Mark 11:13

And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. AND SEEING A FIG TREE. (In Matthew 21:19, it is 'one fig tree' [ mian (G3391)], but the sense is the same as here, 'a certain fig tree' [= tina (G5100)], as in Matthew 8:19, etc.) Bethphage, which adjoined Bethany, derives its name from its being a fig-region [ beeyt (H1004) pagiy (H6291)]...

12-18 Christ looked to find some fruit, for the time of gathering figs, though it was near, was not yet come; but he found none. He made this fig-tree an example, not to the trees, but to the men of that generation. It was a figure of the doom upon the Jewish church, to which he came seeking fruit, but found none. Christ went to the temple, and began to reform the abuses in its courts, to show that when the Redeemer came to Zion, it was to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. The scribes and the chief priests sought, not how they might make their peace with him, but how they might destroy him. A desperate attempt, which they could not but fear was fighting against God....

Verse 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. _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: -And at the _season_, τῳ καιρῳ, the time of gathering the fruits of the vineyard. Matthew 21:34: - _When the time of the fruit drew near_; ὁ καιρος των...

See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 21:18. Mark 11:11 INTO THE TEMPLE - Not into the edifice properly called “the temple,” but into the “courts” which surrounded the principal edifice. Our Saviour, not being of the tribe of Levi, was not permitted to enter into the holy or most holy place; and when, therefore, it is said that he went into the “temple,” it is always to be understood of the “courts” surrounding the temple. See the notes at Matthew 21:12. AND WHEN HE HAD LOOKED ROUND ABOUT UPON ALL THINGS - Having seen or examined everything. He saw the abominations and abuses which he afterw

EXPOSITION MARK 11:1 AND WHEN THEY DREW NIGH UNTO JERUSALEM, UNTO BETHPHAGE AND BETHANY, AT THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. St. Matthew (Matthew 21:1) says, "When they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and came unto Bethphage." St. Mark mentions the three places together, because Bethphage and Bethany, being near together, were also both of them close to Jerusalem. The distance from Jericho to Jerusalem (about seventeen miles) would involve a journey of about seven hours. The country between Jerusalem and Jericho is hilly, rugged, and desolate. It is from the height overhanging Bethany that the finest view of Jerusalem is gained. It appears from St. John (John 12:1)

AND SEEING A FIG TREE AFAR OFF,.... By the wayside, at some distance from him: HAVING LEAVES; very large and spreading, which made a great show, as if there might be fruit on it: HE CAME; unto it; either he went out of his way to it, or having seen it before him a good way off, at length came up to it IF HAPLY HE MIGHT FIND ANY THING THEREON; that is, any fruit; for he saw at a distance, there were leaves upon it; and which was the more remarkable, since it was the time of the fig tree just putting forth its tender branches, leaves, and fruit: AND WHEN HE CAME TO IT, HE FOUND NOTHING BUT LEAVES; no fruit at all upon it, contrary to his expectation as man, and the promising appearance the tree made: FOR THE TIME OF FIGS WAS NOT [YET]; or, "for it was not the time of figs"; for the word "yet", is not in the text: and the words seem rather to be a reason, why Christ should not hav

LEAVES Fig trees which have retained their leaves through the winter usually have figs also. It was still too early for new leaves or fruit....

PART III. THE SERVANT IN JERUSALEM PRESENTED AS KING AND REJECTED -- Chapter s 11-13 Chapter 11 __ 1. The Servant enters into Jerusalem. (Mark 11:1 .Matthew 21:1; Luke 19:28; John 12:12) 2. The fig tree cursed. (Mark 11:12. Compare with Matthew 21:19) 3. The Cleansing of the Temple. (Mark 11:15....

THE CURSING OF THE FIG-TREE. Though it is difficult to believe that Jesus spent only one crowded week in Jerusalem, Mk. here becomes confidently precise in chronology, and he tells the story of the fig-tree, distinguishing the stages in it, as if he were following exact recollections. On the first evening, Jesus surveyed the Temple, not as if He had never seen it before, but to determine His course of action. After looking round, He withdrew to Bethany. The next day occurred the incident of the fig-tree a difficult story, absent from Lk. One is tempted to suppose either that the parable of the barren fig-tree (Luke 13:6 *) has been transformed into incident, or, as HNT suggests, that the story grew round some conspicuous dead tree in the vicinity of Jerusalem. As Mk. relates it, it does not read even as an acted parable, symbolic of judgment on the fruitlessness of Judaism....

THE COMING OF THE KING (Mark 11:1-6)...