Introduction
Mrs. Hanrick's son was pretty sure George was guilty of robbing her grocery store. But George was adamantly denying any guilt, and evidence was hard to come by. At last, as a desperate move, he decided to try to force George into making a confession. He found George at a local restaurant and made sure people were paying attention before saying, "I can't believe you would steal Robby's car to rob my Mother's store!" Enraged at the false accusation, George replied, "You know I didn't steal Robby's car to rob the grocery. I'll have you know I took my own car." Before he had quite finished, George saw what he had done, but words aren't retractable and there had been witnesses. In Mark 11:27-33, the religious rulers are trying to force Jesus to say something that they would claim was a lie to use against Him. Study the passage to see how Jesus wisely answers their question.
Observation
Pray
Ask the Lord to give you an eager heart to know Him and a willingness to seek and believe His truth as you study His Word today.
Read Focus Verses
Read Mark 11:27-33 and notice the way Jesus responded to His enemies.
Finding the Keyword
There's a word repeated three times in this passage. Can you find it?
Keyword - Authority
Marking the word authority will help it stand out as a theme in the passage.
Authority
Mark the word authority each time it appears in Mark 11:27-33.
Keyword - Jesus Christ
Marking the Names of and references to Jesus makes it easy to spot Him as the main Character.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Mark the Name "Jesus" and the references to Him (He, Him, His, etc.) in Mark 11:27-33.
Where?
Where do the events in today's passage take place according to verse 27?
Who?
Who came to Jesus in verse 27?
Question
What did they ask Jesus?
Response
How did Jesus answer them in verses 29-30?
Private Discussion
How did the chief priests, scribes, and elders determine what their answer should be in verses 31-32?
Motivation
What did they fear that motivated them to answer the way they did according to the end of verse 32?
The Crowd
What was the opinion of the crowd about John the Baptist according to verse 32?
The Answer
How did they answer Jesus?
Reply
How did Jesus reply to them in verse 33?
Context
The context around a passage of Scripture can give you information to better understand it. In this case, if you look a few verses before today's passage you'll see something that will help you understand the way Jesus responds in these verses. Check what Mark 11:18 says about the people who ask Jesus the question in today's verses. (If you're interested, you can study those verses more in depth in the study plan for them called, "Is Your Temple Clean?")
The Scribes and Priests
What do these earlier verses tell you about the scribes and priests and what they thought of Jesus?
Impact
How does that impact the way you look at their motives, actions, and words in today's passage?
Interpretation
The Temple Jesus Knew
Today's events happen in the temple of Jesus' day built by Herod. This 3D model allows you to imagine walking in the temple like Jesus was when today's passage opens.
Click To Visit WebsiteNot the Norm
Perhaps the way Jesus answers (or doesn't answer) the question in today's passage feels unusual to you. If you go back through the Gospel of Mark and look at the way Jesus usually answered questions, you'll find that you're right. For instance, see the first question Mark records Jesus being asked in Mark 2:18-20.
John the Baptist
Consider how Jesus answers in Mark 9:11-13.
Describe
Of course, there are many other similar occasions in Mark and the other Gospels. Based on these two, how would you describe the way Jesus answered people?
Difference
How would you describe the difference between those answers and the one in today's passage?
The Religious Leaders
If you look earlier in Mark you'll find that the religious rulers hated Jesus long before chapter eleven. Look at what Mark 3:6 says.
Description
Jesus describes the true nature of the religion of these rulers in Mark 7:8-9.
Crucify Him
In Luke 23:20-25, during Jesus' trial, you can see that these religious rulers were the ones who urged the crowd to demand that Jesus be be crucified).
Position
How would you describe the attitude and intentions of the religious rulers of Israel toward Jesus?
Intention
You already saw one time when the questions from the religious rulers were not genuine questions but planned traps. You can see that this was not an isolated instance when you look at Mark 12:13-17.
Questions
When some people ask questions they want to learn something or are genuinely curious. How would you describe the reasons these religious rulers asked Jesus questions?
Jesus' Authority
You've seen that Jesus usually answered questions and that the religious rulers wanted to destroy Him. Now you might be wondering whether Jesus was secretive about His authority. Check out what He said in John 6:38-40.
More than Once
That wasn't a one-time statement. Consider John 10:36-38. (There are many others.)
Authority
What did Jesus say was the basis of His authority?
Not the First Time
This is not the first time the religious rulers have challenged Jesus on His authority. Take a look at Mark 3:22-30.
Accusation
What accusation did the religious rulers make in Mark 3?
The Question and Claim
By asking Jesus the source of His authority, the religious rulers were trying to force Him to announce in so many words that He was the Messiah before He was ready. Claiming to be the Messiah if you weren't was punishable by death in Israel. You can see this by the way the religious rulers responded in Mark 14:61-64 when Jesus answered a similar question during His trial. (Though He was the Messiah, they claimed He was lying.)
Obedient
Though we see from the way Jesus resolutely faced His trials and death that He was no coward, He also was willing to wait on God's timing for vindication as you can see in an earlier occasion in Jesus' life in John 7:6-10.
Character
What does it tell us about Jesus' character that people could taunt or mock Jesus into taking unwise actions or making foolish decisions?
Work Not Done
Similarly, notice His response when the Pharisees tried to scare Him into hiding in Luke 13:31-33.
Confidence
Was Jesus concerned that they would harm Him before the right time? Why or why not?
Not Time
Based on everything you've seen, why do you think Jesus chose not to answer the question of the religious rulers directly in today's passage?
John's Announcement
When the angel Gabriel announced John the Baptist's birth, he identified the special role John would play in Luke 1:13-17.
Prepare the Way for Jesus
What was John's job?
Me then You
Consider what Jesus says in John 15:20.
A Litmus Test
Jesus said that those who reject Him reject His followers and those who reject His followers reject Him. How does the way the religious rulers answered Jesus' question about John's authority reveal whether or not they would have believed that Jesus' authority came from God?
Held Back
What is the reason that the religious rulers didn't come out and say what they thought about John?
The Same Reason
Matthew 21:45-46 reveals that the same thing kept them from destroying Jesus before the right time.
Not Yet
What (besides God's restraint) kept the religious rulers from fulfilling their plans to destroy Jesus before it was the right time?
Once More
Read Mark 11:27-33 once more and look for what it shows us about Jesus - His wisdom, patience, self-control, etc.
About Jesus
What does this passage show you about Jesus?
Application
Learning from Jesus
What can you learn from the way Jesus answered a question that wasn't genuine? How can you apply that in your life so that you'll know what to do if you're ever in a similar situation?
Not Easily Provoked
When people try to provoke you to do or say ungodly things or defend yourself do you fall for their tricks? The Bible says that Christians should not be easily provoked. What specific action will you take so that you can become like Jesus in His humility and self-control?
Comfort
How can it comfort a Christian to know that God can use even the sinful thoughts and reactions of unbelievers to keep them from harming His people?
Wrapup
Closing
We hope this study plan has helped you understand Jesus' wisdom and self-control and has challenged you to imitate Him.
Feedback
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