---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse Mark 11:1. He sendeth - two of his disciples — This was done but a few days before the passover. See our Lord"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/mark/11"
---

Verse [Mark 11:1](../../../kjv/mark/11/1). ***He sendeth - two of his disciples*** — This was done but a few days before the passover. See our Lord's entry into Jerusalem illustrated, on [Matthew 21:1-17](../../../kjv/matthew/21/1-17).

Verse [Mark 11:2](../../../kjv/mark/11/2). ***Whereon never man sat*** — No animal was allowed to be employed in sacred uses, even among the heathen, that had previously been used for any domestic or agricultural purpose; and those which had never been yoked were considered as sacred. See several proofs of this in the note on [Numbers 19:2](../../../kjv/numbers/19/2), and add this from Ovid: -
Met. lib. iii. v. 10.

The Delphic oracles this answer give: -
Behold among the fields a lonely cow,
Unworn with yokes, unbroken to the plough.

Verse [Mark 11:3](../../../kjv/mark/11/3). ***And straightway he will send him hither.*** — From the text, I think it is exceedingly plain, that our Lord did not *beg*, but *borrow*, the colt; therefore the latter clause of this verse should be understood as the promise of *returning* him. Is not the proper translation the following? *And if any one say to you, Why* *do ye this? Say, the Lord hath need of him, and will speedily* *send him back hither* - και ευθεως αυτον αποστελλει ὡδε. Some eminent critics take the same view of the passage.

Verse [Mark 11:6](../../../kjv/mark/11/6). ***And they let them go.*** — Having a full assurance that the beast should be *safely* and *speedily restored*.

Verse [Mark 11:10](../../../kjv/mark/11/10). ***In the name of the Lord*** — Omitted by BCDLU, some others, and several *versions. Griesbach* leaves it out.
***Hosanna in the highest!*** — [Matthew 21:9](../../../kjv/matthew/21/9); [Matthew 21:9](../../../kjv/matthew/21/9).

Verse [Mark 11:11](../../../kjv/mark/11/11). ***When he had looked round about upon all things*** — *He* *examined every thing*- to see if the matters pertaining to the Divine worship were properly conducted; to see that nothing was *wanting*-nothing *superfluous*.
***And now the eventide was come*** — The time in which he usually left Jerusalem, to go to Bethany.

Verse [Mark 11:13](../../../kjv/mark/11/13). ***For the time of figs was not yet.*** — Rather, *For it* *was not the season of gathering figs yet*. This I am fully persuaded is the true *sense* of this passage, ου γαρ ην καιρος συκων. For a proof that καιρος here signifies the time of *gathering* the figs, see the LXX. in [Psalms 1:3](../../../kjv/psalms/1/3). *He bringeth forth his fruit*, εν καιρω αυτου, *in his season*; i.e. in the time in which fruit should be ripe, and fit for gathering. See also [Mark 12:2](../../../kjv/mark/12/2): -And at the *season*, τῳ καιρῳ, the time of gathering the fruits of the vineyard. [Matthew 21:34](../../../kjv/matthew/21/34): - *When the time of the fruit drew near*; ὁ καιρος των καρπων, the time in which the fruits were to be *gathered*, for it was then that the Lord of the vineyard sent his servants to *receive* the fruits; i.e. so much of them as the holder of the vineyard was to pay to the owner by way of *rent*; for in those times rent was paid in *kind*.
To the above may be added, [Job 5:26](../../../kjv/job/5/26): - *Thou shalt come to thy grave in* FULL AGE, *like as a shock of corn* *cometh in his season*; κατακαιρον, in the time in which it should be reaped.
When our Lord saw this fig tree by the *way-side*, apparently flourishing, he went to it to gather some of the figs: being on the *way-side*, it was not *private*, but *public* property; and any traveller had an equal right to its fruit. As it was not as yet the *time* for *gathering* in the fruits, and yet *about* the *time* when they were *ready* to be gathered, our Lord with propriety expected to find some. But as this happened about *five days* before that passover on which Christ suffered, and the passover that year fell on the beginning of *April*, it has been asked, "How could our Lord expect to find *ripe* figs in the end of *March*?" Answer, Because figs were *ripe* in Judea as early as the *passover*. Besides, the fig tree puts forth its fruit *first*, and afterwards its leaves. Indeed, this tree, in the climate which is proper for it, has fruit on it all the year round, as I have often seen. All the difficulty in the text may be easily removed by considering that the *climate* of *Judea* is widely different from that of *Great* *Britain*. The *summer* begins there in March, and the *harvest* at the passover, as all travellers into those countries testify; therefore, as our Lord met with this tree five days *before* the passover, it is evident, - 1st. That it was the *time* of *ripe* figs: and, 2ndly. That it was *not* the *time* of *gathering* them, because this did not begin till the *passover*, and the transaction here mentioned took place *five* days before.
For farther satisfaction on this point, let us suppose: -
I. That this tree was intended to point out the *state* of the *Jewish* *people*.
1. They made a *profession* of the true religion.
2. They considered themselves the *peculiar* people of God, and despised and *reprobated* all others.
3. They were only *hypocrites*, having nothing of religion but the *profession - leaves*, and no *fruit*.
II. That our Lord's conduct towards this tree is to be considered as *emblematical* of the treatment and final perdition which was to come upon this hypocritical and ungodly nation.
1. It was a *proper* time for them to have borne *fruit*: Jesus had been preaching the doctrine of repentance and salvation among them for more than *three* years; the choicest influences of Heaven had descended upon them; and every thing was done in this vineyard that ought to be done, in order to make it fruitful.
2. The time was now at hand in which God would require *fruit, good fruit*; and, if it did not produce such, the tree should be hewn down by the Roman axe.
Therefore,
1. The *tree* is properly the Jewish nation.
2. Christ's *curse* the sentence of destruction which had now gone out against it; and,
3. Its *withering away*, the final and total ruin of the Jewish state by the Romans.
His cursing the fig tree was not occasioned by any *resentment* at being *disappointed* at not finding fruit on it, but to *point out* unto his disciples the wrath which was coming upon a people who had now nearly filled up the measure of their iniquity.
A *fruitless soul*, that has had much cultivation bestowed on it, may expect to be dealt with as God did with this unrighteous nation. See on [Matthew 21:19](../../../kjv/matthew/21/19), &c.

Verse [Mark 11:15](../../../kjv/mark/11/15). ***And they come*** — Several MSS. and versions have παλιν, *again*. This was the next day after our Lord's triumphant entry into Jerusalem; for on the evening of that day he went to *Bethany*, and lodged there, [Mark 11:11](../../../kjv/mark/11/11), and [Matthew 21:17](../../../kjv/matthew/21/17), and returned the next morning to Jerusalem.

Verse [Mark 11:16](../../../kjv/mark/11/16). ***Should carry*****any*****vessel*** — Among the Jews the word *keli, vessel*, had a vast latitude of meaning; it signified *arms*, [Jeremiah 21:4](../../../kjv/jeremiah/21/4); [Ezekiel 9:1](../../../kjv/ezekiel/9/1); *clothes*, [Deuteronomy 22:5](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/22/5), and *instruments of music*, [Psalms 71:22](../../../kjv/psalms/71/22). It is likely that the evangelist uses the Greek word σκευος in the same sense, and by it points out any of the *things* which were *bought* and *sold* in the temple.

Verse 17. ***And he taught - them*** — [Matthew 21:12](../../../kjv/matthew/21/12).

Verse 19. ***He went out of the city.*** — To go to Bethany.

Verse 22. ***Have faith in God*** — Εχετε πιϚιν θεου is a mere Hebraism: *have the faith of God*, i.e. have *strong* faith, or the *strongest faith*, for thus the Hebrews expressed the *superlative* degree; so the *mountains of God* mean exceeding *great* mountains-the *hail of God*, exceeding *great hail*, &c.

Verse 25. ***When ye stand praying*** — This expression may mean no more than, *When ye are disposed*, or *have a mind, to pray*, i.e. whenever ye perform that duty. And it is thus used and explained in the Koran, Surat. v. ver. 7. See Clarke on [Matthew 21:20-22](../../../kjv/matthew/21/20-22). But the Pharisees loved to pray *standing*, that they might be *seen of men*.

Verse 26. At the end of this verse, the 7th and 8th verses of [Matthew 7](../../../kjv/matthew/7):, [Matthew 7:7-8](../../../kjv/matthew/7/7-8) Ask and ye shall receive, &c., are added by M, and sixteen other MSS.
The 26th verse is wanting in BLS, seven others, some editions, the *Coptic*, one *Itala*, and *Theophyact*.

Verse [Mark 11:27-33](../../../kjv/mark/11/27-33). See on [Matthew 21:23-27](../../../kjv/matthew/21/23-27).

Verse 28. [Mark 11:27](../../../kjv/mark/11/27); [Mark 11:27](../../../kjv/mark/11/27).

Verse 29. [Mark 11:27](../../../kjv/mark/11/27); [Mark 11:27](../../../kjv/mark/11/27).

Verse 30. [Mark 11:27](../../../kjv/mark/11/27); [Mark 11:27](../../../kjv/mark/11/27).

Verse 31. [Mark 11:27](../../../kjv/mark/11/27); [Mark 11:27](../../../kjv/mark/11/27).

Verse [Mark 11:32](../../../kjv/mark/11/32). ***They feared the people*** — Or rather, *We fear*, c. Instead of εφοβουντο, *they feared* the *Codex Bezae*, seven others, later *Syriac, Arabic, Coptic, AEthiopic, Armenian, Vulgate*, and all the *Itala*, read φοβουμεν, or φοβουμεθα. The common reading appearing to me quite improper.
WE *fear the people*. εαν, *if*, before ειπωμεν, *we shall* *say*, is omitted by ABCEFGHLS, and more than fifty others. Bengel leaves it out of the text, and puts a note of interrogation after εξ ανθρωπων; and then the whole passage reads thus: *But shall we* *say, Of men? They feared the people*, c. This change renders the adoption of φοβουμεν, *we fear*, unnecessary. Several critics prefer this mode of distinguishing the text. However the critics may be puzzled with the text, the scribes, chief priests, and elders were worse puzzled with our Lord's question. They must convict themselves or tell a most palpable falsehood. - They told the lie, and so escaped for the present.
1. ENVY, malice, and double dealing have always a difficult part to act, and are ultimately confounded by their own projects and ruined by their own operations. On the other hand, simplicity and sincerity are not obliged to use a mask, but always walk in a plain way.
2. The case of the barren fig-tree which our Lord cursed has been pitifully misunderstood and misapplied. The whole account of this transaction, as stated above, I believe to be correct it is so much in our Lord's usual manner that the propriety of it will scarcely be doubted. He was ever acting the part of the *philosopher, moralist*, and *divine*, as well as that of the *Saviour* *of sinners*. In his hand, every providential occurrence and every object of nature, became a means of instruction: the *stones* of the desert, the *lilies* of the field, the *fowls* of heaven, the *beasts* of the forest, *fruitful* and *unfruitful* trees, with every ordinary occurrence, were so many grand *texts*, from which he preached the most illuminating and impressive sermons, for the instruction and salvation of his audience. This wisdom and condescension cannot be sufficiently admired. But shall the example of the *fruitless* *fig tree* be lost on *us* as well as on the *Jews*? God forbid! Let us therefore take heed, lest having been so long unfruitful, God should say, *Let no fruit appear on thee hereafter for ever*! and in consequence of this, we wither and die away! [Mark 11:27](../../../kjv/mark/11/27).

Verse [Mark 11:33](../../../kjv/mark/11/33). [Mark 11:27](../../../kjv/mark/11/27).

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