The Skeptics Annotated Bible (789 page)

7 And
they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.

(11.7)
“They brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.”
374 On what did Jesus ride into Jerusalem?

8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.

9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:

10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

12
And on the morrow
, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

(11.12)
“And on the morrow”
422 When did Jesus curse the fig tree?

(11.13-14) Jesus kills a fig tree for not bearing figs, even though it was out of season. He did this to show the world just how much God hates figs.

13 And
seeing a fig tree
afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it,
he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

(11.13)
“Seeing a fig tree … he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.”

14 And
Jesus
answered and
said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever.
And his disciples heard it.

(11.14)
“Jesus … said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever.”

15 And they come to Jerusalem: and
Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought
in the temple,
and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves
;

(11.15)
“Jesus went into the temple and began to cast out them that sold and bought … and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves.”
373 When did Jesus’ temple tantrum occur?

16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

17 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.

18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.

20 And
in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

(11.20)
“
I
n the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.”
The fig tree immediately dies in Matthew (21.19-20), but it doesn’t die until the next morning in Mark’s account.
375 When did the cursed fig tree die?

21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

(11.23-24) If you do “not doubt in your heart” you can cast a mountain into the sea (or kill a fig tree, or whatever).

23 For verily I say unto you, That
whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, 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.

(11.23)
“Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, 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.”

24 Therefore I say unto you,
What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

(11.24)
“What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,

28 And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?

29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.

31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?

32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.

33 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.

(12.1-9) God is like a rich man who owns a vineyard and rents it to poor farmers. When he sends servants to collect the rent, the tenants beat or kill them. So he sent his son to collect the rent, and they kill him too. Then the owner comes and kills the farmers and gives the vineyard to others.

12
And he began to speak unto them by parables.
A certain man planted a vineyard
, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower,
and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

(12.1)
“A certain man planted a vineyard … and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.”

2 And at the season
he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard
.

(12.2)
“He sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.”