Mark 11:32

And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, For the exposition, see the notes at Matthew 21:23....

27-33 Our Saviour shows how near akin his doctrine and baptism were to those of John; they had the same design and tendency, to bring in the gospel kingdom. These elders did not deserve to be taught; for it was plain that they contended not for truth, but victory: nor did he need to tell them; for the works he did, told them plainly he had authority from God; since no man could do the miracles which he did, unless God were with him....

Verse 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 e

See the notes at Matthew 20:23....

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)

BUT IF WE SHALL SAY, OF MEN,.... That John's baptism was an human invention, and he had no authority from God to preach and administer it, THEY FEARED THE PEOPLE; lest being enraged thereby they should, at once, rise up, and destroy them: FOR ALL MEN COUNTED JOHN, THAT HE WAS A PROPHET INDEED; a real prophet, one truly sent from God, and had his commission and credentials from him: this was the general sentiment of the people; Matthew 21:26....

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....

FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH RELIGIOUS LEADERS ON THE QUESTION OF AUTHORITY. On the Tuesday, an official deputation meets Jesus in the Temple, and asks by what right He has taken upon Himself police duties like the control of the market. Who has given Him permission to clear the court of the Gentiles and even to teach in the Temple? The one decisive question which Jesus puts in reply is not a subtle evasion of an attempt to trap Him into a Messianic confession. The nature of John's authority raised a fundamental issue on which Jesus and the Pharisees were at variance. To Jesus John was a man sent from God. That conviction underlay His whole activity. The men who would not recognise John as a prophet, and who yet had not the moral courage to deny his authority, could not understand Jesus, and deserved no direct answer. For all that, the question of Jesus, so far from evading theirs, clearly answe...

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

SAY, OF MEN. Supply the logical Ellipsis, thus: "Of men [it will not be wise]; for they feared the people", &c....