In chapter 11 Mark begins the account of Jesus’ last week.  Jesus is recognized and proclaimed as the “Promised One.”  It is in this account that we also see the judgment of Christ.  As is typically the case, Jesus has reserved His harshest judgment for the religious.

We get to see a new side to Jesus through the account described in Mark 11:12-21.  Jesus is moved to a holy anger.  First we see Him curse a fig tree.  The tree had beautiful foliage, but was lacking it’s pre-fruit that would appear before the real fruit.  This lack of pre-fruit, which would be eaten by peasants as a source of food, indicated that there would be no fruit at the time of harvest.  Israel, which is represented here by the fig tree, had been unfruitful and was not fulfilling it’s role to bring all people to God, regardless of nationality or status.  All this tree had, as did the nation of Israel, was that it looked good.

Jesus is not concerned with our outer display of religion and how we “look.”  He is concerned with our hearts and the fruit that is produced by a heart devoted to God.

Next, we see this even more clearly as Jesus is angered by what He witnesses in the temple.  In the early days of the temple the only division was between Priest and everyone else.  Now, during Jesus day, the temple was divided by race and gender.  It was in this outer court, where the “lesser” people were allowed to worship, that the money tables were set up.  This angered Jesus on multiple levels.  First, they were taking advantage of the people, robbing them in a sense.  Also, Jesus was angered by the favoritism and prejudice being shown by allowing this to happen in the court of the Gentiles (non-Jews), but not in the court of Jewish males.

Jesus cleanses the temple and reclaims it as a place of prayer for people of all nations. (Isaiah 56:7; 1 Kings 8:41–43)

Lord, make me fruitful.  May you transform my heart so that it produces.

Lord, make us pure.  May you cleanse us from prejudice and injustice so that all may know you.