#BibleStudy Signs and Wonders – Miracle # 12 – “The Withered Fig Tree” - Mark 11-12-25. 04-24-2022 -- Discussion

Doesn't v14 indicate that hearing what Jesus said was not a common occurrence? Explain.

• Listening isn't always hearing.
• We hear a lot but really listen to a few.

Why would Jesus do what He did in the Temple after He did it early in His ministry?

• Slow learners.
• Nothing changed.
• Mabey He did it every year...

What would you do after Jesus leaves if you were a “regular Jew” in the Temple when He overturned the tables?

• If I wasn't a vendor, I'd take some "free samples."
• Look to the Chief Priest and other big wigs.  BUT the High Priest and his family were a "crime family" in charge of lots of illegal ventures.
• This time the Chief Priest plans to kill Jesus.
• Jesus was destroying traditions.
• You can see why Jesus was angry. Everything He destroyed focused on STUFF not A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

What motivated selling sacrifices in the Temple in the first place?

• Profit for vendors.
• Convenience.
• Requirement for those traveling long distances to get to the Temple.
• They should have been selling oxen, sheep, doves, and the best first fruits. However, it was common for inspectors to reject a sacrificial animal, confiscate it, and sell it to a worshiper later in the day.

Why were money changers needed in the Temple? 

Or were they?

• Probably, at least from a practical standpoint.
• As cities grew in population, fewer and fewer farmers and shepherds who raised animals lived in the area.
• The Temple Tax required payment in Temple Shekels.
• There was no unified money among nations. The temple had to figure out how much each type of coin was worth. That devolved into the corrupt system in place in Jesus' day.

What was the mark-up on doves sold in the Temple?

• According to the study guide, the markup was 20 times.

Look at a map of the Temple area in Jerusalem in Jesus’ day. What does this have to do with forbidding anyone to carry merchandise…”?

• Can't sell inside the Temple itself.
• There were many "courts" (women, gentiles, lepers) to pass through and disrupt.