What does Mark 11:21 mean?
Much of what Jesus does in His ministry isn't intended primarily for that specific moment. Rather, He often acts so that the disciples will have a vivid lesson, example, or application available later. Jesus first cleanses the temple courtyards of money changers and livestock merchants early on, shortly after His first miracle. The religious leaders confront Him, asking on what authority is He acting. He tells them that if the temple was destroyed, He would built it again in three days. It isn't until after the resurrection that the disciples realize He is talking about Himself (John 2:13–22).The night of the Passover, Jesus tells Peter that before the cock crows Peter will deny Him three times. Peter doesn't remember these words while he is in courtyard of the high priest. He only remembers after he has denied Jesus (Mark 14:66–72).
After the crucifixion, when the women go to the tomb to tend Jesus' body, the angel reminds them that Jesus said He would be crucified and raised on the third day. Then the women remember His words (Luke 24:1–8).
After Jesus received His glorified body, the disciples remember the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 that the Messiah will ride in on the colt of a donkey (Mark 11:7; John 12:16).
Sometimes, Jesus must spell out what has happened. When the disciples forget to bring bread on their travels, Jesus reminds them how He fed two crowds with very few loaves and fishes (Mark 8:14–20). After the resurrection, He meets two disciples headed to the village Emmaus. Jesus spends all evening with them, explaining how ever since Moses the Scriptures have pointed to the death of the Messiah (Luke 24:13–27).
The reason the disciples don't understand in the moment varies. Sometimes they harden their own hearts (Mark 6:52), while in other cases God hides the truth from them until it will impact them in a greater way (Luke 18:34).
Every Scripture is useful for teaching (2 Timothy 3:16–17), but Scripture is also useful for validating itself. Hundreds of prophecies have already been fulfilled. In a broader sense, the truths of Scripture reveal themselves in our own lives. We might read something in the Bible without understanding it. Later, we may find we've lived through an experience that reveals the truth of what we've previously read: evidence that the Bible is God's Word and something we can trust.
Mark 11:20–26 is the conclusion of the story started in Mark 11:12–14. The fig tree Jesus cursed is found to be withered to its roots, truly dead, the next morning. The fig tree represents Jerusalem and, to an extent, Judaism, which has ceased to worship God and bless the people. In a few days, at the Last Supper, Jesus teaches the disciples that they cannot bear fruit unless they are dependent on Him, just as a vine is useless unless it is connected to the branch. Fruitless vines will wither, then be tossed into the fire, and burned (John 15:1–11). This half of the story of the fig tree is also found in Matthew 21:20–22. Verse 26 is not found in most modern translations.
Jesus and the disciples arrive in Jerusalem a week before the crucifixion, and Jesus begins the last days of His public ministry. They spend their nights on the Mount of Olives and their days in Jerusalem (Luke 21:37). Jesus accepts the accolades designed for a king (Mark 11:1–11), attacks materialistic tradition that keeps people from worshiping God (Mark 11:15–19), gives an object lesson about the fate of fruitless Jerusalem (Mark 11:12–14, 20–25), and reveals the Jewish religious leaders' hypocrisy (Mark 11:27–33). Despite the support of the crowd, Jesus is pushing the leaders toward the crucifixion.
