Mark 11:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

NIV: Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

NASB: And Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple area; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.

CSB: He went into Jerusalem and into the temple. After looking around at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

NLT: So Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. After looking around carefully at everything, he left because it was late in the afternoon. Then he returned to Bethany with the twelve disciples.

KJV: And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

NKJV: And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

The Greek literally says, "And he entered into Jerusalem into the temple." This gives us a hint of which gate Jesus entered. The East Gate, or Susa Gate, allows travelers to walk down the Mount of Olives, cross the Kidron Valley, and enter Jerusalem at the Temple Mount. Around AD 1600 , Muslim Ottoman Turks put a cemetery in front of the gate and sealed the gate itself, believing this would stop the prophesied Jewish Messiah from entering it. But God had already told Ezekiel that the gate would be shut because "the LORD, the God if Israel, has entered by it" (Ezekiel 44:1–3; see also Ezekiel 43:1–5).

"Looked around" is from the Greek root word periblepō. Jesus doesn't gawk at the magnificent temple; He inspects the area critically. The very next morning He cleanses the temple court, disrupting the money-changers and merchants who fill the Court of the Gentiles. In this verse, it's possible He's looking at the closed booths ready for business the next day.

Despite the excitement of the crowds as they approached the temple mount, it is safer if Jesus leaves before nightfall. He spends every day in the temple, preaching, and every night on the Mount of Olives (Luke 21:37–38), somewhat removed from the Jewish leaders who wish Him dead.

Scholars have tried to determine the precise order of events during Passion Week, but they face a difficult task. The writers, as was tradition in their culture, habitually group events by theme, rather than strict chronology. None of the synoptic Gospels record every event, and Matthew and Luke are not so specific as to what happened which day.

The day Jesus and the disciples reach the area, six days before the Passover, they have dinner with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (John 12:1–8). The next day is the triumphal entry (John 12:12–19). We don't know if it is this evening or the next morning that Jesus weeps over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41–44). We do know that the following morning, Jesus curses the fig tree on His way back to the temple (Mark 11:12–14; Matthew 21:18–19), and then cleanses the temple (Mark 11:15–19; Matthew 21:12–13) and heals people (Matthew 21:14–17). The morning after that, Peter notices that the fig tree is withered (Mark 11:20–25), an event that Matthew includes with the original curse (Matthew 21:20–22). Apparently the same day the tree appears withered, Jewish religious leaders challenge Jesus' authority (Mark 11:27–33; Matthew 21:23–27; Luke 20:1–8). Jesus then makes a habit of going to the temple courtyard every day to teach.

Mark 11:1–11 records an event included in all four Gospels: that several days before the crucifixion, Jesus enters Jerusalem, welcomed by the people as the Messiah who will free them from Roman rule. Jesus enters on a donkey, fulfilling prophecy and symbolizing the peaceful nature of His first coming. Matthew 21:1–11 ties the triumphal entry to Isaiah 62:11. Luke 19:29–44 records that the Pharisees demand Jesus silence His followers and that Jesus weeps, knowing what happen when the Romans destroy Jerusalem in AD 70. John 12:12–19 goes into more detail about how the disciples don't realize Jesus is fulfilling prophecy (Zechariah 9:9) until after the ascension (Acts 1:6–11).

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.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.