (Mark 11:15-16 LSB)
Why did Jesus do this? What did the chief priests and scribes plot?
And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” And the chief priests and the scribes heard this, and they began seeking how to put Him to death; for they were afraid of Him, because all the crowd was astonished at His teaching. (Mark 11:17-18 NASB)
What did the disciples notice the next morning? What had happened to the fig tree?
When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” (Mark 11:19-21 NIV)
What object lesson did Jesus use the fig tree for? Do we believe in answered prayer?
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 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. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (Mark 11:22-24 NKJV)
What must we also remember first in prayer? Do we forgive?
But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. (Mark 11:25 NLT)
As Jesus reentered Jerusalem how did the religious leaders challenge Jesus?
They came again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him, and they began saying to him, “By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?” (Mark 11:27-28 WEB)
Did Jesus answer their question or ask a question of His own? Do we always have to answer a question?
Jesus said to them, “I have a question for you. Give me an answer, then I’ll tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.” (Mark 11:29-30 CEB)
What was their answer? Were they playing fear politics?
They thought it over and said to each other, “We can't say that God gave John this right. Jesus will ask us why we didn't believe John. On the other hand, these people think that John was a prophet. So we can't say it was merely some human who gave John the right to baptize.” They were afraid of the crowd and told Jesus, “We don't know.” (Mark 11:31-33a CEV)
Did Jesus then refuse to answer their question? Do we always have to answer questions from detractors?
And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Mark 11:33b ESV)
Why did Jesus ride into town on a donkey’s colt, like an Israelite king? Why did the crowd yell, Save us, please? Why did Jesus curse a fruitless fig tree? Why did He cause a scene in the temple over merchandising? Why did the religious leaders challenge His authority? You decide!
