Commentary in Simple English on the Gospel that Mark wrote

(See Matthew 21: 1-9; Luke 19: 29-38; John 12: 12-16.)

The Mount of Olives is a long hill. It runs from north to south on the east side of the city of Jerusalem. When Jesus and His followers reached Bethany, they would be able to see Jerusalem. Between the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem is the Kidron Valley. The temple rose above this valley. The city was north and south of the Temple and also to the west. There were walls all round the city. Jerusalem may have been the home of 70,000 people. At certain times the number of visitors to Jerusalem was much greater than this (verse 1). Jesus had good friends in Bethany. (See John 12: 1-3.) Jesus may have fixed up the use of the young donkey with them (verse 2). The two followers of Jesus did as He told them. Everything worked out right (verses 4-6). (See Genesis 49: 10 and 11.)

Then the exciting ride into Jerusalem began. They went down from the Mount of Olives and through the Kidron Valley. Then they climbed up to a gate in the wall near the Temple. (Verse 7: think of Psalm 24 7-10; or Psalm 118: 19-21. We shall soon meet verse 22!). The crowds of people who were on their way to Jerusalem mixed with others who were already there (verse 8).

Mark's home was in Jerusalem (Acts 12: 12). Perhaps he was there that day. The shouts of the crowd are drawn from Psalm 118: 25 and 26. The followers of Jesus did not understand what it all meant. (See John 12: 16.) The cheering crowds may not have known that Jesus was their Messiah (verse 10). Just as Jesus looked around at everything in the Temple so He looks at everything in our hearts and lives (verse 11).

That day someone had to take the donkey back. Jesus had promised to return it. Jesus asked someone to do that. By now the day was hot. The cheering in the Temple was behind him. He would have to walk back afterwards to Jerusalem on his own. The crowds had left behind the branches that they had cut down and their rubbish. I love that man. I wish I knew who he was. The service of Christ is so often like that.

The entry of Jesus into Jerusalem had to take place. Mark does not use the verse from Zechariah 9: 9 to make this point. Matthew and John do. This part of the Gospel will remind us, however, that Jesus will come again (Acts 1: 11). He will stand on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14: 4). Everyone will see Him (Revelation 1: 7). He will come as King (Matthew 25: 31-34).

Verses 12-26 The Fig Tree and the Temple

(See Matthew 21: 12-22; Luke 19 45-47.)

We can only guess why Jesus was hungry (verse 12). Perhaps He had prayed while the others ate their meal. Fig trees did bear some early fruit (Micah 7: 1), but it was too early in the year even for these (verse 13). The good show of leaves was like the Jewish religion in the time of Jesus. There was plenty to see but Jesus found no fruit to satisfy Him. Christ still comes to His Church and He looks for fruit. (See Revelation 2: 5.) Jesus spoke to the tree (verse 14). He passed the tree again with His followers the next day. The tree was dead (verse 21). (See also Luke 13: 6-9.)

The Temple building had around it a series of courts or open spaces. The biggest of these was the Court of the Gentiles. The rules only allowed Jews to go into the Court of the Women. Beyond this again was the Court of Men.

Solomon had built the first Temple (1 Kings 5: 6). The Babylonians destroyed it in 586BC when Jerusalem fell to them (2 Kings 25). For the building of the Second Temple, see the Book of Haggai (520BC). The effort of the ordinary people built the second Temple. Its history is not in the Bible. It was not as fine a building as the first or third temple. Yet the Jews were brave in their defence of it. Herod the Great used his great wealth to build the third temple. He started this in 20BC. The building was quickly finished but work on the courts around it went on until about 63AD. (See John 2: 20.) The Romans destroyed it in 70AD during the Jewish War.

There were four markets on the Mount of Olives. The Jewish Council ran these. The High Priest, Caiaphas, had started the market in the Court of the Gentiles to make money. What Jesus did in the temple would be quite popular (verses 15 and 16). Then Jesus draws attention to Isaiah 57: 6. God's purpose was that all nations should come to pray at the Temple. Indeed, they could come into the outer court. However (Jeremiah 7: 11), the Temple had become like a cave where robbers hid (verse 17).

Many temples in other cities were places where criminals would go and be safe from the law. One such was the Temple of Diana at Ephesus. Bad characters collected in such places and they became centres of crime. This had never been the case with the Jerusalem temple. Yet Jesus means to say that the traders and dealers in money were not better than robbers were.

In verses 20 and 21 we learn that the fig tree (see verse 14) has died suddenly. It was a picture of the religious leaders. Their works did not please God. Jesus however takes what has happened and He uses it to teach His followers about prayer.

First, we have faith because God is faithful to us. This may be what verse 22 really means: 'You have God's faithfulness to you'. It is sometimes helpful to ask whether the word 'faith' does not mean that we are faithful to God, but that He is faithful to us. See, for example, James 2: 5; 1 Peter 1: 5; 1 Timothy 1: 14; Galatians 2: 16 and 20.

In verse 23 Jesus may speak about the Mount of Olives. You could see the Dead Sea from its top. However, it seems better to remember that He could see the Temple on its mountain. Then the meaning is that the Jewish religion will be removed. More, the truth of the Gospel will be planted by the followers of Jesus all round the world and in the sea. See also Zechariah 14: 4; and 1 Corinthians 13: 2.

Verse 24 is difficult for many Christian people. There are times when we know that our prayer is wrong. There are times when we pray the prayer of faith. How can we know whether God hears our prayer?

We must be quite sure that we really do want what we ask God for (James 1: 6-8). God does not send answers to prayer 'on approval'. We cannot send back what He gives us if we do not like it.

Finally, Jesus teaches us that when we forgive other people, this sorts out our prayers just as faith does. (See Matthew 5: 23 and 24.) The prayer of faith is the shadow of the coming blessing. God forgives our sins for Christ's sake. We should think it an honour for us to do what He does, and forgive other people. When we have forgiven others, we shall be able to receive the answers to our prayers from God. (Verse 25).

(See Matthew 21: 23-27; Luke 20: 1-8.)

This is the first of a number of discussions in the Jerusalem temple. They go on to 12: 40.

It was the duty of the Jewish religious leaders to watch what went on in the Temple. They had to stop any wrong teaching (verses 27 and 28). Yet they ought to have judged Jesus by all the good that He had done.

'These things' (verse 28) are the works, which Jesus had done. He had healed people. He had raised the dead; He had thrown out unclean spirits. He had fed the hungry.

Jesus asks a question in reply. We can see that the Jewish leaders do not object to this (verse 29). By 'John's baptism' here, Jesus means the whole of John's work and teaching. Jesus asks whether it was from heaven, that is, from God?

John had been popular but this was because his authority came from God. It was not from men. John the Baptist had spoken about Jesus (John 1: 19-36; 3: 28-30).