Mark 11:12-19 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Mark 11:12-19. With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage. Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage? After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
Mark 11:12-14 (NIV)
12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.
13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.
14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
On verses 12-14: We will see the fallout of this in verse 20. In the meantime, we can learn a few things from these verses:
– In the first centuries of the church, history shows that some people had more of an issue with whether Jesus was human than whether Jesus was divine. The fact that Jesus felt hunger in verse 12 is one of many examples in the Gospels of Jesus’ humanity.
– Was it fair for Jesus to curse the fig tree for not bearing fruit when it was not the season for bearing fruit (v13)? The fact is: Jesus is sovereign. He can do whatever he wants. Perhaps a lesson here is that God always wants us to bear fruit, in any season or circumstance (e.g. see Jeremiah 17:8). What kind of fruit? The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the fruit of praise (Hebrews 13:15).
Mark 11:15-19 (NIV)
15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves,
16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.
17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: “‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.'”
18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
19 When evening came, they went out of the city.
On verses 15-19: Jesus was disturbed by the injustices he saw happening in the temple. People were being ripped off financially when they came to worship at the temple. For example, the temple leadership had become known for rejecting the animals that people brought to sacrifice at the temple, requiring them instead to buy the temple’s pre-approved animals at exorbitant prices. Also, because worshipers would come from distant countries, the merchants did not want to be dealing in different currencies, so the temple set up a currency exchange where you could convert your own country’s money into the money used at the temple. The problem was that the temple would use an inflated exchange rate, charging an extra fee equal to as much as a day’s wages just to convert the money.
So in at least two ways, the chief priests were ripping off worshippers when they came to church. It’s no wonder Jesus called the temple a den of robbers.
In addition to amazing people with his unorthodox teaching, Jesus was now disturbing the peace and the profits of the temple. So the chief priests and teachers of the law start looking for a way to eliminate him (v18).
What can we learn from this?
1. Jesus values fair business practices, whether in the church or outside of it. Jesus wants His church – including you and me – to do business with integrity.
2. Jesus is Lord of the temple. If Jesus was just a guest in the temple, you would think, “How dare this guy come in and cause such a raucous?” But if Jesus is the owner of the temple, then Jesus has every right to protect his house from robbers. In fact it would be strange for him not to. This was Jesus doing pest control and armed security to protect his house.
Since we too – both individually and collectively – are God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19-20), may Jesus have His way with us. May we not think it strange when Jesus wants to make changes in our lives. If He is Lord and master of the house, He has every right to do so.
Jesus, You are master of this house called my life. May this house be a house of prayer. May You be glorified in Your house. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
