Jerusalem Controversies

Lesson 9

Jerusalem Controversies

(Mark 11 & 12)

Copr. 2024, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.

Introduction: Do you like a book with twists and turns? Mark’s account now takes another turn. Recall he started out with proof that Jesus is God. Then Mark turned to the shocking truth that Jesus would die and be raised to life. All that time Jesus repeatedly told those He healed to keep it a secret. He told His disciples to keep His future a secret. Now, the time for secrets has ended. Jesus determines that the time has come for Him to boldly show who He is. And He is doing it in Jerusalem! Let’s jump into the text of Mark and join Jesus in the big revelation!

1. No Secret Now
   
   1. Read Mark 11:1-2. When I was young we had “scavenger hunts.” Someone would make a list of unique things, and then we would form teams to race around and find the things on the list and bring them back. The team which found everything first was the winner. Is this a scavenger hunt? (Hardly. Jesus tells the disciples exactly where they can find the colt, and even tells them it has not been ridden before.)
      1. What should we conclude from the precision of Jesus’ knowledge?
   2. Read Mark 11:3-6. If you thought a theft might be taking place, would this be a satisfactory answer? (John MacArthur’s commentary says that Jesus was well-known in the area. When the challengers heard this was for Jesus, they agreed to it.)
   3. Read Mark 11:7-10, Psalm 118:26, and Luke 19:38-40. Recall that Jesus set this in motion. What is Jesus saying to the people in Jerusalem? (That He is the Messiah. That is the reason the Jewish leaders thought a rebuke was appropriate. Jesus responds that the message is supernatural - stones would cry out.)
   4. Read Mark 11:11. Is this anti-climatic? Jesus is suddenly acting like a tourist? (Just the opposite. Jesus is giving the temple an inspection. We will turn to the results of that inspection next.)
2. Temple Cleaning
   
   1. Let’s skip down a few verses. (We will go back later.) Read Mark 11:15-18. Has the temple passed Jesus’ follow-up inspection? (Clearly not.)
   2. Look again at Mark 11:17. Mark says Jesus is “teaching them.” What is He teaching them? Is He teaching us anything?
      1. Many Christians argue, based on Jesus’ life, that we should not be involved in trying to move our nation toward a more moral path. They point to the fact that Jesus never was involved in politics. Does that seem correct to you? (There are two significant differences between Jesus’ situation and ours. First, we are not God. But second, Rome was no democracy. In this story we see Jesus working to change what He could.)
      2. Read Mark 10:1-2. Recall when we studied this? The “trap” was a condemnation of divorce would offend Herod Antipas (who had ordered the murder of John the Baptist). Did Jesus refrain from commenting on public morality - even when it was dangerous? (As we studied last week, Jesus took a firm stand on sexual morality.)
   3. Let’s stay with Mark 11:17 a bit longer. Why do you think Jesus referred to “all nations” in the context of a Jewish temple? (Read Isaiah 56:6-7. This provides strong evidence that Jesus was not cleaning up inside the actual temple, but rather He was in the “Gentile’s Court.” Gentiles could not approach the temple any closer than this area. This strengthens the argument about “public morality.” Jesus is defending the space where Gentiles could approach God.)
3. Temple Authority
   
   1. Let’s skip down a few verses again. Read Mark 11:27-28. Is this a reasonable question? Who gave Jesus the authority to disrupt what the Jewish leaders permitted?
   2. Read Mark 11:29-33. Why would Jesus want to keep this a secret? Isn’t this what His entry into Jerusalem was all about? (Read Mark 4:11-12. We have discussed this before. Jesus reveals truth to those who want to know it. Not to those who are hostile or disinterested.)
4. Fig Tree
   
   1. Let’s go back and cover what we skipped over. Keep in mind that I think the order of the Bible is part of the working of the Holy Spirit. Read Mark 11:12-14. Poor fig tree! Why is Jesus looking for figs when it is not the season for figs?
      1. Worse, why would Jesus curse a fig tree for being like all other fig trees? And this is not even His fig tree!
   2. Let’s look at Mark 11:13 again. Notice that it says this fig tree has leaves. Is that significant? (Several commentaries say the presence of leaves signals that there should be food - if only “buds,” which are edible.)
   3. Let’s skip down and read the rest of the fig tree story. Read Mark 11:20-21. Why is this significant? (You would not expect the tree to wither immediately. This is a miracle of a negative nature.)
   4. Read Mark 11:22. Do you think this is odd? If Jesus wants to encourage faith in God, why would He kill a tree to do it? (Something more is going on. Recall that context is important. Context suggests that Jerusalem is “leafy,” it is showing signs that it is where God’s message can be found. It turns out that Jerusalem is about to kill its Messiah, thus showing it has no fruit. As we know, shortly after this Jerusalem was destroyed.)
   5. Read Mark 11:23-24. Killing trees, tossing mountains. Do our prayers have to be for positive things? (The argument for these things being positive is that the tree is an example of an important lesson. Mountains are generally considered challenges in life.)
      1. What is the condition for an answered prayer? (Believing that you received it.)
      2. Friend, this statement is unconditional. I have seen Christians who “command” a miracle. It seems that Jesus is offering just that. What do you say? (The Bible Knowledge Commentary says this promise is conditional on the prayer being in harmony with God’s will. That is not what this text says.)
   6. Read Mark 14:35-36. Could Jesus have commanded that He be relieved from the burden of torture and death? (Yes. What Jesus promised in Mark 11 is unconditional on its face. But a Christian with any common sense knows that God is the best judge of what is best. Why would you try to override the will of God? I pray for answers in accord with His will, and do not try to “command” an outcome.)
5. Warning
   
   1. Read Mark 12:1-5. What kind of renters are these?
      1. What would you do if you were the owner?
   2. Read Mark 12:6-9. Do you agree with the judgment of the owner? Is this the right remedy?
      1. I regularly run into Christians who believe that God does not execute judgment against His opponents. What is the teaching of this parable? (God does execute judgment. And He did execute judgment on Jerusalem after Jesus was crucified.)
   3. Read Mark 12:10-11. What does a building have to do with the vineyard? (The Son who was killed and thrown out of the vineyard, is the rejected stone who is now the cornerstone.)
      1. Who is this stone? (Jesus! God has made His victory possible.)
   4. Read Mark 12:12. Is this a parable that the Jewish leaders understand? (Yes. It causes them to fear.)
6. Heaven
   
   1. Read Mark 12:18-23. The Sadducees do not believe in a resurrection. Why would they ask a question like this? (Apparently, they think complexity is an argument against truth.)
   2. Read Mark 12:24. On what should we base truth? (The Bible and faith in the power of God.)
   3. Read Mark 12:25-27. Is Jesus declaring that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are alive in heaven? (The issue is the resurrection. Jesus argues for the resurrection by saying that it will happen because God has a future plan for us that involves us living forever.)
   4. Friend, God has won and will ultimately destroy those who reject Him. Will you be on the side of the living? Why not decide to accept Jesus right now?
7. Next week: The Last Days.