Jesus cleanses the temple Mk 11:12-25

GOSPEL OF MARK SERIES

THE BIBLE: GOSPEL OF MARK SERIES ICON.

During 2019, each week, I will write a weekly post about the Gospel of Mark, as I review and explore each of the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in our daily lives. If you are following this series for the first time, you will find this series under Scripture- New Testament- Gospel of Mark. 

Click here to read the first post in the series. I have written this series in different years (2012, 2015, 2018) with some irregularity, but am determined to complete this series this year since I am more than half way through this Gospel.

My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of Mark. I hope you will join me on this journey as we travel through the liturgical season.  In today's post we explore chapter 10:46-52 which is called Jesus purifies the temple.\

JESUS PURIFIES THE TEMPLE

The dramatic cleansing of the temple in Jerusalem is another example when Mark sandwiches one event between the two halves of another.  The story of the fig tree frames, before and after, the story of the temple cleansing.  By this Mark says one story helps to understand the other.

The next day, as Jesus with the 12 leaves Bethany to enter Jerusalem for a second time, they find a fig tree with leaves but fruit.  This episode may have been a parable of Jesus, which in a community tradition: over the years, before Mark wrote, became an actual happened, to give more point to the teaching.  The cursing of it really by having no fruit at the wrong season is unlike the usual behaviour of Jesus.

Jesus sees the temple as a place of sterile worship and rejects it. It does not give a true witness to God’s power coming into the world.  In a symbolic action, characteristic of the great prophets of the Old Testament, Jesus takes back the temple from those who have ‘’stolen’’ it for national interests and secular concerns, to make it a place for all peoples.

He begins to teach them, making it a house of prayer for all, the people listen to His words, but the priests and scribes look for ways to destroy him.  When at evening comes. He leaves Jerusalem.

Next morning, they enter the city for the third time and find the fig tree withered.  It is a symbol of the eventual destruction of the temple, where other things have replaced true faith in God.  It also symbolises faith that bears fruit.

True faith and prayer rise from responsiveness to God in faith and always bear fruit, even fruits humanly impossible.  Prayer in true faith, Jesus teaches, is always open and to forgive others.  Only then can god’s action effectively and reach those who pray.