The Temple Incident

Scripture: Mark 11:12-26

“Mark 11:12   On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. Mark 11:13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. Mark 11:14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

Mark 11:15 Then they *came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; Mark 11:16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. Mark 11:17 And He began to teach and say 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 ROBBERS’ DEN.” Mark 11:18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

Mark 11:19 When evening came, they would go out of the city.

Mark 11:20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. Mark 11:21 Being reminded, Peter *said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.” Mark 11:22 And Jesus *answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. Mark 11:23 “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. Mark 11:25 “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. Mark 11:26 [“But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”]” (Mark 11:12–26 NAS95)