12 On the next day , when they had left Bethany , He became hungry . 13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf , He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves , for it was not the season for figs . 14 He said to it, "May no one ever e eat fruit from you again !" And His disciples were listening .
15 Then they came to Jerusalem . And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple , and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves ; 16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple . 17 And He began to teach and say to them, "Is it not written , ' MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS '? But you have made it a ROBBERS' DEN ." 18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 11:12-18
Commentary on Mark 11:12-18
(Read Mark 11:12-18)
Christ looked to find some fruit, for the time of gathering figs, though it was near, was not yet come; but he found none. He made this fig-tree an example, not to the trees, but to the men of that generation. It was a figure of the doom upon the Jewish church, to which he came seeking fruit, but found none. Christ went to the temple, and began to reform the abuses in its courts, to show that when the Redeemer came to Zion, it was to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. The scribes and the chief priests sought, not how they might make their peace with him, but how they might destroy him. A desperate attempt, which they could not but fear was fighting against God.