Mark 11

By what authority?

Mark 11

Mark 11:3

If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’" (use)

Mark 11:2

and said to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. (use)

Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.

Lewis, C.S., 1920. God in the Dock. Fount. UK. (use)

God, I say, so changes empires, and times, and seasons, that we should learn to look up to him.

Calvin, J., 1571. Commentary on the Prophet Daniel. (use)

God’s sovereignty over men’s affairs is not compromised even by the reality of sin and evil in the world. It is not limited to the good acts of men or the pleasant events of nature.

Piper, J. 1986. Desiring God. (use)

our Lord and yours, the Lord of heaven and earth, and all things in it;

Gills, J., 1748. Exposition of the Bible Commentary. [Mark 11-3] (use)

Mark 11:9

And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! (use)

Mark 11:10

Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!" (use)

Mark 11:14

And he said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard it. (use)

There can be no doubt that this, without exception, is the most difficult story in the gospel narrative. To take it as literal history presents difficulties which are well-nigh insuperable.

Barclay, W., 1953. Daily Study Bible. (use)

the explanation of this strange and anomalous miracle is that it is an acted parable, a symbol of Israel in its fruitlessness and in its consequent barrenness to all coming time.

Maclaren, A., 1904. Expositions of Holy Scripture. (use)

Genesis 6:17

For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. (use)

The disciples heard what sentence Christ passed on this tree, and took notice of it. Woes from Christ's mouth are to be observed and kept in mind, as well as blessings.

Henry, M., 1896. Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible. UK. [Mark 11] (use)

Judges 9:11

But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?’ (use)

Luke 13:6

And he{Jesus} told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. (use)

As sinful people, we have every reason to fear God’s judgment; it is part of our motivation to be reconciled with God.

Sproul, R. C. 2018. What Does it Mean to Fear God. (use)

Mark 11:21

And Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered." (use)

Mark 11:24

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (use)

To make prayer of any value, there should be definite objects for which to plead for. It is equally necessary that with the definite object for prayer that there should also be an earnest desire for its attainment. But again: these two things would not be powerful and effective unless they were mixed with a still more essential and divine quality, namely, a firm faith and belief in God. And now to mount one step higher, together with definite objects, fervent desires and strong faith in the efficacy of prayer there should be and Oh may divine grace make it so with us! there should be mingled a real expectation. ...God breathes the desire into our hearts, and as soon as the desire is there, before we call he begins to answer.

Spurgeon, C.H., 1860. True Prayer True Power!. (use)

Disciples can believe we have what we request in prayer when we ask for God’s will to take place because God will accomplish His will.

Constable, T., 2022. Expository Notes. (use)

1 John 5:14

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. (use)

Matthew 7:7

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (use)

Mark 11:25

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. (use)

No saint is ignorant of the convicting power of prayer.

Nicoll W., 1923. Expositors Bible Commentary. (use)

Matthew 6:14

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, (use)

Also consider Psalm 109

Mark 11:28

and they said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?" (use)

Mark 11:15

And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. (use)

Mark 11:17

And he was teaching them and saying to them, "Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers." (use)

Isaiah 56:7

these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. (use)

Jeremiah 7:11

Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD. (use)

Jeremiah 6:20

What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me. (use)

Isaiah 1:11

What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. (use)

Amos 5:22

Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. (use)

A church is dying when there is content to rest on its past laurels; when it is more concerned with liturgical forms than spiritual reality; when it focuses on curing social ills more than changing people’s hearts through the gospel of Jesus Christ; when it is more concerned with material than spiritual things; when it is more concerned with what men think than what God’s Word says; when it is more enamoured with doctrinal creeds and systems of theology than with the Word of God or when it loses its conviction that every word of the Bible is the Word of God Himself. That is when a church dies.

MacArthur, J., 1999. Revelation 1-11 MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Moody Publishers. (use)

Mark 11:30

Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me." (use)

Joel 2:32

And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls. (use)

Mark 11:33

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

1 Samuel 14:37

And Saul inquired of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?" But he did not answer him that day. (use)

Micah 3:4

Then they will cry to the LORD, but he will not answer them; he will hide his face from them at that time, because they have made their deeds evil. (use)

Take heart, Christian. We are sent into enemy territory by the One who has all power and authority. He will not let your foot slip. The victory is certain, Satan’s demise is sure, and Jesus is on His throne. We have been entrusted with the gospel; let us therefore faithfully proclaim it—so that others may live.

Struyk, K. 2015. That Others May Live. (use)

Topics and Themes

About Jesus

Miracles

Key Verse

Mark 11:28

and they said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?" (use)