The Gospel According to Mark: Jesus the Suffering Servantنموونە

Mark 11 tells the only story in the Bible about Jesus destroying a living thing. It’s a strange and confusing story.

Jesus loved creation. After all, he himself was the creator. Cursing and destroying a tree seems out of character for him. Why would an innocent tree have to suffer? Well, Jesus told many parables. In this chapter, instead of telling a parable, he acted out a parable. He cursed the fig tree one morning (“No more fruit for you!”). And the next morning, the tree wasn't just fruitless. It was completely withered from the roots up.

Between those two mornings, Jesus cleared out the Temple, the sacred centerpiece of religious life that was built on a mountain. The Temple was where people went to be with God, to pray, and to offer sacrifices. When Jesus said that the mountain could be lifted up and thrown into the sea, he was probably talking about the Temple.

All of these things add up to show what Jesus was trying to teach. He was passing judgment on people who claim to love God and be truly religious but whose lives don’t show it (that's the fig tree). And he claimed that from now on, he is the true Temple. He is the ultimate and final sacrifice. He is where people will be with God. He is both the fulfillment of Israel’s hopes and the beginning of a new way of life.

Focused Reflection

verses 12-25 (Jesus curses and cleans out)

• What are some ways you see the “fruit” of following Jesus in other people’s lives?
• What are some ways that Jesus and his Spirit are producing fruit in your own life? (things like patience, humble service, self-control, etc.)

verses 8-10 (Jesus enters the city)

• Copy out verses 9b-10 in a journal.
• Rewrite them using language, images, and ideas meaningful to you. Share them with others.

General Reflection

• What do you learn about Jesus from this passage?
• What do you learn about following Jesus from this passage?

Extra Info

• Fig trees are thought to be one of the oldest species of trees. In the Old Testament, God’s warnings sometimes included images of fig trees with no fruit. (See Jeremiah 8:13, Hosea 2:12, Joel 1:12, Amos 4:9.) His blessings sometimes included images of fruitful fig trees. (See Joel 2:22, Micah 4:4, Zechariah 3:10.)
• The first Temple was destroyed in 586 B.C. The second Temple (the one Jesus visited and taught in) was destroyed in A.D. 70.