Mark 11:1-19 - The Lord Has Need of It

God means God. There can only be one. Mankind has minimized the word, so that there are many “gods,” but as Paul says: “this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all.”

If God means God, then what does “Lord” mean? It means “authority,” though we know that there can be competing authorities. There can only be one God, but what about lords?

Jesus instructs his disciples in the first part of our passage to go into town and get a donkey that no one but him knew was there (plus he knew that it had never been ridden) and tell the one who asks, “The Lord has need of it.” And the guy says, “Ok.” Just like what would happen if someone walked into your yard to borrow your brand-new car, right? So Jesus’ Lordship in this passage includes Him knowing things that no one else knows, and guiding the consent of persons whom He has never met. I’m surmising at this point, but it seems that His authority also extends over the donkey, which may not have welcomed being ridden for the very first time, through a thronging parade of people. And yet, it seems that the donkey also bowed to the Lord’s Lordship.

In the next paragraph, Mark seems to be linking the fruitfulness of the current temple administration with the fruitfulness of the fig tree. There could be no fruit, “for it was not the season of figs,” and there could be no fruit from the temple, because the leaders were not in right relationship with God. Jesus makes a proclamation: “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And guess what. The tree, yes, a tree responded, by drying up. No more fruit.

This is unusual authority. No, this is unheard-of authority. This is a different kind of Lord - a one-of-a-kind Lord, as though there could only be One.

In the next paragraph, Jesus re-enters the city and the temple on the next day.  ¹⁵ “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; ¹⁶ and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.” This is very disruptive. This will no doubt attract much attention. This could result in arrest by temple officials. But then Jesus teaches, from God’s Word, and so clearly. He explains in a way that cannot be contradicted, He explains the purpose of the temple, and shows how that purpose has been abandoned. 

Jesus’ authority is unmatched in this arena as well, as He uses God’s Word as though it were His own; where He corrects the temple administration as though they answered to Him; where He exercises authority over creation (notably, donkeys, and trees) as though He created them; as though He actually is the owner of it, of us, all.

So I have to ask myself, do I respond properly to this kind of authority? Do I respond properly to Jesus who is the Lord God.