The first event in Mark 11 was when Yeshua cursed the fig tree. The fig tree had leaves but no fruit. The fruit is typically in season during June/July and this would have been springtime but what makes this significant is that the tree already had a show of leaves. It is my understanding that the fig tree produces fruit and leaves simultaneously. Hence the fig tree was "showing off" if you will and I believe Yeshua cursed it for it's pretentiousness and that this served as a lesson to his Talmidim. He used this to encourage Peter about faith the next day when Peter marveled that the tree had shriveled up and died as a result of it being cursed by the Son of G-d.
I also believe the pretentiousness of the fig tree was later demonstrated in the actions of the scribes and pharisees challenging Yeshua at the end of Mark 11 concerning His authority. In fact, He would not answer them directly because He knew they were merely trying to trap Him. He showed who had the ultimate authority by not cowing down to them; nor did He allow Himself to be put in a position to defend Himself against their self-proclaimed authority.
Another significant event occuring in Mark 11 was Yeshua chasing the moneychanges from the temple. This is where I saw a direct link to Malachi 3. In Malachi 3:5 G-d is speaking against those who would defraud His people, oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens (gentiles) of justice. In Mark 11 when He drives out the merchants He speaks of how His House was to be a House of Prayer for ALL nations but these defrauders had turned it into a den of thieves and were thereby depriving entrance to the temple.
The two passages (Mark 11 and Malachi 3) also speak of Elijah. At the end of Mark 11, Yeshua asks the scribes and pharisees a question concerning who John the Immersers' authority to baptize was and in Malachi, the chapter begins with the declaration that G-d's messenger would come before the Messiah calling for repentance which Yeshua is also calling for in Mark 11 in His conversation with Peter concerning forgiveness.
The Holy Spirit really impressed upon me that during the Shabbat HaGadol when Yeshua was preparing to lay His life down for us on Passover to be our lamb from G-d's own hand (Genesis 22:8), He was fulfilling the prophecy in Malachi 3. These religious leaders who were so threatened by the Messiah and were supposed to be so well-versed in the scriptures, did not recognize that Yeshua HaMashiach was in their midst.
I was reminded again that just as the Jews did not recognize the promised Messiah, neither will many Christians recognize the second-coming of the Messiah because they are missing so much by disregarding the Torah of G-d. If we cannot see that the New Testament writings are only an extension of the Tanakh and not a different book we will miss so much of what Yeshua was trying to show us. I can testify to the fact that if we read and study with an open mind, G-d will be faithful to reveal truth in our innermost person. Psalm 51:6 He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6
Hello!
ReplyDeleteYou wrote: “ In fact, He would not answer them directly because He knew they were merely trying to trap Him. ”
[To differentiate,] The historical Mashiakh [“Messiah”] was a Ribi [similar to “Rabbi”] named Yehoshua. He taught his followers to keep the directives of the unchanging and eternal Torah - the Instruction Manual of the Creator. He was not divine, nor an “incarnate man-god”. “The gospels” contains words that contradict the teachings of the historical Ribi Yehoshua and thus they are not reliable. His original [reconstructed] teachings are available on www.netzarim.co.il (the only authentic Netzarim-website).
Relating to the Creator exactly in the same way as Ribi Yehoshua did – i.e. observing the Creators directives in the Torah – leads oneself into an intimate relationship with the Creator, which is very meaningful!
Anders Branderud