September 12 Daily Devotional

Matthew 21; Mark 11; Luke 19

At eventide Jesus with the twelve left Jerusalem and came to Bethany, located at the foot of the mount of Olives, and they lodged there. “Now in the morning, as he returned into the city, he hungred. And when he. saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it and found nothing but leaves: for the time for figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee henceforth forever. And presently the fig tree withered away.”

When Jesus came to Jerusalem, he went into the temple. There he saw the desecration of the house of God. It was much like a market place. To accommodate the worshippers from other countries, there were tables of the money changers. There were those that bought and sold animals for the sacrifices. But Jesus began to drive out the traders, and he overthrew the tables of the money changers. He “would not suffer that any man should carry a vessel through the temple. And he taught saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But ye have made it a den of thieves … All the people were astonished at his doctrine.” He then returned to Bethany.

In the morning as they—Jesus with the disciples—passed by “they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, calling to remembrance, said unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. Jesus answering said unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou re moved, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye &hall have them.”

And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him and said, “By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee the authority to do these things? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? but if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John that he was a prophet indeed. And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.”