Bible Commentaries
Mark 11

Verses 1-33

This is the one occasion in the life of Jesus on which He of set purpose, and in such a way as to be understood of the crowds, took the position and accepted the homage of a King.

Afterward the disciples wondered as they saw the withered fig tree. (For the miracle see notes on Matthew 21:18-22.) This wonder was caused by Jesus' evident power; they did not question His right. Having in a brief and pregnant sentence revealed the secret of His power in such a case to be faith, He uttered some most remarkable words on prayer.

There is an underlying consideration in the cleansing of the Temple. The part of the Temple where this traffic was carried on was the court of the Gentiles. His words, "a house of prayer for all the nations," claimed the right of worship for Gentile as well as Jew, and denied the value of service rendered to some at the expense of any. The reputed masters of the Temple approached this newcomer, and demanded to know "in what authority" He was acting. The true Master of that Temple (for, observe, He had spoken of it as "My House") was dealing with men who were not sincere. He took them back to the last voice from heaven, and because they had not heard or obeyed that voice, declined to give them any further revelation.