The Prosperity Teaching Mythology: Faith Is A Power Working by Spiritual Law

The prosperity teaching of Kenneth Copeland is built on at least four mythologies.

The first is that law governs everything. Mr. Copeland affirms, “There are laws

governing every single thing in existence.”1 The net effect of this principle is “there are

certain laws governing prosperity revealed in God’s Word.”2 The upshot of this premise

supports the notion that “the success formulas in the Word of God produce results when

used as directed.”3

A second mythology concerns the power of faith, which also works by law. Mr.

Copeland writes, “faith is a spiritual force and works by spiritual law (see Romans

3:27).”4 Utilizing Mark 11:23, faith is a causative power that brings into being that which

we speak. This myth will be discussed at length in this article.

The third mythology concerns the importance of covenant. Just as law governs

everything, so also, everything is governed by covenant. Mr. Copeland notes, “God has

established His covenant in the earth. Everything He does is determined by the

covenant.”5 Commenting on Deuteronomy 8:17-18, Mr. Copeland avers that this text is

the predominate rule in living a prosperous life, since it means, “God gives the power to

get wealth.”6 A later article will deal with this mythology.

1
Kenneth Copeland, The Laws of Prosperity (Forth Worth: Kenneth Copeland Ministries, 1974),
14. I have previously written on this myth in “The Mythology of Prosperity Teaching: Law Governs
Everything”.
2
Ibid., 15.
3
Ibid., 16.
4
Ibid., 21.
5
Ibid., 35.
6
Ibid., 39.

1
 A fourth mythology concerns what Mr. Copeland calls our heavenly account.

Writing on Matthew 6:19-23, the author tells us, “if you will let heaven be your treasury

and your supply, then regardless of what happens on earth, you will have a bank that is

not subject to theft or ruin.”7 Copeland claims that we make deposits in our heavenly

account by tithing, giving to the poor, investing in the gospel, and giving as a praise to

God. Furthermore, since law governs everything, each of these “has an individual set of

laws governing it from the Word of God with its own return.”8 We shall discuss this myth

in a later piece. For now, we turn to the matter of faith as a power working by spiritual

law.

This article focuses on the second myth of the prosperity teaching of Kenneth

Copeland: faith is a spiritual power that brings into being that which one speaks. This

article will discuss Mr. Copeland’s statement of and support for this position. Then, a

rebuttal will be offered.

Mr. Copeland’s Statement of this Position

In Mr. Copeland’s world, faith is a force that has the power to make spiritual laws,

including those governing prosperity, function. The force of one’s faith activates spiritual

laws, or success formulae, in the Word of God.

Mr. Copeland holds that faith is a force. He writes, “spiritual law would be

useless would be useless if the force of faith were not a real force, but faith is a real

force.”9 This conception of faith sees belief as a power or energy that drives outcomes.

Mr. Copeland claims, “Faith is a spiritual force, a spiritual energy, a spiritual power. It is

7
Ibid., 68.
8
Ibid., 74.
9
Ibid., 14.

2
the force of faith which makes the laws of the spirit world function.”10 The upshot is that

the force of faith drives outcomes, “When the force of faith is put to work, these laws of

the spirit function according to the way God says they will.”11

Mr. Copeland also holds that there are spiritual laws waiting to be activated by

the force of faith. One of these laws, the law of the Spirit of life, is “the master law under

which we operate as children of God.”12 Now, the law of the Spirit of life means “there

are certain elements which, when combined, will bring forth the result God intends.”13

Accordingly, there are elements of the law of the Spirit of life governing prosperity that

are activated by the force of faith. Mr. Copeland notes, “There are certain laws governing

prosperity revealed in God’s Word. Faith causes [emphasis mine] them to function.

They will work when they are put to work, and they will stop working when the force of

faith [emphasis mine] is stopped.”14

When combined with the force of faith, these spiritual laws are tantamount to

success formulae. Mr. Copeland writes, “The success formulas in the Word of God

produce results when used as directed.”15 Citing Mark 11:23, Mr. Copeland avers that

Jesus here introduces a spiritual principle or law that produces results. To the skeptic,

Mr. Copeland advises, “It doesn’t make sense to the natural mind that with faith you can

10
Ibid., 14-15.
11
Ibid., 15.
12
Ibid. See my “The Mythology of Prosperity Teaching: Law Governs Everything” for rebuttal of
this point.
13
Ibid.
14
Ibid.
15
Ibid., 16.

3
have whatever you say [emphasis mine] even though it may be contrary to what you see

with your physical eyes, but Jesus said it and by the eternal Almighty God, it is so!”16

Mr. Copeland’s Support for This Position

As we have seen, in Mr. Copeland’s world, faith is a force that predictably drives

outcomes. Indeed, when used as directed, the force of faith activates the success

formulae in the Bible. One of the central texts used to support the “word of faith”

prosperity teaching is Mark 11:23. Let’s turn to Mr. Copeland’s treatment of this text.

In The Laws of Prosperity, Mr. Copeland quotes all of Mark 11:23, and then lifts

out “he shall have whatever he saith.”17 Mr. Copeland tells us what this means, “Faith is

released with the mouth.”18 Indeed, “You have what you say!”19 According to Mr.

Copeland, “If you are living in poverty and lack and want, change what you are saying.

It will change what you have!”20

The “word of faith” devotees use Mark 11:23 to affirm that words have creative

power. The words we humans use have the capacity to bring into being that which we

say. Mr. Copeland posits, “The powerful force of the spiritual world that creates the

circumstances around us [emphasis mine] is controlled by the words of the mouth

[emphasis mine].”21 For Mr. Copeland, the upshot is, “In Mark 11:23, Jesus is talking

about saying things that have not yet come to pass.”22 This, in turn, means, “Jesus said for
16
Ibid.
17
Ibid., 96.
18
Ibid.
19
Ibid.
20
Ibid.
21
Ibid., 96-97.
22
Ibid., 97.

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us to believe that those things which we say will come to pass and then we will have

whatsoever we say.”23 The timing involved varies; sometimes what one speaks comes

instantly, at other times, the fruit of the confession may wait for months. Nevertheless,

regardless of the time involved, “It will come to pass!”24

Mr. Copeland teases out the creative power of words more fully. The principle is:

You can have what you say! For the “word of faith” followers this means disciplining

what we say. Indeed, there is a powerful reason to discipline our words. Mr. Copeland

advises, “Discipline your vocabulary. Discipline everything you do, everything you say,

and everything you think to agree with what God does, what God says and what God

thinks!”25 Now, take careful note of the impact of disciplining what we say, “God will be

obligated to meet your needs – not because of your righteousness or the lack of it – but

because of His covenant that was brought into existence the day Jesus was raised from

the dead.”26 The net effect is that our words have the power to obligate God to meet our

needs.

Toward a Rebuttal of Word of Faith

As we have seen, Mark 11:23 is a key text used to support the “word of faith”

perspective. The claim is that we can have what we speak, since our words of faith have

the power to obligate God to meet our needs. Let’s take a look at Mark 11:23 in its

context. Indeed, probing the literary context is crucial for three reasons. The first reason

concerns the natural meaning of Mark 11:23 in its literary context. Klein, Blomberg, and

23
Ibid.
24
Ibid.
25
Ibid., 99.
26
Ibid.

5
Hubbard write, “Each statement must be understood according to its natural meaning in

the literary context in which it occurs.”27 This commits us to assessing the contribution

of Mark 11:23 to the context of the book as a whole. The second reason concerns the

subject matter of Mark 11:23. Klein, Blomberg and Hubbard note, “A text without a

context may be a pretext.”28 This is crucial for our rebuttal, since we affirm that Mark

11:23 is used as a pretext for the “word of faith” position. This commits us to assessing

Mark 11:23 in terms of its subject matter; that is, does the literary context of Mark 11:23

assure us “that the passage is about the same subject and really does have the meaning

that proves the point.”29 The third reason concerns the size of the passage, the single

verse, Mark 11:23. Klein, Blomberg and Hubbard caution, “The smaller the passage

being studied, the greater the chance of error.”30 This commits us to consulting the larger

context for additional facts about the topic at hand in Mark 11. With all of this in mind,

let’s attempt to set Mark 11 in its literary context and test for the subject matter of the

passage in question.

A synopsis of the argument. Overall, we are arguing that Mark 11, in its entirety,

is about the onset of the Messianic rule and reign. Concerning the immediate context of

Mark 11:23, we point out that in terms of structure and content, the immediate context of

Mark 11:23 concerns the inauguration of the Messianic rule.

Moreover, we affirm that Zechariah 9:9-10 provides the setting for the onset of

the Messianic rule and reign as depicted in Mark 11:1-10. The Zechariah text points to

27
William Klein, Craig Blomberg and Robert Hubbard, Jr., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation
(Dallas: Word Publishing, 1993), 160.
28
Ibid.
29
Ibid., 160-61.
30
Ibid., 161.

6
the Messianic rule in terms of the establishment of righteousness and justice, leading to

peace, unity, disarmament and, ultimately, the spread of the Messianic dominion over the

earth.

Mark also cites Psalm 118, and this citation we claim supports the view that Mark

11 is about the onset of the Messianic rule. We shall point out that this psalm is from a

group of psalms used in praise of victory for deliverance. Jesus’ triumphal entry is the

beginning of that victory.

Mark’s treatment of the cursing of the fig tree adds to the trajectory of the chapter

in terms of its Messianic overtones. Indeed, the cursing of the fig tree is a Messianic act

of judgment. This act of judgment, we argue, provides additional support for the claim

that Mark 11 is about the onset of the Messianic rule and reign.

The cleansing of the Temple is seminal in Mark’s announcement of the onset of

the Messianic rule and reign. We argue that Mark’s citation of Jeremiah 7 points to the

use of the Temple for commercial gain as tantamount to desecration. However, Mark’s

citation of Isaiah 56:7 points to the failure of Jewish leadership to grasp the true purpose

of the Temple. These purposes, as the context of the Isaiah passage shows, is what the

Messianic rule and reign are all about. This, we argue, further supports our contention

that Mark 11 is about the onset of the Messianic rule and reign.

Finally, when we turn specifically to Mark 11:23 within its own context, 11:20-25,

we argue that two issues dominate the context: [1] the establishment of the Messianic rule

and reign, and [2] the participation of the disciples in the establishment of His rule on

earth.

7
 The immediate context of Mark 11:23. The immediate context of Mark 11 is the

final approach of Jesus and His disciples into Jerusalem, 11:1-10. This account is also

narrated in Matthew 21:1-11, Luke 19:28-40, and John 12:12-19. Mark follows the

Triumphal Entry in Jerusalem with the cursing of a fig tree, 11:12-14, an event also

recorded in Matthew 21:18-19. Then, Mark recounts the cleansing of the temple, 11:15-

19, as does Matthew [21:12-17], Luke [19:45-48], and John [2:13-22]. Next, the context

of Mark 11:23 concerns the lesson drawn from the cursed fig tree, 11:20-25, also reported

in Matthew 21:20-22. Finally, in Mark 11:27-33, Jesus is confronted by the religious

authorities of the day and asked what His authority is for doing such things. Looking

closely at the arrangement of these narratives, we discern a pattern in the middle of the

chapter. That is, the cursing of the fig tree [11:12-14] is followed by the cleansing of the

temple [11:15-19], which is, in turn, followed by the withered fig tree and faith/prayer

[11:20-25]. As Lane notes, this pattern makes these three events mutually interpretive,

“The a-b-a structure of chapter 11:12-21 (fig tree-cleansing of the Temple-fig tree) serves

to provide a mutual commentary on these two events.”31 It would appear that the

immediate context of Mark 11 concerns the ultimate confrontation between Jesus and the

leading Jewish figures of the day, a confrontation that will provide evidence of the sad

state of Judaism as well as evidence for victory through the crucifixion of Christ.

Gospel accounts of the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem supplies something of the

reason for this entrance. That is, Matthew 21:5 and John 12:15 mention that Jesus’

choice of entering Jerusalem on a colt is to fulfill a prophecy from Zechariah 9:9. The

drift of this prophecy is to announce the approach of Zion’s king, albeit a king of lowly

31
William L. Lane, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans
Publishing, 1974), 400.

8
stature. However, Zechariah 9:10 is quick to point out the worldwide rule of this king, a

rule that includes righteousness, salvation and peace among all the nations. While Mark

11 does not make use of this text from Zechariah, we are justified in affirming the same

agenda for this lowly king. The reason for Jesus’ choice of the colt is to announce that

righteousness, salvation, and peace have come to Zion. There is much to glean from

Zechariah 9:9-10 that will help us understand the Messianic overtones of Mark 11.

Zechariah 9:9-10. This passage offers much insight into the establishment of the

Messianic rule and reign. Accordingly, these verses are crucial in appreciating just what

Mark wishes to convey in Mark 11. Indeed, according to the Zechariah text, the Messiah

will come bringing righteousness and justice, leading to peace, unity, disarmament, and

the spread of His Messianic dominion over the whole of the earth.32 With Jesus’ entry

into Jerusalem, in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9-10, Mark identifies the subject of chapter

11: the onset of the Messianic rule and reign.

Having promised, in 9:9c, that their King will come, Zechariah spends the

remainder of the verses speaking to the effects and the nature of this King’s rule. From

the standpoint of the Mark passage, now is the time for all of this to occur.

Zechariah 9:9d underlines the justice the Messiah-King will bring. A more or less

wooden translation of the line is: Just and victorious [is] He.33 The adjective, glossed

just, is used of the kings in the line of David and sets the standard of rule for them in

32
If it appears that these points from the Old Testament are being belabored, there is a reason. We
wish to argue that Mark intends his readers to grasp the Messianic fulfillment implicit in Jesus’ entry into
Jerusalem. From Mark’s point of view, this entry is the culmination of much hoping for the appearance of
the Messiah. In terms of the use the “word of faith” ideology makes of it, we argue that their point of view
completely misreads the intent of the entire chapter.

33
The Hebrew is: aWh uv*onw+ qyD]x^. qyD]x^, just, is an adjective, used to
describe both the character and the mission of the Messiah. uv*on, victorious, is a Niphal, masculine,
singular, participle, used to describe one who is saved in battle.

9
terms of justice. One might translate: One who rules justly.34 The adjective is derived

from the noun, often glossed righteousness. Accordingly, when the Messiah-King does

come, He will come as One who is just and righteous in His person. However, this is far

more than a character trait; when used of the Messiah, justice and righteousness are “seen

in the activity [emphasis mine] of the King, governing, administering justice, encouraging

right.”35

Not only is the Messiah one who rules justly, He is also one who is victorious.

The participle is used of one who is saved in battle, and, thus, victorious.36 It would

appear that the victory in battle is what allows the Messiah to rule with justice and

righteousness. In the context of the Gospel of Mark, this means the Cross and

Resurrection are the victories that ensue the rule and reign of justice.

Furthermore, Zechariah 9:9e-f, point to the royal mission of peace that is part and

parcel with the Messiah’s rule. The lines may be glossed: humble and mounted on a

donkey [9:9e], even on a colt, the foal of a donkey [9:9f]. Given the association between

the war-horse and militarism during the period within which Zechariah wrote, being

mounted on a donkey “would be a suitable mount for one who came on a mission of

peace.”37 Moreover, by specifying the foal of a donkey, the Hebrew points to a pure bred

34
See Francis Brown, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs, The New Brown-Driver-Briggs-
Gesenius Hebrew and English Lexicon (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1979), 843; Ludwig Koehler
and Walter Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, revised by Walter
Baumgartner and Jakob Stamm, translated and edited by M. E. J. Richardson, vol. 2, p-t (Leiden: Brill,
2001), 1002.
35
D. J. Wiseman, ed., Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, vol. 24, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi,
by Joyce Baldwin (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1972), 165.
36
See Brown, Driver, Briggs, Gesenius, 446. See also Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner,
The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, revised by Walter Baumgartner and Jakob Stamm,
translated and edited by M. E. J. Richardson, vol. 1, a-u (Leiden: Brill, 2001), 448.
37
Baldwin, 166.

10
animal.38 Baldwin observes that a pure bred animal would be entirely suitable for

royalty.39 We have already noted, in the context of Mark 11, that the Cross and the rule

and reign of justice and righteousness is what the Messiah-King intends to accomplish.

This, in turn, amounts to a royal mission of peace, which will ultimately be for the

nations of the earth.

Then, Zechariah 9:10a-b promises the unification of warring factions, as well as

complete disarmament.

With Zechariah 9:10a, the Messiah Himself appears to speak, taking the initiative.

A way of translating 9:10a is: And, then [as a result], I will exterminate the war chariot

from Ephraim and the war-horse from Jerusalem. It seems that Zechariah wants us to

understand that the unification of warring factions is a result of the mission of peace

[9:9e-f], which is itself the product of the rule of justice and righteousness won through

the Messianic victory [9:9d].40

The Messiah-King promises to exterminate the means of warfare in the Middle

East. The term glossed exterminate 41 may also be glossed to destroy the life of.42 It

would be difficult to find more descriptive language to convey the notion of complete

38
Koehler and Baumgartner, vol. 1, 102.
39
Baldwin, 166.

40
The Hebrew text of Zechariah 9:10a opens with yT!r~k=h!w+. The form is a waw
consecutive perfect, Hiphil, 1st, masculine, singular. As we have noted, the shift to the first person is
intended to communicate that the Messiah-King is speaking and this is His agenda. Moreover, the Hiphil
stem points to causation in the performing of the action of the verb [see Bruce Waltke and Michael
O’Connor, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1990), 441]. However,
the key syntactical point is the function of the waw consecutive perfect to point to a [logically] consequent
situation, following, in this case, upon the actions of the Messiah-King as depicted in 9:9 [see Waltke and
O’Connor, 530].
41
Koehler and Baumgartner, vol. 1, 500.
42
Brown, Driver, Briggs and Gesenius, 505.

11
disarmament. Additionally, the elimination of the weapons of warfare will bring

unification. That is, Zechariah mentions Ephraim, a northern kingdom, and Jerusalem,

the capital of the southern kingdom. It must be noted that unity comes when the rule and

reign of Messiah-King are taken seriously. That is, peace among warring factions comes

when peace is built on the foundation of the justice and righteousness won through the

victory of the Messiah. In the context of Mark’s Gospel, especially beginning with

chapter 11, the Messiah’s death on the Cross and his subsequent resurrection are the

victories that establish true peace among men.43

Not only does the rule and reign of the Messiah-King bring justice and

righteousness, leading to peace, unity and complete disarmament, the Messianic rule also

extends over the whole earth.

Psalm 118. All of the Gospel accounts [Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:9; Luke 19:38;

John 12:13] attest to the praise of Jesus by the people by citing Psalm 118:25-26. This

psalm is a song of thanksgiving for victory. In the midst of the psalm, the king rehearses

the nations that oppressed him, nearly to the point of overwhelming him [118:5, 10-13];

yet, the king’s trust in the power of Yahweh to deliver is praised [118:14-19]. Without

Yahweh, all would have been lost! We affirm that the fulfillment of the promise in the

Gospel accounts of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, predicted in Zechariah 9, is cause for

praise, as outlined in Psalm 118.

Moreover, Psalm 118 is part of a group of psalms [113-118] that was used at this

time during the Passover, as well as the Feast of Tabernacles. However, since John sets

43
It is almost too strange that the Middle East is still embroiled in ever-escalating violence and is
still unwilling to come to the Messiah. I bring this lamentable circumstance to the attention of the reader to
underline the complete reduction to absurdity that the “word of faith” ideology makes of this passage in
Mark and, ultimately, in Zechariah 9. The promises of peace and unity are traded off for material gain. A
sheer travesty!

12
the triumphal entry within the context of the Passover, 12:1, 12-19, we may assume that

Mark does so also.

Accordingly, the evidence of the triumphal entry suggests that fulfillment of the

promised righteousness and salvation along with peace for all nations appears with the

ride of Jesus into Jerusalem on a colt. This fulfillment is praised by all of the Gospel

accounts as a victory of Yahweh.

Cursing the fig tree. Both Matthew [21:18-19] and Mark [11:12-14] mention the

cursing of the fig tree. Matthew moves from the cursing of the tree [21:18-19] directly to

the lesson drawn from the action [21:20-22]. It is in this latter context, 21:21, that Jesus

substantially repeats the claim in Mark 11:23.

The account of the cursing of the fig tree in Mark 11:12-14 is a symbolic act of

judgment upon the nation of Israel. Such acts are mentioned in the Old Testament, using

the imagery of destruction of the fig tree as a metaphor of judgment [Hosea 2:12; Micah

7:1-6; Joel 1:7, 12; Nahum 3:12; Isaiah 34:4; Jeremiah 8:13]. For a similar idea

concerning the fig tree in the New Testament, see Luke 13:6-8.

The Micah 7 text may be of special interest for us. In the text, Micah laments the

moral and ethical failures of the nation of Israel. He desires the first fruits of the fig, but

none are there. The reason for this lamentable circumstance is the utter spiritual poverty

of the people: the absence of godliness, the practice of evil, and the abuse of authority.

The upshot is that the Micah text, like the others mentioned, is illustrative of the fig tree

metaphor used to pass a judgment on the absence of righteousness among the people.

Accordingly, we conclude that the incident of the cursing of the fig tree is an

announcement of judgment upon the nation of Israel for their unrighteousness. As Lane

13
notes, the cursing of the fig tree is “a prophetic sign warning of God’s judicial action

against the nation.”44

Cleansing the Temple. The judicial activity of Jesus is carried forward in the

cleansing of the Temple, 11:15-19 [also Matthew 21:12-17; Luke 19:45-48; John 2:13-

22]. In Mark 11:15-16, the evangelist records the actions Jesus took in cleansing the

Temple. Then, the substance of the charge appears in 11:17, based upon a text from

Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11. Finally, the aftermath of the actions and the basis for

Jesus’ judgment introduces the plan to kill Him, 11:18-19.

In order to appreciate the import of the cleansing, let us begin by setting the event

in the context of the Gospels as a whole. All four Gospels record this event [Matthew

21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48; and John 2:13-22]. The Synoptic tradition,

Matthew, Mark, and Luke, chronologically locate the event in the last week of the life of

Jesus. John, however, places the event early in his Gospel, seemingly rearranging the

chronology. It may be assumed that John locates the cleansing narrative early in his

Gospel owing to its seminal import in the ministry of Jesus. R. H. Lightfoot nicely

summarizes the import of the cleansing, affirming a triple depth to its meaning. “First,

the Lord performs an act by which He condemns the methods and manner of the existing

Jewish worship. Secondly, this act . . . is a sign of the destruction of the old order of

worship . . . And thirdly, intermediate between the old order and the new order is the

‘work’ – the ministry, death, and resurrection – of the Lord, which alone makes possible

the inauguration and life of the new temple.”45 The upshot is that the Gospel writers, all

44
Ibid., 402.
45
R. H. Lightfoot, St. John’s Gospel: A Commentary, edited C. F. Evans (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1960), 114.

14
four of them, view this cleansing event as crucial in the life and work of Jesus. There are

implications for sacrificial worship; there are implications for living a life dedicated to

God; and there are implications for the death and resurrection of the Lord.46 In sum, if

the Gospels affirm the centrality of this cleansing event, then what does Mark contribute

to its meaning?

First, in the actions Jesus takes in cleansing the temple, Mark underscores the idea

that “trade in the temple was viewed as an act of desecration.”47 Mark 11:16 notes that

Jesus would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.48 Evidence for

trade as desecration comes from John’s fuller account of this event, especially the words

of Jesus in 2:16b, “Stop at once making My Father’s house a place for engaging in

business.”49 The operative terms here are a place for engaging in business.50 The

Father’s house is not a place for making a profit; such is an act of desecration.

In the Marcan account, the desecration theme is underlined by a reference in

11:17 to Jeremiah 7:11.51 The commercialization of the Temple has the net effect of

46
This account of the cleansing of the temple points to an act that almost defines the purpose for
Jesus’ coming to earth. To interpret this chapter in Mark as somehow the basis for the use of faith in the
name of material self interest would seem to be repeating the very circumstances that moved Jesus to cast
the moneychangers out of the temple in the first place!
47
Ralph P. Martin, ed., Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 36, John, by George R. Beasley-Murray
(Waco: Word Books, 1987), 39.
48
For the history of this practice near and within the temple, see the commentaries of Lane,
Beasley-Murray, Barrett, Lightfoot and Dodd. Lane notes that markets for the purchase of animals for
sacrifice were available on the Mount of Olives (Lane, 403). The circumstances surrounding the
establishment of trade within the temple is a bit less certain. However, by the time Jesus comes on the
scene, the practice seems to be well established.
49
All translations are the author’s.
50
ejmpovrion is the Greek term, and it refers to a place to do business, a marketplace. The
object is commerce, doing business for a gain.
51
We translate, “But you have turned it into a hideout for thieves.” The perfect tense of the verb
indicates that Mark wishes to communicate a concluded action, with emphasis on existing results.

15
turning it into a hideout for thieves. The desecration theme could not be more clearly

stated.

The allusion to Jeremiah 7 certifies the desecration that commercial interests

within the Temple effects. Jeremiah 7:11 is the concluding verse in a broad section, 7:1-

11. This section details the hypocrisy of the age, by turning a light on morally and

ethically blighted lives that, in turn, come to the Temple for a false security [7:10]. The

abuses to which Jeremiah turns his fierce language include deceptive words [7:4],

oppression of the innocent [7:6], following false gods [7:6], and theft, murder, adultery

and perjury [7:9]. This level of abuse and moral corruption desecrates the Temple when

such people flock to it, counting on the Temple for security. Thus, Mark recalls the

words of Jeremiah, words that effectively judge the desecration of the Temple.

Second, not only is the cleansing a statement that commercialization desecrates

the Temple, but also, the cleansing is a judgment upon those who set aside the function

and purpose of the Temple for monetary gain. This is the drift of the citation from Isaiah

56:7. It is the purpose and function of the house of God to draw all people to Himself in

fellowship and prayer. This intended gathering of a worldwide people of God must not

be brushed aside for commercial gain.

It is clear that Mark uses the Isaiah 56:7 verse as warrant for Jesus’ action in

clearing the Temple of commercial interests. Let us take a closer look at 56:7 in its

setting in Isaiah to more fully appreciate why Jesus did what He did.

We should locate Isaiah 56 in its overall context of Isaiah as a whole. We may

posit that Isaiah 56-66 closes the book of Isaiah. In the opening third, 1-39, the prophet

has detailed the failure of the chosen people to honor the demands of Torah, as well as the

16
propagation of Torah among the people of the nations, 2:1-5. In very brief terms, Isaiah

1-39 concerns judgment. Isaiah 40-55 meets this judgment with the hope of grace. Then,

in the final section, the twin themes of 1-39 and 40-55 are blended; that is, 56-66 is about

the grace of God empowering His people to live out the demands of Torah and propagate

it as well. As Oswalt puts it, “These chapters are about the internalization of the law by

means of an intimate relationship with the God who alone can enable people to live holy

lives.”52 The net effect is that 56:1-8 transitions between 40-55 and 56-66.

Isaiah 56:1-8 makes the point that God’s people, indeed any people, are those who

demonstrate a living relationship with Him by the character of their lives. Isaiah 56:1-2

affirms that righteous living is a matter of living by grace. 56:3 extends this divine-

human relationship to all people, including those who had been viewed as outcasts.

Isaiah 56:4-5 teases this theme out a bit more by affirming that those who so honor His

covenant will be given an eternal name. Then, Isaiah 56:6-9 culminates the blessings to

flow to those “foreigners” who honor the covenant. Since Jesus, as recorded in Mark

11:17, quotes from Isaiah 56:7, let’s give a bit more attention to 56:6-9.

In 56:6, the prophet describes the behavior of these foreigners. To begin with,

these foreigners join themselves to Yahweh, for a purpose [56:6a-b]. The Hebrew term

translated join – hwl – is used several times in the prophets of foreigners who would bind

themselves to the community of Yahweh [Isaiah 14:1; 56:3, 6; Zechariah 2:15].

Moreover, this binding would be for a series of purposes: to minister to Yahweh, to love

Yahweh, and to serve Yahweh. The first of these purposes uses a Hebrew term quite

52
R. K. Harrison and Robert Hubbard, ed., The New International Commentary on the Old
Testament, vol. 2, The Book of Isaiah: Chapters 40-66, by John Oswalt (Grand Rapids: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing, 1998), 453.

17
often used of the cultic work in the worship of Yahweh. It is often associated with the

work of priests [1 Kings 8] and Levites [1 Chronicles 6]. The impact of this shocking

statement was apparently not lost on the scribe who copied Isaiah and left his copy

among the Dead Sea Scrolls. For, so adverse was he to this notion of a foreigner actually

serving the function of a priest that he omitted this line from his copy.53 The second of

these purposes is to express ones love for Yahweh. Concerning the nature of this love, Els

writes, “Total self-entrusting and faithful love for God, then, is at the heart of what the

OT regards as genuine piety and a love that necessarily includes an attitude of gratitude

(Deut 8:1-10; Josh 22:4; cf. 24:1-18; 1 Sam 12:7-11; 1 Chron 16:7-36; 29:13), trust (Gen

15:6; Deut 10:12; 1 Sam 14:6; 2 Sam 24:14), and consistent solidarity.”54 The third and

final purpose of the foreigners as they bind themselves to Yahweh is to serve Him. They

seek to carry out Yahweh’s wishes and live in concert with Torah.

Not only do they bind themselves to Yahweh, 56:6 also notes that these foreigners

are faithful in keeping the Sabbath and take hold of the covenant. The former includes

faithfulness in remembering Yahweh’s acts of deliverance [see Deut 5] in His grace. It

also involves faithful recognition of the covenant within which one stands [see Exodus

31]. The latter involves acceptance of Yahweh’s gracious covenant whereby He commits

“himself to the good of his people no matter what it may cost him.”55 Indeed, the

Messiah, in Isaiah, has created a new covenant that is everlasting and open to “all who

love his name (49:8; 54:10; 55:3).”56

53
Ibid., 460.
54
P. J. J. S. Els, “bha”, article in New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and
Exegesis, ed., Willem A. VanGemeren (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997) [CD-ROM].
55
Oswalt, 460.
56
Ibid.

18
 In sum, Isaiah 56:6 makes the astounding assertion that eunuchs and foreigners

can bind themselves to Yahweh, fulfilling purposes in so doing. They may serve Him as

priests; they may love Him out of gratitude, trust, and consistency; and they may serve

Him. Moreover, they may freely worship Him, remembering His gracious deliverance

and recognizing the covenant relationship in which they stand. Indeed, these eunuchs

and foreigners may fully participate in the new covenant, opened by the Messiah.

Then, in 56:7, Isaiah shows what further blessing Yahweh brings upon these

eunuchs and foreigners. Yahweh Himself will conduct them to rejoice in His house of

prayer; Yahweh will accept their sacrifices; and they shall ever be welcome in His house

of prayer. Since this is the verse Mark cites in 11:17, we should consider it in some detail.

To begin with, Isaiah says that Yahweh Himself shall conduct them.57 The way the

Hebrew is written, the efforts of Yahweh to effect the presence of eunuchs and foreigners

in the house of prayer is central. Oswalt remarks, “the Holy God himself will conduct

them, just as he brought his own people back from the land of exile.”58

The arrangement of the remainder of the verse is crucial. 56:7b asserts a promise,

56:7c affirms the reason for the promise, and 56:7d concludes with a final promise. This

a-b-a arrangement has a way of focusing attention on the middle element, the reason for

the promises offered.

In Isaiah 56:7b, Yahweh promises to cause the eunuchs and foreigners to rejoice

in his house of prayer. The language here is straightforward, promising joyous and

57
The Hebrew of Isaiah reads: yv!d+q` rh^-la# <yt!oayb!h&w~; I will bring
them to My holy mountain. The verb is in the Hiphil stem, a stem that Biblical Hebrew uses to
communicate causation.

58
Oswalt, 460.

19
festive celebration for these eunuchs and foreigners. The basis for this rejoicing is

crucial.

In 56:7c-d, the prophet reveals the reason behind this joyous celebrating: [since]

their whole burnt offerings and their sacrifices [will be] acceptable upon My altar;

indeed, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations. Syntactically, this

line is in apposition to the preceding line, offering a reason for the state of joy.59 That

reason centers upon atonement for their sins. Isaiah’s use of their whole burnt offerings

and their sacrifices is shorthand for atonement and forgiveness before Yahweh, 56:7c.

Furthermore, in a line that explicates 56:7c, the prophet continues to underline the basis

for rejoicing by affirming free access to Yahweh in prayer for all nations. The upshot in

Isaiah 56:7c-d is nicely summarized by Oswalt. He writes that the eunuchs and

foreigners “will have the privileges of having their sins atoned for (whole burnt offerings

and sacrifices) and of having instant access to God in prayer.”60

We are now in a position to appreciate the thrust of Isaiah 56:7 in the context of

Mark 11:15-19. In the Isaiah text, Yahweh promises to open Himself to all people and

all nations. Indeed, even eunuchs and foreigners would enjoy the blessings and

privileges once reserved for the nation of Israel. That is, these outsiders would serve Him

as priests, love Him out of gratitude and worship Him freely. Indeed, these outcasts

would have open access to Him in atonement and forgiveness, as well as in prayer.

However, in Mark 11:15-19, the situation in the Temple effectively put a price tag

on the free and open access Yahweh had promised. As Lane notes, “Jesus expelled the

59
On this point of syntax, see J. C. L. Gibson, Davidson’s Introductory Hebrew Grammar~Syntax
(Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1994), 177.
60
Ibid.

20
merchants from the Court of the Gentiles in order to safeguard rights and privileges

sanctioned by God.”61 To the extent that free access to Yahweh was being sold at a price,

Israel and her Temple leaders were ignoring Yahweh’s will to bring the world to Himself

through grace.

In sum, both of the Old Testament citations function to underscore the judgment

of Jesus on the abuses of the Temple. The Jeremiah 7 text calls attention to the

desecration of the Temple through commercial gain. The Isaiah 56 text underscores the

denial of Yahweh’s ultimate purposes for the Temple through monetary enterprises. The

net effect for Jesus leads to His crucifixion.

Mark 15:18 affirms that the leaders of the Temple respond by planning to kill

Jesus. In other words, Jesus’ action in cleansing the Temple on behalf of Gentiles

becomes the basis for His crucifixion by the Temple leadership. As Lane puts it, “Jesus’

legitimate censure of the priestly authorities for their misuse of the Temple is presented as

the immediate occasion for the fateful decision which leads directly to his arrest and

crucifixion.”62 We must keep this point in mind as we evaluate Mark 11:20-25. The

context of this last unit concerns the grounds for the arrest and crucifixion of the Lord.

Summary of the immediate context of Mark 11:23. Before we move forward to

consider Mark 11:20-25, let’s summarize the context in which this unit is placed.

First, Mark 11:12-14 [the cursing of the fig tree], Mark 11:15-19 [the cleansing of

the Temple], and Mark 11:20-25 [the lesson drawn from the cursed fig tree] are mutually

interpretive. Indeed, the fact that Peter, in 11:20-21, calls attention to the previous event

61
Lane, 406.
62
Ibid., 407.

21
of cursing the tree, 11:12-14, is evidence that Mark intends that we interpret these

pericopes in terms of each other.

Second, at the outset of Mark 11, that which binds the entire eleventh chapter

together is the confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish leadership, a confrontation

that will lead to His crucifixion. The context of Mark 11 as a whole must be taken into

account when we read its various parts. The upshot is that Mark 11:20-25 must have

some role in the drama that is the crucifixion of Jesus.

Third, as we read each of the sections in Mark 11, we see the drama of the

confrontation leading to crucifixion unfold. Each of the units, Mark 11:1-11 [the

triumphal entry], 11:12-14 [the cursing of the fig tree], 11:15-19 [the cleansing of the

Temple], 11:20-25 [the lesson drawn from the cursed fig tree], and 11:27-33 [the

authority of Jesus being questioned] lends its voice to the unfolding of the crucifixion.

Specifically, the account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, Mark 11:1-11, provides

the contextual setting for the entire chapter. As we have noted, the fact that Jesus rides

into Jerusalem on a colt [11:1-7] is reminiscent of Zechariah 9:9-10. These texts

prophesy the arrival of a king who would ultimately rule the nations in salvation,

righteousness and peace. Moreover, Mark does cites Psalm 118:25-26, a group of

psalms that was used at the Passover, where the apostle John locates the triumphal entry.

Accordingly, the arrival in Jerusalem of the Messiah-King provides the setting for the

ultimate confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish leadership.

Additionally, the cursing of the fig tree, Mark 11:12-14, is a symbolic act of

judgment upon the moral and spiritual lives of the nation of Israel. As we saw in

connection with Micah 7, the absence of spiritual fruit is cause for judgment.

22
Accordingly, upon his arrival in Jerusalem, the Messiah-King pronounces a scathing

judgment upon the moral spiritual lives of the people of Israel. The confrontation is

gathering momentum.

Moreover, the momentum is carried forward as the Messiah-King cleanses the

Temple, Mark 11:15-19. Once more, the Hebrew Scriptures provide the commentary. In

the Isaiah text, Yahweh promises to open Himself to all nations including eunuchs and

foreigners. Indeed, these people would enjoy the privileges once seemingly reserved for

the nation of Israel. That is, these foreigners would serve Yahweh, love Him, worship

Him and find gracious atonement for their sins. However, in the Marcan text, the

leadership of the Temple was putting a price tag on this gracious and open access to

Yahweh. Jesus’ decision to cleanse the Temple would seem to express His outrage at this

situation, and it certainly provokes the wrath of the leadership. For, it is in the aftermath

of this act that the leadership seeks to kill Jesus [11:18]. The confrontation of the

crucifixion is one more step closer to reality.

Furthermore, Mark’s citation of the Jeremiah 7 text underlines his view that the

use of the Temple for commercial gain amounted to an act of desecration of the Temple.

Again, this text, when combined with the Isaiah text, shows the motives of the Messiah-

King in the context of His overall plan: to provide open access to God in forgiveness,

righteousness, salvation, service and peace for all people.

Mark 11:20-25 in context. Mark chapter 11 is about the entry of the Messiah-

King into Jerusalem, and ultimately into the world. The Messiah-King comes to provide

the forgiveness of sins, a righteousness of life, and peace among men. When He arrives,

He finds a Jewish life worthy of severe judgment, so He expresses His judgment in the

23
cursing of a fig tree. He also finds the worship of the people, as expressed in the Temple,

worthy of judgment, so He cleanses it. All of this expresses the Messiah-King’s

judgment on the religious and spiritual life as He finds it. But, merely expressing

judgment is one thing; precisely what does the Messiah-King intend to do to make things

right? A part of that answer comes in Mark 11:20-25.

In its context, we will argue that Mark 11:20-25 is about the establishment of the

Messianic reign on earth, as well as the contribution of the disciples in the establishment

of that reign.

The inauguration of the Messianic reign on earth. The establishment of the

Messianic reign is underlined in two ways: first, the reference to the fig tree that was

withered at the roots; and, second, the reference to saying to a mountain, be removed and

cast into the sea. Each of these signals a contribution to the inauguration of the

Messianic reign. Moreover, we have already noted above that Mark places Jesus’ entry

into Jerusalem in the context of Zechariah 9:9. That is, the prophet sees a time when the

Messianic King will enter Jerusalem on a colt in order to establish his Messianic reign.

This reign will include the rule of righteousness, salvation and peace among all people of

all nations.

In Mark 11:20-21, this Messianic reign is opened with a judgment on the

deteriorated spiritual state of Israel. Mark links the judgment theme in 11:12-14 with an

allusion to judgment in 11:20. The allusion to judgment comes with the words describing

the state of the fig tree as withered from the roots. The Greek of Mark 11:20 is essentially

the same as the Greek of Hosea 9:16 [ejxhrammevnhn ejk rJizw'n in Mark; rJivza"

aujtou' ejxhravnqh in Hosea]. In the Hosea text, Yahweh Himself will impose curses

24
upon the covenant disloyalty of Israel. Indeed, Israel had proved itself unfaithful in

worship [9:10, 15], disobedient by committing evil works [9:15], even doing so at the

behest of corrupt leaders [9:15], and ultimately, by refusing to repent by listening to

Yahweh [9:17]. The net effect for Israel is that “they must now know rejection (v 17),

separation (v 12), horrible miseries of bereavement (vv 11-14, 16), infertility (v 15), and

exile (v 17).”63 The net effect is that Mark 11:20 concurs with our assessment of the

cursing of the fig tree in Mark 11:12-14. That is, the Messiah – King rides into Jerusalem

and opens his reign with a scathing judgment on the spiritual lives of the nation of Israel.

Ultimately, of course, this judgment places the Messiah on a collision course with the

leadership of the day, a course that leads to Calvary.

Of course, the key assertion of the establishment of the Messianic rule comes

when Jesus says to His followers in 11:23, “Truly, I say to you that whoever says to this

mountain, ‘Be removed and cast into the sea!’ and does not doubt in his heart but rather

believes that what he says is beginning to come to pass, it will happen for him.” We must

look closely at what Jesus says here. First, he specifies, this mountain. Then, he says

concerning this mountain: Be removed and cast into the sea!

When Jesus says, this mountain, Marks records His language with an adjectival

demonstrative pronoun. In general, the use of the demonstrative signals that something, a

mountain in this case, is near at hand.64 Accordingly, Mark would seem to intend that we

take this reference quite literally. In this case, this mountain would refer to the Mount of

Olives.

63
David Hubbard and Glenn Barker, eds., The Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 31, Hosea – Jonah
by Douglas Stuart (Waco: Word Books, 1987), 155.
64
A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research
(Nashville: Broadman Press, 1934), 702.

25
 Now, there is a relationship between the establishment of the Messianic reign and

the Mount of Olives in the Old Testament. In Zechariah 14:4, we are told of a day that is

to come when the Messiah – King will establish the kingdom of God on earth. The

language communicating this establishment is: In that Day, his feet will stand upon the

Mount of Olives . . . and the Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west by an

exceedingly large valley. VanGemeren writes of this verse, “In the end, the Messiah will

establish the kingdom of God on earth. On that glorious day, the Lord and Creator of

humankind will transform everything (14:6-8) and grant his blessing on the new

community, which may share in this transformed and holy world (14:20-21).”65 It would

seem to be this day that this mountain refers to. What Jesus and Mark have in mind is the

ultimate coming of the Messianic kingdom over all the earth.

Accordingly, when Jesus says to his followers that they may say to this mountain,

“Be removed and cast into the sea,” he is granting them authority to participate in the

inauguration and establishment of the Messianic kingdom on the earth. F. F. Bruce

observes that this statement concerning the removal of the mountain “is a picturesque

way of saying, ‘If only you have sufficient faith in God, the promised Day of the Lord

will come swiftly.”66 The upshot is that in Mark 11:20-23, Jesus equates his ride into

Jerusalem with the opening gambit in Yahweh establishing his rule and reign over all the

earth. This final establishment of Messianic kingship is yet to take place fully. In the

interim, the Lord grants his followers to participate in the establishment of his rule and

65
Willem VanGemeren, Interpreting the Prophetic Word (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing
House, 1990), 201-2.
66
F. F. Bruce, “The Book of Zechariah and the Passion Narrative,” Bulletin of the John Rylands
Library (March 1961), 349.

26
reign. As Lane notes concerning this prayer, “The prayer in question is then specifically

a Passover prayer for God to establish his reign.”67

Before considering the contribution of the disciples in the establishment of the

Messianic rule and reign, let’s take a moment to appreciate more fully what the prophet

Zechariah has to say about the nature of the Messianic kingdom. It will be useful to

appreciate just how thoroughly Mark and Zechariah overlap on this point. Accordingly,

we shall consider the Messianic kingdom as portrayed in Zechariah 13:1-5; 14:3-9; and

14:16-19. As we shall see, the matters discussed in these Zechariah texts are those

matters that concern the Messiah and His followers in Mark 11.

To begin with, Zechariah 13:1-5 affirms that the Messianic rule will bring with it

cleansing and forgiveness. The prophet opens 13:1 with the promise of a fountain to be

opened for the house of David as well as those who dwell in Jerusalem, for sin and

impurity.

The Messianic rule will bring a fountain for cleansing from sin and impurity. The

Hebrew term for sin, afj, is a common word for sin against God, in whatever form. The

Hebrew term for impurity, hdn, is often used of idolatry and/or immorality in the

Hebrew Bible.68 As the next line, 13:2, refers to idolatry, we may assume a similar

referent here. The upshot is that both Zechariah and Mark 11 introduce the Messianic era

in terms of cleansing from sin and impurity.

We have already noted the correlation between the Mount of Olives in Mark

11:23 and Zechariah 14:4. That is, the relationship would seem to be the promise of the

establishment of the Messianic kingdom, Zechariah 14, and the fulfillment of the promise,

67
Lane, 410.
68
2 Chron 29:5; Ezra 9:11.

27
Mark 11. Additionally, Zechariah 14:8 teases out more fully the nature of the Messianic

kingdom.

Zechariah 14:8 promises that “in that day, living waters will flow out of

Jerusalem.” The abundance of living waters is a characteristic of the Messianic kingdom.

We may safely assume that “living waters” includes the kind of life that only God can

give. The net effect is that the overlap between the Mount of Olives references in both

Zechariah and Mark indicate that both are concerned with portraying the Messianic rule

and reign in terms of “living waters,” or a kind of life that flows from God.

There is one final reference from Zechariah that helps fill out more fully the

picture of the Messianic kingdom. In Zechariah 14:16, we are told that all the nations of

the earth will come to Jerusalem to pay homage to Yahweh and make a pilgrimage to the

Feast of Booths. In terms of paying homage to Yahweh, the language indicates that those

who used to be His enemies now come to prostrate themselves before a superior. In

terms of the pilgrimage to the Feast of Booths, those who come are reconciled to Yahweh

through forgiveness by means of a cultic substitution. The net effect is that Jesus, the

Messiah, is that substitution.

In sum, the nature of the Messianic kingdom that Zechariah anticipates includes

cleansing from sin, the availability of living waters, paying homage to Yahweh, and

atonement for sins. We affirm that, with His entry into Jerusalem on a colt, Jesus sets

about to establish these, and other realities, of the Messianic kingdom.

The contribution of the disciples. The power of prayer is linked to the

establishment of the Messianic rule. Moreover, “the prayer envisioned in verses 23-24

belongs only to brothers who are mutually reconciled and united in a community of

28
faith.”69 The contribution of the followers of Jesus involves their prayers and their

standing in community. We restrict our attention to Mark 11:23-24, concerning the

prayers of the followers of Jesus.

Jesus’ discussion of the efficacy of the disciple’s prayers is related in 11:23-24.

As we have already noted, the substance of that prayer – “be removed and thrown into

the sea” – amounts to an invitation to participate in the eventual and final onset of the

Messianic kingship on earth. It is interesting to note that Matthew’s account of Jesus’

speech extends the participation of the disciples to include cursing the fig tree also.70

Matthew’s account of Jesus’ speech adds a dimension of judging the spiritual fruits of the

faith community by the disciples. The upshot is that both Matthew and Mark underline

the participation of the disciples in the establishment of the Messianic kingdom.

Moreover, the standpoint in terms of faith is unpacked, concerning the above

statement, in Mark 11:23. That is, the substance of the prayer is an invitation to

participate in the onset of the Messianic kingdom. The standpoint in faith is articulated

in 11:23 thus: whoever “does not doubt in is heart but rather believes that what he says is

beginning to come to pass.” Clearly, the standpoint in faith is the belief that what one is

praying for and about is the beginning of a process.71 As we noted above, the
69
Lane, 411.
70
The Matthew text has: toV th'" sukh'" poihvsete [you shall do that which was done to the
fig tree].

The Greek text of Mark 11:23 reads: ajllaV pisteuvh/ o{ti o} lalei' givnetai[but rather
71

believes that what he says is beginning to come to pass]. We call attention to the verb, givnetai, a 3rd
person singular, present, middle, indicative. A. T. Robertson cites this verb in this passage as an example of
an inchoative present tense, indicating that the act is viewed from the standpoint of its beginning, [see
Robertson, 880.] Nigel Turner also cites this verb in this passage as an inchoative present tense, [James
Hope Moulton, ed., A Grammar of New Testament Greek, vol. 3, Syntax by Nigel Turner (Edinburgh: T. &
T. Clark, 1963), 63.]. Accordingly, we must translate is beginning to come to pass or is beginning to
happen. The tense indicates the onset of a process that is not yet complete, or, as Dana and Mantey put it,
“that which tends toward realization,´[H. E. Dana and Julius R. Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek
New Testament (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1955), 186.].

29
establishment of the Messianic kingdom, as promised and portrayed in Zechariah, awaits

complete fulfillment. In the interim, the disciples may participate in the inauguration and

establishment of the Messianic kingdom. In sum, this prayer for what begins to come to

pass – the establishment of the Messianic kingdom – fits nicely within this interim

period.

Then, the inference to be drawn regarding prayer is teased out in 11:24. With the

word, therefore, to open 11:24, Mark shows us that Jesus is drawing an inference from

what precedes.72 The syntax of the line as Mark has written it affirms that Jesus’ is

teasing out an inference from that which is under immediate consideration. As we have

noted, the substance of what is under consideration is the disciple’s participation in the

onset of the Messianic kingdom with their speech/prayer that this mountain be removed

and thrown into the sea. Moreover, the standpoint in faith of what is under immediate

consideration is the belief that their speech/prayer begins the process of establishing the

Messianic kingdom on earth. Accordingly, the inference that Jesus draws in 11:24

concerns the power of prayer through faith in the sovereignty of God.

Our Lord stresses the subject matter of believing prayer, as well as something of

the hope of that kind of prayer.

Concerning the subject matter of believing prayer, Mark writes that Jesus said,

“everything that you ask in prayer, trust that you [will] experience [it], and it will happen

for you.” The subject matter of this level of prayer is everything that.73 The question is:

72
For this sense of diaV tou'to, see BAGD, 181. As Blass and Debrunner note, the
demonstrative, tou'to, “is used of that which is under immediate consideration,” [F. Blass and A.
Debrunner, A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, trans. Robert W.
Funk (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1961), 151.
73
For this translation of the Greek, see BAGD, 586.

30
How extensive is this level of prayer? Does the context place any limitations? We have

noted that in 11:23, Jesus teases out an inference from what precedes. Owing to this

contextual marker, we affirm that prayer in the service of the onset of the Messianic rule

is still in play. Moreover, we have noted the syntactical thrust of “therefore” as a signal

that the inference concerns what is under immediate consideration. Finally, the context

of Mark 11, taken as a whole, is tightly bound up with the Messianic rule and reign.

Accordingly, both the context of chapter 11 as well as matters of immediate consideration

compel one to see that the subject matter of this prayer concerns everything that pertains

to the onset of the Messianic rule and reign, particularly as specified in the speech/prayer

– say to this mountain, “be removed and thrown into the sea!”

Turning to the hope implicit in this believing prayer, Mark writes that Jesus said,

“trust that you [will] experience [it].” It is normal to translate this line, “believe that you

will receive it.” As a fairly wooden translation of the text, this treatment suffices.

However, we might want to consider a different nuance for the verb rendered

receive/experience.

The Greek verb used here74 can be translated in different ways, depending on the

context. One way, the more or less typical way, is to gloss receive, where the term

communicates “to receive or accept an object or benefit for which the initiative rests with

the giver, but the focus of attention in the transfer is upon the receiver.”75 The twenty-

one subdomains in the semantic domain of this Greek term all share “events and related

states involving ownership or possession of objects [emphasis mine].”76

74
Lambavnw: 2nd person, plural, aorist, active, indicative.
75
Johannes P. Louw and Eugene A. Nida, eds., Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based
on Semantic Domains, vol. 1 Introduction and Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1989), 572.
76
Ibid., 558.

31
 Another way to gloss the verb is with the nuance, to experience, where the term

implies “to experience some event or state.”77 Given the fact that the context demands

that the subject matter of this prayer relate to the onset of the Messianic rule and reign,

then this event would seem to call for a gloss that emphasizes experience of an event or

state.78 Moreover, as we have noted above in terms of the overlap between Mark and

Zechariah, there is much about the Messianic kingdom that one should expect to

experience. That is, one would expect to pray for the onset of the Messianic rule in terms

of cleansing and forgiveness, the abundance of living waters, paying homage to Yahweh,

and atonement for sin for all the nations. The Messianic entry depicted in Mark 11 sets

these events and states of experience in motion. The hope is that prayer will and shall

bring all of this to fruition.

Summary and Conclusions on Mark 11:20-25. In its context, we have argued

that Mark 11:20-25 is about [1] the onset and establishment of the Messianic rule on earth

and [2] the contribution of the disciples in the establishment of that reign.

For support, it is clear that Mark 11, as a whole, is about the onset of the

Messianic kingdom. Mark 11:1-11 depends upon Zechariah 9:9-10 for Mark’s portrayal

of the Triumphal Entry. The Zechariah text signals the entry of the Messiah in Jerusalem,

bringing salvation, righteousness, and peace to all nations. Moreover, Mark does cite

Psalm 118:25-26, from a group of Psalms that praise the victory of Yahweh in

77
Ibid., 806. An example of this nuance for lambavnw is Romans 5:11, where we are told that
we have received reconciliation. Is it better to affirm that we possess reconciliation as an object, or
experience reconciliation as a state?
78
Again, would we claim that we “receive” the Messianic rule as an object we possess or as an
event and state of affairs we experience?

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deliverance. This praise is directed to Jesus, the Messiah, who rides into Jerusalem to

establish salvation, righteousness and peace for all nations.

Further support for the establishment of the Messianic rule comes in Mark 11:12-

14. When the Messiah curses the fig tree, at its roots, he pronounces a judgment on the

moral and spiritual lives of the people of God. As in Micah 7, so here, the absence of

spiritual fruit is grounds for judgment. Evidently, judgment upon the lack of

righteousness among the people of God is part and parcel with the establishment of the

Messianic rule.

Additional support for the establishment of the Messianic rule comes in Mark

11:15-19, where Jesus cleanses the Temple. As we noted above, the seminal import of

this event needs to be taken into account. To begin with all four Gospel writers mention

it [Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48; and John 2:13-22]. Accordingly,

the cleansing of the Temple must be a defining moment in the ministry of Jesus.

But, we also note that John places the event early in his Gospel, chapter 2. This

fact would seem to underscore the centrality of the cleansing for the nature of the

ministry of the Messiah. Whatever else may be said of this event, the evangelists see it as

crucial in the establishment of the Messianic rule and reign.

Concerning Mark’s treatment of the cleansing, we noted that his citation of

Jeremiah 7 underlines his view that the use of the Temple for commercial gain amounted

to an act of desecration. Moreover, Mark’s citation of Isaiah 56:7 underlines the

Messiah’s agenda in establishing his rule and reign. That is, in the Isaiah text, Yahweh

promises to open himself to all nations. Even non-Israelites would serve Yahweh, love

him, worship him and find gracious atonement for their sins. Evidently, Jesus’ outrage

33
was that the Temple leadership was more intent on commercial gain than welcoming all

people to the grace of God.

Finally, support for the establishment of the Messianic rule comes in Mark 11:27-

33. Here, Jesus’ authority is questioned and the hostility toward him among the

leadership builds. Indeed, there is a fairly pronounced judgment upon these leaders, as

evidenced by the counter-question Jesus poses to the questioning of his authority [11:31-

32].

We conclude, therefore, that Mark 11 as a whole is about the establishment of the

Messianic rule and reign. We turn to summarize the contribution of Mark 11:20-24.

Our survey of Mark 11 shows that judgment figures prominently in the depiction

of Jesus’ Messianic rule and reign. But what is there within the chapter that speaks to the

hope of correcting all of these lamentable circumstances? We answer that Mark 11:20-24

provides the hope of a corrective. Specifically, Mark 11:20-24 affirms that the

establishment of the Messianic reign is now; and it also hints at the participation of the

followers of the Messiah in the ongoing work of establishing the Messiah’s reign.

The hope of correction comes when Jesus says that his followers may say to this

mountain, “Be removed and thrown into the sea!” The reference to this mountain we take

to be a reference to the Mount of Olives. Drawing upon Zechariah 14:4, the hope that

Jesus offers is that the day has come when the Messiah-King establishes his kingdom on

earth. The nature of the hope contained within that Messianic kingdom includes the hope

of cleansing from sin and impurity [Zechariah 13:1-5], the hope of “living waters”

flowing out of Jerusalem [14:8], and the hope of atonement for sin [14:16].

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 We conclude that Mark 11:20-25 includes a positive statement of hope that the

day of the Messiah-King has dawned; a hope that involves cleansing, the availability of

the kind of life only God can provide [“living waters”], true worship of God, and

atonement for sins. All of this is for all the nations and all the peoples of the world.

Mark 11:20-25 also brings the followers of Jesus, the Messiah, into the work of

establishing his rule and reign. In the context of Mark 11:23-24, this contribution centers

upon prayer. Prayer is the vehicle Mark highlights as a means of the disciples’

participation in the inauguration of the Messianic kingdom.

The substance of that prayer is defined in terms of the words, “say to this

mountain – be removed and thrown into the sea!” Through an allusion to Zechariah 14:4,

Jesus offers his followers the opportunity, say to this mountain – to participate in the

establishment of the Messianic kingdom on earth. To be sure, the Zechariah text points

more toward the end times, when the Messiah will finally and ultimately establish his rule

and reign upon the earth. That day is yet to come; but, in the interim, the disciples can

participate through faith and prayer.

Mark describes the nature of that faith in terms of one who “does not doubt in his

heart but rather believes that what he says begins to come to pass.” As we noted, the

nature of this believing faith is one that prays for the presence of the Messianic kingdom,

knowing that the kingdom’s presence is realized on the earth over time.

The hope that is implicit in this prayer life is expressed by “everything that you

ask in prayer, trust that you [will] experience [it], and it will happen for you.” The hope

that is expressed in this prayer is the certain hope that the disciples will experience the

state of Messianic rule. The upshot is that these followers of the Messiah pray for the life

35
that fully experiences the Messianic rule and reign; that is, cleansing and forgiveness, the

abundance of a life only God can provide [“living waters”], true worship of God, and

atonement for sin for all nations and all peoples. The Messianic entry in Mark 11 sets

these events and states of experience in motion. The hope of the faith community is that

prayer will and shall bring all of this to fruition.

A Detailed Rebuttal of Word of Faith

The word of faith position makes a great deal out of Mark 11:23, and,

accordingly, our detailed rebuttal will focus on this text. First, we shall question the

claim that faith activates success formulae in the Bible. Then, we shall question the idea

that Mark 11:23 affirms that our words have creative power.

Faith does not activate success formulae. As we have noted, in his book, The

Laws of Prosperity, Mr. Copeland claims that the force of faith activates success formulae

in the Word of God. One of these success formulae is Mark 11:23, where Jesus is

enunciating a spiritual law that “with faith you can have whatever you say even though it

may be contrary to what you see with your physical eyes.”79 Naturally, the spiritual law

in Mark 11:23 involves monetary prosperity.

Mr. Copeland offers the reader a model prayer for activating the success formulae

in Mark 11:23-24. He composes an example of the way the prayer of faith would look:

Father, in the Name of Jesus, we ask you for $ ___________.

We have this money in our heavenly account and we are with-
drawing this amount now. As in Mark 11:23-24, we believe
it in our hearts and confess now that it is ours in the Name of
Jesus.80

79
Copeland, 16.
80
Ibid., 103.

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 As Mr. Copeland is quick to point out, “There are certain laws governing

prosperity revealed in God’s Word. Faith causes [emphasis mine] them to function.”81

However, Mark 11:23, in its context in the Gospel of Mark, is not about

activating success formulae.

As we have noted above, all of Mark 11 is about Jesus establishing the Messianic

rule and reign. As we have noted, the account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, 11:1-11, sets

the contextual stage for the entire chapter. With Zechariah 9:9-10 and Psalm 118:25-26

as background, the entry signals the onset of the Messianic reign. In Mark 11:12-14, the

Messianic-King pronounces a judgment on the spiritual lives of the nation of Israel.

Then, the Messiah-King cleanses the Temple, 11:15-19. Drawing upon Jeremiah 7, a

pronouncement of desecration is forthcoming. Then, using Isaiah 56:7, the Messiah-King

announces that the Temple should be open to all nations, including non-Israelites. By

putting a price tag on entry, the Temple leadership was effectively barring open access to

serving Yahweh, loving Yahweh, worshiping Him and finding atonement for sin. Finally,

the Temple leadership questions the authority of Jesus, leading to a confrontation between

the Messiah-King and the leadership. This confrontation would ultimately lead to their

decision to crucify him, 15:18. Looking back, Mark links the activities in chapter 11 with

the Temple leadership’s decision to send the Lord to the Cross. The net effect is that the

context of Mark 11 helps seal the death by crucifixion of Jesus.

Beyond the context of Mark 11, the exposition of Mark 11:20-25 also shows that

its focal point is the establishment of the Messianic rule and reign.

As we have noted, Mark 11:20-21, draws upon Hosea 9:16, where Yahweh

Himself imposes a severe judgment on the spiritual condition of Israel. In the Mark text,
81
Ibid., 15.

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it is the Messiah-King who has pronounced this judgment. The reference to the Hosea

text indicates that the Mark and Jesus want the reader to understand that the concern is

for the spiritual condition of the people of God. In the Hosea text, this includes their

unfaithfulness in worship [9:10, 15], disobedience through evil deeds [9:15], corruption

of leadership [9:15], and a steady refusal to repent [9:17]. The upshot is that opening

lines of Mark 11:20-21 affirm the Messiah-King’s judgment on the spiritual condition of

Israel. In fact, this judgment would seem to be grounds for his ultimate betrayal and

death on the Cross.

In Mark 11:23, we have the key assertion of Messianic rule.82 Our only concern

at this juncture is to affirm that Jesus and Mark have in mind a reference to Zechariah

14:4, when Jesus says to his followers, “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this

mountain, ‘Be removed and thrown into the sea!’” This text promises a time to come

when the Messiah-King will establish the kingdom of God on earth. Mark 11:23 asserts

that, with the coming of Jesus on a colt into Jerusalem, now is that time. Drawing upon

other passages from Zechariah, the nature of the Messianic kingdom includes cleansing

and forgiveness, an abundant life that only Yahweh can provide, and all the nations of the

earth coming to find reconciliation with God.

All of this is poles apart from the notion that Mark 11:23 is about faith activating

success formulae. It is absolutely not the case that 11:23 teaches, “The success formulas

in the Word of God produce results when used as directed.”83 It is absolutely not the case

that 11:23 teaches one to pray, “We believe we receive $ ________. As in Mark 11:23-

82
11:23 reads, “Truly I say to you that whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and thrown
into the sea!’ and does not doubt in his heart, it will begin happening for him.”
83
Copeland, 16.

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24, we believe it in our hearts and confess now that it is ours in the Name of Jesus.”84

And finally, it is absolutely not the case that 11:23 is about prosperity, affirming, “There

are certain laws governing prosperity revealed in God’s Word. Faith causes [emphasis

mine] to function.”85

Rather, Mark 11:20-25 is part of an entire chapter that asserts the onset of the

Messianic kingdom, a circumstance for which the Lord would, within days, be crucified.

If the material in Mark 11 is about what Mr. Copeland says it is about, one wonders why

or how Jesus ever made it to the Cross! Activating success formulae through faith is not

the stuff of crucifixion.

Mark 11:23 does not affirm that words have creative power. At one point in his

book, The Laws of Prosperity, Mr. Copeland cites all of Mark 11:23 and then lifts out “he

shall have whatever he saith.” Mr. Copeland the proceeds to tell us what this citation

means, “Faith is released with the mouth.”86 Indeed, “You have what you say.”87 As we

have noted, this creative capacity of human language used in faith impacts one’s financial

prosperity. That is, Mr. Copeland notes, “If you are living in poverty and lack and want,

change what you are saying. It will change what you have!”88 The upshot is that,

concerning material prosperity, the “confession of your mouth will cause you [emphasis

mine] to possess it. God will see to that.”89

84
Ibid., 103.
85
Ibid., 15.
86
Ibid., 96.
87
Ibid.
88
Ibid.
89
Ibid., 97.

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 We have also noted that “God will see to it” because our words have the power to

obligate God to act. Mr. Copeland advises the devotee of the word of faith to discipline

their speech. That is, one should discipline “everything you say, and everything you

think to agree with what God does, what God says and what God thinks!”90 The net

effect of such discipline is that “God will be obligated to meet your needs . . . .”91

However, Mark 11:23-24 is not about a word of faith that translates into having

whatever you say.

As we have noted, “he shall have whatever he saith” is an unfortunate translation

of the Greek Mark uses. As we have noted above, the present aspect of the verb,

givnetai, is an example of an inchoative present, placing emphasis on the beginning of

a process that tends toward realization. A better translation would read, “Does not doubt

in his heart but rather believes that what he says is beginning to come to pass.” This

gloss fits the context of Mark 11:23-24, which is concerned with the establishment of the

Messianic rule and reign in the interim between the Cross and the final return of Christ in

glory.

Moreover, we have noted that 11:24 opens with “therefore,” a connective that

shows that Jesus is drawing an inference from what precedes. That is, Jesus is indicating

that he wants to say more about the one who “believes that what he says is beginning to

come to pass.” In fact, in 11:24, our Lord stresses the subject matter of such belief, as

well as something of the hope toward which it tends.

Concerning the subject matter of believing prayer, as we have noted above, the

contextual marker – therefore – tells us that prayer in the service of the onset of the

90
Ibid., 99.
91
Ibid.

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Messianic rule sets the boundaries for believing prayer, in this context. The “all things

whatsoever” or “everything that” in the line pertain to the disciples’ prayer for the onset

of the Messianic rule and reign.

Now, concerning the hope toward which such prayer tends, as we have noted

previously, the better way to translate “believe that you will receive it” is “trust that you

[will] experience [it].” The former translation points to possessing an object, while the

latter translation involves experiencing an event. The upshot is that, owing to the context

of Mark 11 as a whole, the hope toward which the one’s prayers tend is the experience of

the Messianic rule and reign. The textual support from the Hebrew Bible concerning the

onset of the Messiah’s reign describe much that one experiences; to wit, cleansing,

forgiveness, abundant spiritual life, worship, and atonement for all the people of the

world.

All of this is poles apart from the notion that Mark 11:23 is about changing our

circumstances by the words of our mouths. It is absolutely not the case that Mark 11:23

teaches us, “Faith is released with the mouth.”92 Moreover, it is absolutely not the case

that Mark 11:23 is about changing what we are saying concerning material poverty so

that we can enjoy material prosperity. And finally, it is absolutely not the case that our

words, disciplined or otherwise, have the capacity to obligate God to meet our needs.

Rather, Mark 11:23-24 is part of an entire chapter that asserts the onset of the

Messianic rule and reign. Moreover, 11:23-24 offer the disciple the opportunity to

participate in the unfolding process of the Messianic kingdom through prayers of faith.

Ultimately, Mark 11:23-24 is about prayer in the service of the onset of the Messianic

kingdom, with all that kingdom’s emphasis on atonement for all people.
92
Ibid., 96.

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