Mark 11:12-20

¹²And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

 ¹³And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

 ¹⁴And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

 ¹⁵And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

 ¹⁶And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

 ¹⁷And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

 ¹⁸And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

 ¹⁹And when even was come, he went out of the city.

 ²⁰And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

__________________________

Also found in Matt 21

Questions pondered in introduction of this sermon:  Jesus was hungry--was it late at night, early in the morning, were they in a hurry and they had not eaten?

The fig tree had leaves, was fine in appearance, looked as if it would have fruit, yet Jesus cursed it.

The sanctuary is a place of worship, holy things, baptism, Lord's supper

"bought and sold" = these were sacrificial animals, scrolls of Issiah.  This was a necessary service for those that traveled and could not bring an animal from home.
"den of thieves" - referred to vastly inflated prices
The priest and Levites would also inspect animals brought from home and find fault with them so they would have to go buy from the temple.
The 'moneychangers' were changing Roman coins to sheckles for use in the temple, but at an unfair rate of exchange.
'carry wares' refers to things used to tend to the acts listed above.


v. 17 Jesus 'taught' - meaning intended for all nations.
v. 18 destruction sought from fear.
v. 19 'even' - Jesus taught all day
v. 20 The tree with leaves had withered and dried in one day.