How does the chapter preserve its days, statements and deliberation?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The entry, next-day fig tree and temple actions, following-morning instruction and authority exchange retain sequence without imported calendar, symbolism or motives.

Chapter breakdown

# Mark 11

Near Jerusalem and Bethania at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sends two disciples to the opposite village for a tied colt on which no one has sat. If questioned, they are to say the Lord needs him and he will be allowed to come. They find the colt outside before a gate at the meeting of two ways, loose it, answer questioning bystanders as commanded and are permitted to take it. They bring it, lay garments on it and Jesus sits on it. Many spread garments, others cut and spread tree boughs. Those before and following cry Hosanna, blessing the one coming in the Lord’s name and the coming kingdom of father David. Bethphage, palms, named keepers and a weekday are not supplied. Jesus enters Jerusalem and the temple, views everything, then goes to Bethania with the twelve at evening.

The next day, hungry on leaving Bethania, he approaches a leafy fig tree to see whether it has anything. It has only leaves, for it is not the time for figs. He says no one is ever again to eat its fruit; disciples hear. No allegory of spiritual barrenness is stated here. In Jerusalem he begins expelling temple buyers and sellers, overturns moneychangers’ tables and dove sellers’ chairs and permits no one to carry a vessel through the temple. He teaches the written saying about a house of prayer for all nations and their making it a den of thieves. Chief priests and scribes seek his destruction, fearing him because the whole multitude admires his doctrine. No added motive of envy or fear of moral authority is assigned. He leaves the city in the evening.

Passing in the morning, they see the fig tree dried from its roots. Peter remembers and points it out. Jesus says to have the faith of God. He speaks of saying to the mountain to be removed into the sea, not staggering in the heart but believing the saying will be done, and of believing one will receive what one asks in prayer. Standing to pray, they are to forgive any grievance so their heavenly Father may forgive their sins; refusal to forgive means the Father will not forgive their sins. These sayings are retained as spoken, without a new causal guarantee that all prayer is invalidated or an unrestricted mechanism for obtaining divine favour.

They return to Jerusalem. In the temple chief priests, scribes and ancients ask his authority and who gave it. Jesus promises to tell if they answer his question: was John’s baptism from heaven or men? They deliberate that heaven would bring the question why they did not believe John, whereas men raises their fear of the people, all of whom counted John a prophet indeed. They answer that they do not know. Jesus says neither will he tell by what authority he does these things. They do give an answer; they are not described as reduced to literal silence, and no specific popular violence is predicted.

The story inside

Entry evening at Bethania; next day tree and temple; next morning withering and return.

Lessons worth keeping

1
It was not the time for figs.
2
Forgiveness sayings concern the Father’s remission of sins.
3
Authorities answer we know not after weighing the two alternatives.

Test your recall

Colt; boughs; Bethania; not time for figs; vessel; roots; John’s baptism.

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 115740–115801
11:1. And when they were drawing near to Jerusalem and to Bethania, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth two of his disciples, 11:2. And saith to them: Go into the village that is over against you, and immediately at your coming in thither, you shall find a colt tied, upon which no man yet hath sat. Loose him and bring him. 11:3. And if any man shall say to you: What are you doing? Say ye that the Lord hath need of him. And immediately he will let him come hither. 11:4. And going their way, they found the colt tied before the gate without, in the meeting of two ways. And they loose him. 11:5. And some of them that stood there said to them: What do you loosing the colt? 11:6. Who said to them as Jesus had commanded them. And they let him go with them. 11:7. And they brought the colt to Jesus. And they lay their garments on him: and he sat upon him. 11:8. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down boughs from the trees and strewed them in the way. 11:9. And they that went before and they that followed cried, saying: Hosanna: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 11:10. Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh: Hosanna in the highest. 11:11. And he entered into Jerusalem, into the temple: and having viewed all things round about, when now the eventide was come, he went out to Bethania with the twelve. 11:12. And the next day when they came out from Bethania, he was hungry. 11:13. And when he had seen afar off a fig tree having leaves, he came, if perhaps he might find any thing on it. And when he was come to it, he found nothing but leaves. For it was not the time for figs. 11:14. And answering he said to it: May no man hereafter eat fruit of thee any more for ever! And his disciples heard it. 11:15. And they came to Jerusalem. And when he was entered into the temple, he began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple: and over threw the tables of the moneychangers and the chairs of them that sold doves. 11:16. And he suffered not that any man should carry a vessel through the temple. 11:17. And he taught, saying to them: Is it not written: My house shall be called the house of prayer to all nations, but you have made it a den of thieves. 11:18. Which when the chief priests and the scribes had heard, they sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because the whole multitude was in admiration at his doctrine. 11:19. And when evening was come, he went forth out of the city.
Lines 115803–115848
11:20. And when they passed by in the morning they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 11:21. And Peter remembering, said to him: Rabbi, behold the fig tree which thou didst curse is withered away. 11:22. And Jesus answering, saith to them: Have the faith of God. 11:23. Amen I say to you that whosoever shall say to this mountain, Be thou removed and be cast into the sea, and shall not stagger in his heart, but believe that whatsoever he saith shall be done; it shall be done unto him. 11:24. Therefore I say unto you, all things, whatsoever you ask when ye pray, believe that you shall receive: and they shall come unto you. 11:25. And when you shall stand to pray, forgive, if you have aught against any man: that your Father also, who is in heaven, may forgive you your sins. 11:26. But if you will not forgive, neither will your father that is in heaven forgive you your sins. 11:27. And they come again to Jerusalem. And when he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests and the scribes and the ancients. 11:28. And they say to him: By what authority dost thou these things? And who hath given thee this authority that thou shouldst do these things? 11:29. And Jesus answering, said to them: I will also ask you one word. And answer you me: and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 11:30. The baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men? Answer me. 11:31. But they thought with themselves, saying: If we say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did you not believe him? 11:32. If we say, From men, we fear the people. For all men counted John that he was a prophet indeed. 11:33. And they answering, say to Jesus: We know not. And Jesus answering, saith to them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.