Mark 11:27-33 marks the beginning of a series of confrontations between Jesus and Jerusalem’s religious leaders. Jesus had overturned tables and halted temple commerce in a bold act of divine judgment, and returning the next day, a delegation of chief priests, scribes, and elders (three groups that made up the Sanhedrin) confronted Him. Their loaded question—“By what authority do you do these things?”—isn’t curiosity. They are not seeking to be taught or informed. These men have already begun plotting His death (Mark 8:31). The religious leaders knew of His miracles, heard His teaching astonish crowds, and saw demons flee, yet refused to bow. Mark’s Gospel began focusing on Jesus’ authority. The One who has authority to forgive sins, calm storms, and feed thousands now stands in the holy courts, and His authority is challenged by those who should recognize it most. Yet, Jesus exposes the authority to which these religious men submit with a question of His own. Trapped between admitting John the Baptist was sent from God (and thereby admitting Jesus was the Messiah John pointed to) or facing the angry crowds who believed John was from God, they answer, “We don’t know.” The religious leaders, who claimed to represent God, reveal that their true authority is self-preservation, status, and control. Therefore, Jesus leaves them without any explanation. Having rejected the light, they are left in their darkness. This isn’t mere history; it’s a mirror for every heart. It is easy to claim Christ’s authority in theory. Yet, when He enters our “temple" and starts rearranging our priorities, purging idols, or commanding obedience in our lives, we can respond like these religious men: “Who are you to demand this?” All of us live under authority—either Christ’s or our own corrupted version—and Jesus’ word exposes which rules us. A day is coming when every knee will bow, either in saving faith or under wrath. This passage isn’t academic—it’s urgent. Will you submit to the King who cleanses temples and claims lives, or ride the fence like these priests, saying, "We don’t know."
I. Jesus’ Authority Is Challenged (v. 27-28)
II. Jesus Exposes Our Corrupt Authorities (v. 29-33a)
III. Jesus’ Judgment For Rejecting Authority (v. 33)
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Mark 11:27-33 marks the beginning of a series of confrontations between Jesus and Jerusalem’s religious leaders. Jesus had overturned tables and halted temple commerce in a bold act of divine judgment, and returning the next day, a delegation of chief priests, scribes, and elders (three groups that made up the Sanhedrin) confronted Him. Their loaded question—“By what authority do you do these things?”—isn’t curiosity. They are not seeking to be taught or informed. These men have already begun plotting His death (Mark 8:31). The religious leaders knew of His miracles, heard His teaching astonish crowds, and saw demons flee, yet refused to bow. Mark’s Gospel began focusing on Jesus’ authority. The One who has authority to forgive sins, calm storms, and feed thousands now stands in the holy courts, and His authority is challenged by those who should recognize it most. Yet, Jesus exposes the authority to which these religious men submit with a question of His own. Trapped between admitting John the Baptist was sent from God (and thereby admitting Jesus was the Messiah John pointed to) or facing the angry crowds who believed John was from God, they answer, “We don’t know.” The religious leaders, who claimed to represent God, reveal that their true authority is self-preservation, status, and control. Therefore, Jesus leaves them without any explanation. Having rejected the light, they are left in their darkness. This isn’t mere history; it’s a mirror for every heart. It is easy to claim Christ’s authority in theory. Yet, when He enters our “temple" and starts rearranging our priorities, purging idols, or commanding obedience in our lives, we can respond like these religious men: “Who are you to demand this?” All of us live under authority—either Christ’s or our own corrupted version—and Jesus’ word exposes which rules us. A day is coming when every knee will bow, either in saving faith or under wrath. This passage isn’t academic—it’s urgent. Will you submit to the King who cleanses temples and claims lives, or ride the fence like these priests, saying, "We don’t know."
I. Jesus’ Authority Is Challenged (v. 27-28)
II. Jesus Exposes Our Corrupt Authorities (v. 29-33a)
III. Jesus’ Judgment For Rejecting Authority (v. 33)
On Sunday, we will dive into Mark 11:12-25, a challenging passage to understand and interpret. As Mark has done before (and will do several more times), he places one story inside another. Jesus’ cleansing of the temple is placed between His cursing of the fig tree. When Jesus finds no figs on the tree, He declares that no one will eat fruit from it again. The next day, they pass by the tree and see it withered to the root. Earlier, Mark "sandwiched" Jesus’ healing of the woman with the issue of blood between the healing of Jairus’ daughter, and just as in that passage, here the cleansing of the temple interprets the cursing of the fig tree. In the Old Testament, a fig tree and a vineyard were common symbols for Israel. Therefore, the cursing of the fig tree serves as a prophetic warning condemning the fruitless temple worship in Jerusalem, which Jesus will immediately address. The fig tree, full of leaves but bearing no fruit, and the temple, busy with activity but lacking true worship, both face Jesus’ judgment. However, the interpretive challenges of this passage don’t end there. When the disciples see the withered tree, Jesus begins teaching about prayer, faith, and forgiveness. Jesus’ response to Peter, who notes that the fig tree is withered, might seem like Jesus is shifting to a new topic unrelated to the story. (And some believe He does.) However, I believe Jesus is beginning to teach the disciples what He will make clearer during His last week of life. The temple was the place where prayers were offered and accepted by God, and where forgiveness was found. Yet, Jesus has just pronounced judgment on the corruption of the temple’s worship. How can prayers be offered, and forgiveness found, if not in the temple? Jesus’ final words in this section (22-25) reveal that by faith, prayers are answered, mountains are moved, and forgiveness is both received and extended to others. Take time to read Mark 11:12-25 several times; it is a difficult passage with a high risk of misunderstanding. Most of the sermon will focus on explaining the text, but ultimately, we discover that as the church, we are now God’s temple (both as a body -1 Co. 3:16-17; and as individual Christians - 1 Co. 6:19-20), called to bear fruit through praying in faith, forgiving as we are forgiven, and being a light for all nations.
I. The Symbolic Fruitless Fig Tree (12-14; 20-21)
II. The Fruitless Worship In The Temple (15-19)
III. The Fruitful Worship OF The Temple (22-25)
Sermon Audio
Mark 11:27-33 marks the beginning of a series of confrontations between Jesus and Jerusalem’s religious leaders. Jesus had overturned tables and halted temple commerce in a bold act of divine judgment, and returning the next day, a delegation of chief priests, scribes, and elders (three groups that made up the Sanhedrin) confronted Him. Their loaded question—“By what authority do you do these things?”—isn’t curiosity. They are not seeking to be taught or informed. These men have already begun plotting His death (Mark 8:31). The religious leaders knew of His miracles, heard His teaching astonish crowds, and saw demons flee, yet refused to bow. Mark’s Gospel began focusing on Jesus’ authority. The One who has authority to forgive sins, calm storms, and feed thousands now stands in the holy courts, and His authority is challenged by those who should recognize it most. Yet, Jesus exposes the authority to which these religious men submit with a question of His own. Trapped between admitting John the Baptist was sent from God (and thereby admitting Jesus was the Messiah John pointed to) or facing the angry crowds who believed John was from God, they answer, “We don’t know.” The religious leaders, who claimed to represent God, reveal that their true authority is self-preservation, status, and control. Therefore, Jesus leaves them without any explanation. Having rejected the light, they are left in their darkness. This isn’t mere history; it’s a mirror for every heart. It is easy to claim Christ’s authority in theory. Yet, when He enters our “temple" and starts rearranging our priorities, purging idols, or commanding obedience in our lives, we can respond like these religious men: “Who are you to demand this?” All of us live under authority—either Christ’s or our own corrupted version—and Jesus’ word exposes which rules us. A day is coming when every knee will bow, either in saving faith or under wrath. This passage isn’t academic—it’s urgent. Will you submit to the King who cleanses temples and claims lives, or ride the fence like these priests, saying, "We don’t know."
I. Jesus’ Authority Is Challenged (v. 27-28)
II. Jesus Exposes Our Corrupt Authorities (v. 29-33a)
III. Jesus’ Judgment For Rejecting Authority (v. 33)
