Markus 11:16

ENTANGLING QUESTIONS ABOUT TRIBUTE THE RESURRECTION, AND THE GREAT COMMANDMENT, WITH THE REPLIES--CHRIST BAFFLES THE PHARISEES BY A QUESTION ABOUT DAVID, AND DENOUNCES THE SCRIBES. ( = Mat. 22:15-46; Luke 20:20-47). (Mark 12:13-40) And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees--"their disciples," says Matthew (Mat 22:16); probably young and zealous scholars in that hardening school. and of the Herodians--(See on Mat 12:14). In Luk 20:20 these willing tools are called "spies, which should feign themselves just [righteous] men, that they might take hold of His words, that so they might deliver Him unto the power and authority of the governor." Their plan, then, was to entrap Him into some expression which might be construed into disaffection to the Roman government; the Pharisees themselves being notoriously discontented with the Roman yoke. Tribute to CÃ&brvbrsar (Mar 12:14-17).

We are now come to the Passion-Week, the week in which Christ died, and the great occurrences of that week. I. Christ's riding in triumph into Jerusalem (Mar 11:1-11). II. His cursing the barren fig-tree (Mar 11:12-14). III. His driving those out of the temple that turned it into an exchange (Mar 11:15-19). IV. His discourse with his disciples concerning the power of faith and the efficacy of prayer, on occasion of the withering of the fig-tree he cursed (Mar 11:20-26). V. His reply to those who questioned his authority (Mar 11:27-33).

11:16 from using the Temple as a marketplace: Or from carrying merchandise through the Temple. The Temple was also defiled by its use as a shortcut for carrying things from one part of the city to another. Other rabbis also forbade this practice (see Mishnah Berakhot 9.5; see Josephus, Against Apion 2.8).