Opening Scripture and Prayer
Take your Bibles now, if you would. I’d like to follow along and turn to the Gospel of Mark. We continue with Mark this morning, specifically Mark chapter 11, starting at verse 11. And before we hear the word read, let’s ask the Lord’s blessing upon it. Let’s pray once more:
“Our Heavenly Father, we come once again before you to hear from you. Indeed, Lord, we bask in knowing the privilege of your presence as we continue to worship you together now as your people. We thank you, dear Lord, that you have not left us to grope around in the dark, that you’ve not left us without a sure word, that you’ve given us all that we would need for life and godliness. We come, Lord, humbly, asking that you would come to us again. And we ask, speak, Lord, for your servants are listening. And all God’s people said together, amen.”
Scripture Reading: Mark 11:11-25
I’m in Mark chapter 11, starting in verse 11 to verse 25. Please give your full attention. This is the word of God:
“And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard it.
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. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them, 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.”’ And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. And when evening came, they went out of the city.
As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.’ And Jesus answered them, ‘Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 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.’”
The word of the Lord. God add his blessing upon this word at this time. You may be seated.
Introduction: Israel’s Role Questioned
Our text this morning deals with the basic question of what is Israel’s role in the world? Why did God give this one people, this specific people, a special status in the world, and what were they to do with that status as his people? The first two events that we look at this morning will be the fig tree and then the flipping of the tables. We’ll notice that this text shows us these two events that we would think are quite uncharacteristic for our Savior, meek and mild, as portrayed. He speaks audibly to a tree, cursing it, and then he walks into the temple and starts throwing everything over, and then he leaves.
Now, again, we know these stories are in Scripture. We’re familiar with our Bibles. But these are not the kind of stories that we normally associate with meek and mild Jesus. It’s not as if he’s just having a kind of bad day in this episode. That’s obvious if we believe what we believe about Christ—we can’t come to that conclusion. Rather, something is going on here in this text. Our focus is being drawn to something.
The Fig Tree: A Symbol of Fruitlessness
So let’s consider first this fig tree and truly what’s odd about it. Scripture says that Jesus is hungry and sees afar off a tree that has leaves on it—it’s in bloom. He makes his way over to the tree, and upon further inspection, he realizes there are leaves, but there’s no fruit. So, speaking to the tree, he says, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And he walks away. It’s strange, this little episode, but stranger still that we learn from Mark that it wasn’t even the season for figs.
In that season, about April or March, this fig tree would have blossomed into some foliage—there would have been leaves on it. But it wouldn’t be until a month or so later, about June, that figs would finally appear. So Christ walks over to this tree, and it’s not uncommon that, even though there are leaves, there’s no fruit. Yet Christ, with Mark the writer knowing full well it’s not the season for figs, sees it and says, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again,” because he’s hungry and there’s nothing to eat. What seems strange now becomes almost irrational. It seems unfair that this tree, not supposed to have figs, is cursed for living according to its nature that Christ created. But not much is said about this, and it seems to get worse.
The Temple Cleansing: Judgment Pronounced
Notice the transition that Mark makes—quite stark, quite halting. He goes from this story, with no explanation, and says next, Jesus walks into the temple and starts throwing everything over. It doesn’t say what he saw—the reason will come later. All we know is that the next immediate action, right after cursing the tree, he goes in and starts flipping over the tables. With money and coins rolling all over the floor, those buying and selling are forcibly pushed out of the temple, clearing the courts. Christ stands on guard to ensure no one passes carrying anything over the temple floors.
I recall when I first read Mark—there are instances like this where it doesn’t seem to follow, like a non-sequitur. There’s a striking thing, then another striking thing. Think of the disciples at this time, how uncomfortable they would have been walking with Jesus. They’ve seen the fig tree thing, maybe don’t know much about it, and then you get to the temple, and Jesus goes straight in, causing all kinds of commotion, then stays there and begins to teach. Think of the unpopularity felt by these men associated with Christ—the glares, the strangeness around this event. It’s hard for us to imagine. This is God’s holy place, and Christ has entered, doing what is unheard of. It’s a scene, to say the least.
Christ’s Righteous Actions
Our text starts with Jesus hungry. If he is God of God and human flesh, sinless, and always righteous in his actions, then these aren’t just acceptable actions—they are righteous actions. So we must ask ourselves, what’s going on in these stories? Let’s look at the text more closely for clues or hints of explanation, particularly at two quotes from Jesus as this unfolds.
Understanding the Temple’s Structure
Before we do that, we’d do well to remember the temple. The temple has a graded holiness. In the center is the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies, the holiest place, where only the high priest enters once a year. No one else has access. Moving out, you come to the Holy Place—where the table of showbread, the menorah, and incense are kept. Unless you’re part of the priesthood, you have no access because it’s holy.
Then, outside the Holy of Holies and Holy Place, is the Court of the Jews, where Jewish men worship. Beyond that is the Court of Women, where Jewish women pray. Outside that, a sign declares that any non-Jew passing further is liable to death—they’re responsible for their own death. That’s how seriously they took God’s holiness and the temple’s structure.
Outside the Court of Women is the Court of the Gentiles, as close as any Gentile could get to the God of Israel and His holiness. This was their place of prayer, their access to Yahweh, the true and living God, at that time in Israel’s history. But we’re told that this court has become a thriving farmer’s market, with animals for sacrifice being sold and money exchanged.
Misconceptions About the Issue
A lot of times, we think the problem in Mark’s Gospel is the buying and selling, turning God’s house into a marketplace, or defrauding people with money exchange. But Mark doesn’t say that—that’s not his focus. His concern isn’t defrauding or defiling the place, nor a bad exchange rate, which was common then. In fact, the Old Testament, like Deuteronomy 14, promotes selling animals at the temple for travelers’ mercy, so their sacrifices remain unblemished. Exchanging money was also appropriate, as the temple tax required specific coinage, not Roman coins.
While other Gospels, like John, focus on defrauding, Mark’s focus is elsewhere—it comes in Christ’s two Old Testament quotes.
Christ’s Rebuke: Two Old Testament Quotes
Notice in verse 17: “And he was teaching them, 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.”’” These phrases—“house of prayer for all the nations” and “den of robbers”—come from two Old Testament texts. Jesus isn’t speaking randomly; he’s referencing a known problem to explain why he’s acting this way, why he’s turning over tables.
The first quote is from Isaiah 56:7: “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” In Isaiah’s context, this is a vision of God’s future glory, when all nations stream to God’s temple, joining Israel to praise the one God in a single voice. This shows Israel’s role: to be a light to the nations, per the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12, 15, 17), drawing strangers into God’s people. Israel was to be a holy city on a hill, her holiness causing nations to worship God when they saw her good deeds, mercy, and honor for her King.
But has Israel done that? Judging by Mark’s Gospel so far and their response to Christ’s mercy to outcasts, that’s not their mindset. Something disorients them—what’s more important is ridding themselves of “filthy Gentiles” and Roman occupation. They equate God’s good times with expelling Rome, not drawing nations to worship God. They’ve become exclusive: “We’re God’s holy people; they’re outsiders.”
The Court of the Gentiles: A Case Study
This text is a case in point. The one place a Gentile could worship the God of Israel, the Court of the Gentiles, is a market with animals, money exchange, and hustle-bustle. There’s no peace for that worshiper, no place within Israel’s system. It degrades Israel’s role as priests to the nations, saying Gentiles’ worship is unimportant. Christ’s rebuke focuses on where they’ve set up shop: “If my house is a house of prayer for all peoples, what is this doing here?”
The “Den of Robbers”: Jeremiah’s Warning
The second quote, “den of robbers,” is from Jeremiah 7:11. We read part of this earlier. In Jeremiah 7:1-4, God commands Jeremiah to stand at the temple gates and prophesy: “Hear the word of the Lord, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’”
Israel’s sin is clear: they engage in disobedience, worshiping false gods, yet believe God won’t judge because they have the temple—“We’re God’s people; this is our safety.” Jeremiah 7:5-11 elaborates: “If you truly amend your ways, execute justice, do not oppress the sojourner, fatherless, or widow, shed innocent blood, or go after other gods, then I will let you dwell in this place. Behold, you trust in deceptive words. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, offer to Baal, then stand in this house and say, ‘We are delivered,’ only to continue these abominations? Has this house become a den of robbers? Behold, I have seen it, declares the Lord.”
The Meaning of “Robbers”
We often think “den of robbers” means defrauding customers, but that misses the point. If Mark meant simple stealing, he’d use the Greek word for theft (like “kleptomaniac”). Instead, he uses a specific word for “robbers”—the same word for the insurrectionists crucified with Jesus, for Barabbas (a murderous rebel), and when Jesus asks if they arrest him as an insurrectionist. This word describes those who band together for nefarious, political rebellion against authority, not just theft.
In Jeremiah 7, Israel rebels against God’s authority, sinning openly yet hiding in the temple, thinking it protects them. In Mark 11, Jesus condemns Israel’s leadership and people for empty religion, rejecting God’s kingdom through His Messiah. They’ve rejected Christ’s mission, disappointed with His kingdom, confident they can oppose Him because they’re God’s people with the temple.
The Sandwich Structure: Fig Tree and Temple Linked
Jesus’ actions—cursing the tree, overturning tables—mean something. Notice the passage’s arrangement. Mark uses a sandwich device: the temple cleansing is between two fig tree discussions. The fig tree curse, temple upheaval, then fig tree withering. This grabs attention, an ancient way to focus readers. Mark says, “Pay attention—these stories interpret each other.” If you understand the fig tree, see the temple; if you understand the temple, see the fig tree.
In the Old Testament, Israel is often God’s fig tree (Hosea, Jeremiah, Isaiah), meant to bear fruit for God and the nations. In Jeremiah 8, right after the “den of robbers” quote, God says: “When I would gather them, there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree. Even the leaves are withered.” Jesus curses the fig tree for having leaves but no fruit—not about horticulture, but a symbol. Israel looks fruitful but is barren, not bearing fruit for God or nations.
Prophetic Judgment: Christ’s Symbolic Acts
Peter says, “Lord, that tree you cursed has withered to its roots.” Mark shows that Christ’s temple actions are a curse on Israel for fruitlessness, foreshadowing the temple’s overthrow. Jesus acts like an Old Testament prophet with symbolic judgments. Ezekiel cooks with excrement to show defilement; Isaiah walks naked to show shame; Jeremiah smashes a pot to show destruction.
In Mark 11, Jesus curses the fig tree and overturns tables, not from anger or hunger, but as prophetic acts. The tree’s curse shows what’s coming to the nation; the temple’s upheaval shows the old system’s end. This isn’t mere cleansing to restore order—it’s a declaration that the temple system is undone, Israel’s identity changed for rejecting God’s Son.
Historical Fulfillment: The Temple’s Fall
Israel was to bear fruit, attracting nations to worship God, uniting the world in praising Him for His covenant faithfulness. Instead, it pushed Gentiles aside, prioritizing isolation over God’s Messiah. Jesus didn’t come to overthrow Rome, as they wanted. About 40 years later, in AD 70, the temple was crushed, as Josephus describes starkly. It withered like the fig tree, never again a house of prayer in that form. This foreshadows judgment on all who reject the Messiah.
Application: The Church’s Call
This shows what the church lives for now. God hasn’t given us the gospel and His name to build a safe place to avoid outsiders. He’s called us, His Spirit-filled temple, to be a light to the nations, making the world a temple for God, a place of prayer for all. The church isn’t for nationalism or political debates that exclude others. When we prioritize politics—laws, parties, issues—we repeat Israel’s error.
God’s kingdom transcends borders; all nations will bow to Christ. The church proclaims Christ so the weak, wounded, unclean, and needy see God’s goodness, ready to receive all who call on Christ. His kingdom will include every tribe, tongue, and nation, surpassing Israel’s greatness.
Tools for the Mission
Christ gives us tools: preaching His Word, which goes forth in victory; baptism, marking nations with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, joining them to God’s family. We must not sway from this mission, distracted by what feels important, lest we fight God who saved us. Our hope isn’t in presidents, kings, or economies—our hope is the gospel, Christ preached, constraining nations to bow to Him.
Conclusion: Be a City on a Hill
This is how He saved us. May we, as the church, be a city on a hill, proclaiming Christ, so His enduring kingdom stands forever. Amen.
Closing Prayer
Let’s pray:
“Heavenly Father, we praise you for this, your word. Lord, we pray we’d be obedient to your commands, to pray for those over us, call them to repentance, and pray they’d make decisions for your glory and your people’s good. We thank you for this word that reminds, warns, challenges, and encourages us to keep our eyes where life is found—in the gospel, the sure victory won by its proclamation through the Holy Spirit, conquering all your enemies. Even our hearts, once your enemies, have been conquered. Now we faithfully look to you as your sons and daughters, with Christ as our King. Bless us, Lord. Shape our hearts by your Spirit. We ask this in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.”