Chapter 11
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,
2And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
3And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
4And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
5And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?
6And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.
7And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
8And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
10Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
11And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
12And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
13And 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.
14And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
15And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
16And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
17And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
18And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
19And when even was come, he went out of the city.
20And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
22And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
25And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
27And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,
28And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?
29And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
30The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.
31And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?
32But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.
33And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
“And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.”
Overview
Jesus enters Jerusalem in His triumphal entry, riding on a colt while the crowds cry 'Hosanna! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord!' He curses a barren fig tree, cleanses the temple a second time by driving out the merchants, and teaches the disciples about the power of faith and prayer, including the necessity of forgiving others.
Key Themes
The Triumphal Entry
Jesus deliberately fulfills Zechariah's prophecy by entering Jerusalem on a donkey, publicly presenting Himself as Israel's King — humble, righteous, and bringing salvation rather than military conquest.
Judgment on Fruitlessness
The cursing of the fig tree is a prophetic sign-act against Israel and her temple — outward religious foliage without genuine spiritual fruit invites God's judgment.
The House of Prayer for All Nations
By cleansing the temple, Jesus declares that God's house must fulfill its intended purpose as a place of prayer for all peoples, not a den of commercial exploitation.
Study Questions
What is the significance of Jesus riding a donkey rather than a warhorse, and how does this shape our understanding of the kind of King He is?
How does the cursed fig tree serve as a warning to individuals and churches that display outward religiosity without genuine spiritual fruit?
Why does Jesus cleanse the temple, and what does His quotation of Isaiah 56:7 ('a house of prayer for all nations') tell us about God's heart for the world?
Jesus teaches that prayer requires faith that does not doubt (v. 23) — how do we cultivate this kind of faith in a world full of uncertainty?
Why does Jesus connect the power of prayer directly to the willingness to forgive others (v. 25-26), and what does unforgiveness do to our relationship with God?
Connection to Christ
Mark 11 reveals Jesus as the long-awaited King of Israel who enters His capital city to claim His Father's house. Yet this King comes in humility, not to overthrow Rome but to overthrow the spiritual corruption of His people. His authority over the temple declares that He is the true temple — the place where God and humanity will meet through His sacrifice.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Mark 11. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?