Breaking the Word

They returned once more to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple area, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached him and said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?" Jesus said to them, "I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John's baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me." They discussed this among themselves and said, "If we say, 'Of heavenly origin,' he will say, '(Then) why did you not believe him?' But shall we say, 'Of human origin'?" — they feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. So they said to Jesus in reply, "We do not know." Then Jesus said to them, "Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things."  (Mk 11:27-33)

Jesus’ preaching and ministry was always questioned. Those who questioned him were mostly the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. These were the people who were exercising power and authority. The simple and ordinary people just followed Jesus and never questioned him on his authority.

Authority could come from either God (divine) or from men (human). Those who questioned Jesus always concerned about it and they thought that it was not from God. When he chased the demons they thought that the power was from the head of the demons. They thought that he was doing some magic or so. But they were worried if it was from God.

Authority which Jesus exercised was from God. This was what the people believed. The people saw the miracles which Jesus worked for them and they also heard the teaching and preaching. People were convinced that the authority was from God. The people who were exercising authority (scribes and Pharisees etc) considered Jesus’ authority as a challenge.  

He entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area. He looked around at everything and, since it was already late, went out to Bethany with the Twelve.  The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry. Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf, he went over to see if he could find anything on it. When he reached it he found nothing but leaves; it was not the time for figs. And he said to it in reply, "May no one ever eat of your fruit again!" And his disciples heard it. They came to Jerusalem, and on entering the temple area he began to drive out those selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area. Then he taught them saying, "Is it not written: 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples'? But you have made it a den of thieves." The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it and were seeking a way to put him to death, yet they feared him because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching. When evening came, they went out of the city. Early in the morning, as they were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its roots. Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered." Jesus said to them in reply, "Have faith in God. Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours. When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions." (Mk 11:11-26)

Mark has given this story in a ‘sandwich’ form. The outer part concerns the fig tree, the inner part concerns the temple. The story of the fig tree helps us to understand the temple-event. The episode at the temple helps us to understand the story of the fig tree. The fig tree incident by itself looks peculiar (it was not the season for figs). The story of the fig tree is an acted out parable.

Cleansing of the temple is Jesus’ way of protesting to the commercialization religion, worship. So he wanted all the non-religious activities to be stopped so that the temple becomes a place of prayer and worship. This incident seems to be so at the appearance.  But there seems to be a deeper meaning behind it. There is a tone of judgement passed on.

God had promised to bless Israel through the Temple. If Israel took this promise for granted then God would punish them and pass judgment on them. The temple was to symbolize God’s presence in Israel for the sack of the world. But the Jews had organized the religion in such a nationalistic (narrow minded) view that it excluded the other people. So the temple itself is under judgment (no stone will be left on top of the other). Jesus asks for Faith in God and forgiveness of one another as the means to establish the kingdom.