In Mark 11:20 the Gospel narrator records yet a third entry into Jerusalem, and this occurs the day after Jesus cursed the fig tree (Mark 11:20; cp. 11:12-14). Luke also records this entry, but instead of introducing the entry with the cursed fig tree, he tells us Jesus wept over the city before entering (Luke 19:41-48). Why would he do such a thing? The Gospel narratives record Jesus weeping only twice, once before the grave of Lazarus (John 11:35) and the second time before the city of Jerusalem (Luke 19:41). Both times he wept because of judgment. Lazarus, whom Jesus loved, had died (cp. Romans 5:12), and the city of Jerusalem had been destined for destruction (Luke 19:42-44; cp. Matthew 22:7; 23:37-39). Nevertheless, Jesus had no reason to weep upon his first coming (Mark 11:1, 11), because the city knew nothing of him (Matthew 21:10), and when he had come the second time, the whole city went out to greet him (John 12:12-13), so where was there reason for weeping at that time? However, when Jesus spoke of his death, the people began to reject him as their Messiah (John 12:31-34). Jesus warned them of the choice they were making. Therefore, he went out and hid himself (John 12:35-36), because they refused to believe (John 12:37, 40). So, Jesus wept upon his third entry into Jerusalem, because no one came out from the city to greet him, thus evidencing their unbelief.
When Peter noticed how the fig tree had withered over the course of a single day (cp. Mark 11:12-14), he was surprised and pointed it out to Jesus (Mark 11:21). Jesus replied with a focus on prayer. Although the fig tree represented Jerusalem, Jesus cursed the tree, not the city. The fate of the city lay in its acceptance or rejection of its Messiah. Nevertheless, Jesus knew he would be rejected by the people, because they had confidence in their leaders who had already rejected him and sought an opportunity to slay him. Therefore, Jesus cursed the tree whose barrenness was a symbol of the heart of the Jewish people in the first century AD, and his curse was a prayer to the Father. After all, Jesus himself claimed he had no power, as man, to do what he did. He did all through the power of the Father (John 5:19, 30; 14:10). In the same manner Jesus told Peter to have the faith **of** God, not in God, as some translations have it. Rather, Jesus used a known Hebraism that connects that prayer of faith with what follows, and what follows has something to do with the word of God. In other words, the prayer of faith isn’t prayed over one’s mere desires but over what God had already promised and is evidenced in his word (cp. John 15:7).
Jesus spoke of a mountain and it being cast into the sea through prayer. This has led some Biblical scholars to believe Jesus spoke of a literal mountain and, in the context of Mark 11:23, he would have pointed to the Mount of Olives,[1] but this isn’t true and misses Jesus’ point entirely. When had Jesus ever prayed for a literal mountain to be cast into the sea, and, if Jesus hadn’t done so, how could we, knowing we are to follow his example (John 13:15; cp. 1Peter 2:21)? Rather, Jesus was speaking metaphorically in Mark 11:23 (cp. Daniel 2:35; Zechariah 4:7; Revelation 8:8), and in the context of the cursing of the fig tree, the nation or mountain in question could be none other than Jerusalem in the first century AD.
Apparently, prayers are sometime phrased as commands, “Be you removed…” (Mark 11:23-24; cp. Isaiah 45:11; Joshua 10:12; Genesis 32:26; Hosea 12:4), because neither could Jesus’ disciples command the impossible through their own power and expect it to be done. Instead, they commanded the impossible in order to glorify God and to lift up Jesus (Acts 3:6; cp. Mark 2:9; John 5:8). In doing so, they acted out of a forgiving heart, embracing all, whether friend or foe, because the Gospel demands mercy and forgiveness (Mark 11:25-26). Therefore, with a pure heart, and because they didn’t doubt, the Lord heard them (1John 5:14-15), and what they commanded was done in Jesus’ name (cp. Mark 16:17-18).
____________________________________________________
[1] See The Pulpit Commentary; You Can Understand the Bible Study Guide Commentary by Dr. Bob Utley; E.W. Bullinger’s Companion Bible Notes; John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible; Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible).
Smoodock's Blog 