Chapters 11-12 - Challenge Authority

In these chapters we see a stark contrast between the crowds’ reaction to Jesus and that of the religious authorities. Funny how quickly things change. The people greet Jesus as a king upon his entrance to Jerusalem, placing their cloaks and palm branches along his way. We’re told that they are spellbound by his teaching (11:18) and that they listen to him with delight (12:37). The chief priests, scribes and elders, however, challenge his authority at every turn. The Pharisees question him about paying taxes; the Sadducees go after him on the topic of resurrection.

To be fair, Jesus gives as good as he gets. He drives the money changers from the Temple. He questions the scribes’ interpretation of Scripture and then challenges them outright: “Beware of the scribes…who devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers” (12:40). It’s not accidental that the next story we read is that of “the widow’s mite.” Jesus watches a poor widow put two small copper coins in the temple treasury – “everything she had, all she had to live on” (12:44). While Jesus may well be commending her generosity (vs. those who give out of their abundance), he’s also commenting on a corrupt system that so devours widows’ houses that this is “all she had to live on”.

So whose authority is legitimate? Consider what Jesus uses his authority to do. He tries to restore the temple to its original purpose as a house of prayer. He calls the disciples to forgiveness. He reminds the leaders in whose image they were made. Coins are made in the image of the Emperor; people (yes, even those who challenge him) are made in the image of God.

Perhaps the most baffling moment in these chapters is Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree. What did the fig tree do to him? It wasn’t even the season for figs. Typically, when Mark inserts a story between two connected stories, the middle story provides a key to interpreting what falls on either side. In this case, Jesus might be comparing the fig tree to the temple itself. The temple had grown so corrupted that few, if any, were drawing nourishment from it. Soon the temple would fall altogether. While the cursing of the fig tree is a parabolic action (and hence, open to multiple interpretations), perhaps he’s drawing a contrast between his own hasty action and the patient response of the landowner to his tenants in the parable of the vineyard that starts chapter 12. The owner in the parable created all the necessary conditions for growth and then waited until the season came (12:2) before trying to collect his share of the vineyard’s proceeds. He sent multiple messengers before he finally sent his son.

It won’t be too much longer before the tenants kill the beloved son. In the meantime, however, all is not lost. One scribe manages to get it right. Perhaps there’s hope for the religious authorities after all. The scribe hears Jesus’ summary of the law (otherwise known as the great commandment – i.e. love God and love your neighbor as yourself) and agrees with him. Jesus’ response to this scribe: “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (12:34).

What do you think? What teaching here inspires you? What confuses you? Click on “comments” below and add your thoughts!