Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Mark: Chapter 11].
ton I•soun\). Vivid historical present. The owners acquiesced as
Jesus had predicted. Evidently friends of Jesus.
11:8 {Branches} (\stibadas\). A litter of leaves and rushes from
the fields. Textus Receptus spells this word \stoibadas\. Mt
21:8 has \kladous\, from \kla•\, to break, branches broken or
cut from trees. Joh 12:13 uses the branches of the palm trees
(\ta baia t•n phoinik•n\), "the feathery fronds forming the
tufted crown of the tree" (Vincent). That is to say, some of the
crowd did one of these things, some another. See on ¯Mt 21:4-9
for discussion of other details. The deliberate conduct of Jesus
on this occasion could have but one meaning. It was the public
proclamation of himself as the Messiah, now at last for his
"hour" has come. The excited crowds in front (\hoi proagontes\)
and behind (\hoi akolouthountes\) fully realize the significance
of it all. Hence their unrestrained enthusiasm. They expect
Jesus, of course, now to set up his rule in opposition to that of
Caesar, to drive Rome out of Palestine, to conquer the world for
the Jews.
11:11 {When he had looked round about upon all things}
(\periblepsamenos panta\). Another Markan detail in this aorist
middle participle. Mark does not give what Lu 19:39-55 has nor
what Mt 21:10-17 does. But it is all implied in this swift
glance at the temple before he went out to Bethany with the
Twelve, {it being now eventide} (\opse •d• ous•s t•s h•r•s\).
Genitive absolute, the hour being already late. What a day it had
been! What did the apostles think now?
11:12 {On the morrow} (\t•i epaurion\). Mt 21:18 has "early"
(\pr•i\), often of the fourth watch before six A.M. This was
Monday morning. The Triumphal Entry had taken place on our
Sunday, the first day of the week.
11:13 {If haply he might find anything thereon} (\ei ara ti
heur•sei en aut•i\). This use of \ei\ and the future indicative
for purpose (to see if, a sort of indirect question) as in Ac
8:22; 17:27. Jesus was hungry as if he had had no food on the
night before after the excitement and strain of the Triumphal
Entry. The early figs in Palestine do not get ripe before May or
June, the later crop in August. It was not the season of figs,
Mark notes. But this precocious tree in a sheltered spot had put
out leaves as a sign of fruit. It had promise without
performance.
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