Daily Scripture
Mark 11:1-251 As they were approaching Yerushalayim, near Beit-Pagei and Beit-Anyah, by the Mount of Olives, Yeshua sent two of his talmidim 2 with these instructions: “Go into the village ahead of you; and as soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it, and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it,’ and he will send it here right away.”
4 They went off and found a colt in the street tied in a doorway, and they untied it. 5 The bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They gave the answer Yeshua had told them to give, and they let them continue. 7 They brought the colt to Yeshua and threw their robes on it, and he sat on it.
8 Many people carpeted the road with their clothing, while others spread out green branches which they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who were ahead and those behind shouted,“Please! Deliver us!”[Mark 11:9 Psalm 118:25][Mark 11:9 See note, p. 1249.]
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai!”[Mark 11:9 Psalm 118:26]
10 “Blessed is the coming Kingdom of our father David!”
and,
“You in the highest heaven! Please! Deliver us!”[Mark 11:10 Psalm 118:25] [Mark 11:10 See note, p. 1249.]
11 Yeshua entered Yerushalayim, went into the Temple courts and took a good look at everything; but since it was now late, he went out with the Twelve to Beit-Anyah.
12 The next day, as they came back from Beit-Anyah, he felt hungry. 13 Spotting in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came up to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it wasn’t fig season. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And his talmidim heard what he said.
15 On reaching Yerushalayim, he entered the Temple courts and began driving out those who were carrying on business there, both the merchants and their customers. He also knocked over the desks of the money-changers, upset the benches of the pigeon-dealers, 16 and refused to let anyone carry merchandise through the Temple courts. 17 Then, as he taught them, he said, “Isn’t it written in the Tanakh, My house will be called a house of prayer for all the Goyim[Mark 11:17 Isaiah 56:7] But you have made it into a den of robbers!”[Mark 11:17 Jeremiah 7:11] 18 The head cohanim and the Torah-teachers heard what he said and tried to find a way to do away with him; they were afraid of him, because the crowds were utterly taken by his teaching. 19 When evening came, they left the city.
20 In the morning, as the talmidim passed by, they saw the fig tree withered all the way to its roots. 21 Kefa remembered and said to Yeshua, “Rabbi! Look! The fig tree that you cursed has dried up!” 22 He responded, “Have the kind of trust that comes from God! 23 Yes! I tell you that whoever does not doubt in his heart but trusts that what he says will happen can say to this mountain, ‘Go and throw yourself into the sea!’ and it will be done for him. 24 Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, trust that you are receiving it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive your offenses.” (Complete Jewish Bible)
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Reflection QuestionsThe deliberate journey south from Galilee that began in Mark 9:30 reached Jerusalem. Jesus purposely entered in a way that echoed history (cf. 1 Kings 1:32-39) and prophecy (Zechariah 9:9-10), a clear claim to peaceful kingship. Lending Jesus a donkey’s colt may not sound like a big deal. But in his day, that colt was as important to all but wealthiest families as a car is to us. Sometimes several families pooled resources to buy one animal they could all share.
Jesus, in this passage I see your holy anger against a trade that exploited pilgrims at Passover time. And I see your assurance that your power can move the “mountain” of my unholy anger against people who offend me. Amen.
Read today's Insight by Denise Mersmann
Denise serves as the Early Childhood Coordinating Assistant at Church of the Resurrection.
Near the end of this passage of Scripture, Jesus tells the disciples, “Whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you will receive it, and it will be so for you.” Jesus tells the disciples to believe their prayers will be answered.
Jesus put it out there for the disciples, plain and simple. If you believe when you pray, your prayers will be answered.
Even as someone who trusts very much in the power of prayer, I often find myself praying while at the same time putting together a back-up plan. Many times the back-up plan is a subconscious action. As I pause and begin to put together the words that will be my prayer, my mind wanders a little. I get a few words in and suddenly I’m thinking, “If this doesn’t work out, I can . . .” And there comes that back-up plan, the plan B, the alternative . . . the doubt that God is going to answer my prayer.
When this happens I try to justify my actions. It’s not that I really am doubting my prayer will be answered. That’s not why I’m strategizing a second option. It’s just responsible to have a back-up plan, especially on things that really matter. And if it’s important enough to pray about, it probably really matters.
But I find myself feeling a little guilty. It’s like asking a friend to help you with something and then, just in case, asking a second friend if they are available to help on short notice if needed. When the request for help goes to the second person, the doubt is cast that the first friend can be trusted.
Why do I feel a need for a back-up plan when I pray? Maybe it’s because I don’t really feel worthy of God’s answer to my prayer, or maybe it’s because I know my heart is not pure and I am a doubter. Maybe (and this can be a big one) it’s that I know what I want the answer to be, and I cannot trust that God has greater things in store for me that might require a different answer to my prayer.
So how can I pray with full belief that my prayer will be answered? How do I achieve a level of trust that removes any desire to put a back-up plan in place? I don’t know, but I do know that God loves me far beyond what my human capacity can comprehend. He also knows my heart, and knows that even when I doubt a little, I am praying in the first place because of how much I trust Him. And because He is such a loving God, He forgives my doubts and meets me where I am. With His answer to my prayer.
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10 “Blessed is the coming Kingdom of our father David!”
and,
“You in the highest heaven! Please! Deliver us!”[Mark 11:10 Psalm 118:25] [Mark 11:10 See note, p. 1249.]
11 Yeshua entered Yerushalayim, went into the Temple courts and took a good look at everything; but since it was now late, he went out with the Twelve to Beit-Anyah.
12 The next day, as they came back from Beit-Anyah, he felt hungry. 13 Spotting in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came up to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it wasn’t fig season. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And his talmidim heard what he said.
15 On reaching Yerushalayim, he entered the Temple courts and began driving out those who were carrying on business there, both the merchants and their customers. He also knocked over the desks of the money-changers, upset the benches of the pigeon-dealers, 16 and refused to let anyone carry merchandise through the Temple courts. 17 Then, as he taught them, he said, “Isn’t it written in the Tanakh, My house will be called a house of prayer for all the Goyim[Mark 11:17 Isaiah 56:7] But you have made it into a den of robbers!”[Mark 11:17 Jeremiah 7:11] 18 The head cohanim and the Torah-teachers heard what he said and tried to find a way to do away with him; they were afraid of him, because the crowds were utterly taken by his teaching. 19 When evening came, they left the city.
20 In the morning, as the talmidim passed by, they saw the fig tree withered all the way to its roots. 21 Kefa remembered and said to Yeshua, “Rabbi! Look! The fig tree that you cursed has dried up!” 22 He responded, “Have the kind of trust that comes from God! 23 Yes! I tell you that whoever does not doubt in his heart but trusts that what he says will happen can say to this mountain, ‘Go and throw yourself into the sea!’ and it will be done for him. 24 Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, trust that you are receiving it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive your offenses.” (Complete Jewish Bible)
***
Reflection QuestionsThe deliberate journey south from Galilee that began in Mark 9:30 reached Jerusalem. Jesus purposely entered in a way that echoed history (cf. 1 Kings 1:32-39) and prophecy (Zechariah 9:9-10), a clear claim to peaceful kingship. Lending Jesus a donkey’s colt may not sound like a big deal. But in his day, that colt was as important to all but wealthiest families as a car is to us. Sometimes several families pooled resources to buy one animal they could all share.
- The prophet Zechariah wrote that a righteous king would ride on a donkey’s colt, and bring Jerusalem salvation and peace. Mark 11:2 indicated that Jesus pre-arranged his ride into Jerusalem to fulfill that prophecy. Who found Jesus' entrance into the holy city offensive (verse 18)? Would you more likely have been with “the establishment” who didn’t want the orderly status quo disrupted, or with the upstart rabbi from Galilee?
- Verse 23-24 showed how Jesus used “hyperbole” (overstatement to make a point) in his teaching. Jesus used that image often—Matthew 17:20 and Luke 17:6 quoted versions of it in different contexts. Throwing mountains into the sea would not actually advance God’s Kingdom. Changing our inner anger and hurt into forgiveness (verse 25) can be a mountainous challenge. In what ways have you sensed God’s grace changing you into a more gracious person?
Jesus, in this passage I see your holy anger against a trade that exploited pilgrims at Passover time. And I see your assurance that your power can move the “mountain” of my unholy anger against people who offend me. Amen.
Denise serves as the Early Childhood Coordinating Assistant at Church of the Resurrection.
Near the end of this passage of Scripture, Jesus tells the disciples, “Whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you will receive it, and it will be so for you.” Jesus tells the disciples to believe their prayers will be answered.
Jesus put it out there for the disciples, plain and simple. If you believe when you pray, your prayers will be answered.
Even as someone who trusts very much in the power of prayer, I often find myself praying while at the same time putting together a back-up plan. Many times the back-up plan is a subconscious action. As I pause and begin to put together the words that will be my prayer, my mind wanders a little. I get a few words in and suddenly I’m thinking, “If this doesn’t work out, I can . . .” And there comes that back-up plan, the plan B, the alternative . . . the doubt that God is going to answer my prayer.
When this happens I try to justify my actions. It’s not that I really am doubting my prayer will be answered. That’s not why I’m strategizing a second option. It’s just responsible to have a back-up plan, especially on things that really matter. And if it’s important enough to pray about, it probably really matters.
But I find myself feeling a little guilty. It’s like asking a friend to help you with something and then, just in case, asking a second friend if they are available to help on short notice if needed. When the request for help goes to the second person, the doubt is cast that the first friend can be trusted.
Why do I feel a need for a back-up plan when I pray? Maybe it’s because I don’t really feel worthy of God’s answer to my prayer, or maybe it’s because I know my heart is not pure and I am a doubter. Maybe (and this can be a big one) it’s that I know what I want the answer to be, and I cannot trust that God has greater things in store for me that might require a different answer to my prayer.
So how can I pray with full belief that my prayer will be answered? How do I achieve a level of trust that removes any desire to put a back-up plan in place? I don’t know, but I do know that God loves me far beyond what my human capacity can comprehend. He also knows my heart, and knows that even when I doubt a little, I am praying in the first place because of how much I trust Him. And because He is such a loving God, He forgives my doubts and meets me where I am. With His answer to my prayer.
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011.
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