The Meaning of Mark 11:3 Explained

Mark 11:3

KJV: And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.

YLT: and if any one may say to you, Why do ye this? say ye that the lord hath need of it, and immediately he will send it hither.'

Darby: And if any one say to you, Why do ye this? say, The Lord has need of it; and straightway he sends it hither.

ASV: And if any one say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye, The Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him back hither.

What is the context of Mark 11:3?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  if  any man  say  unto you,  Why  do ye  this?  say ye  that  the Lord  hath  need  of him;  and  straightway  he will send  him  hither. 

What does Mark 11:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 11:1-19 - Praise And Fear Greet Jesus' Approach
On the first day of Passion Week a gleam of light fell athwart the Master's path as He rode into Jerusalem. It was a lowly triumph. The humble ass was escorted by poor men, Galilean pilgrims, and children, who excited the haughty criticism of the metropolis. May a similar procession enter your heart and mine! "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in."
With irresistible might the Lord drove forth the buyers and sellers from the Temple. According to the ancient prediction, He sat as a refiner and purifier of silver, to purify the sons of Levi. And whenever He enters the heart, He performs a similar work. He drives out bestial forms of sin, and mere traffic, so that the whole nature-spirit, soul, and body-may be surrendered to God. What our Lord said of the Temple should be true of each church of the living God. It should be His residence, where men of all nationalities should come to a unity, as they worship, confess sin, and intercede. Certainly God's house must not be a place of merchandise and traffic. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 11

1  Jesus rides with triumph into Jerusalem;
12  curses the fruitless fig tree;
15  purges the temple;
20  exhorts his disciples to steadfastness of faith, and to forgive their enemies;
27  and defends his actions by the witness of John, who was a man sent of God

Greek Commentary for Mark 11:3

The Lord [ο Κυριος]
So Matt. and Luke. See note on Matthew 21:3 for discussion of this word applied to Jesus by himself. [source]
He will send him back [apostellei)]
Present indicative in futuristic sense. Matthew 21:3 has the future apostelei f0). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 11:3

Mark 11:32 But should we say [αλλα ειπωμεν]
Deliberative subjunctive with aorist active subjunctive again. It is possible to supply εαν — ean from Mark 11:31 and treat it as a condition as there. So Matthew 21:26 and Luke 20:6. But in Mark the structure continues rugged after “from men” with anacoluthon or even aposiopesis - “they feared the people” Mark adds. Matthew has it: “We fear the multitude.” Luke puts it: “all the people will stone us.” All three Gospels state the popular view of John as a prophet. Mark‘s “verily” is οντως — ontōs really, actually. They feared John though dead as much as Herod Antipas did. His martyrdom had deepened his power over the people and disrespect towards his memory now might raise a storm (Swete). [source]
Luke 13:9 And if it bear fruit thenceforth [καν μεν ποιησηι καρπον εις το μελλον]
Aposiopesis, sudden breaking off for effect (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1203). See it also in Mark 11:32; Acts 23:9. Trench (Parables) tells a story like this of intercession for the fig tree for one year more which is widely current among the Arabs today who say that it will certainly bear fruit this time. [source]
Luke 19:33 The owners thereof [οι κυριοι αυτου]
The same word κυριος — kurios used of the Lord Jesus in Luke 19:31 (and Luke 19:34) and which these “owners” would understand. See note on Matthew 21:3 and note on Mark 11:3 for kurios used by Jesus about himself with the expectation that these disciples would recognize him by that title as they did. The word in common use for the Roman emperor and in the lxx to translate the Hebrew Elohim (God). [source]
Galatians 3:21 Which could make alive [ο δυναμενος ζωοποιησαι]
First aorist active infinitive of ζωοποιεω — zōopoieō late compound “Really” (cf. Mark 11:32; Luke 24:34). Condition and conclusion (αν ην — an ēn) of second class, determined as unfulfilled. He had already said that Christ died to no purpose in that case (Galatians 2:21). [source]
Galatians 3:21 Verily [οντως]
“Really” (cf. Mark 11:32; Luke 24:34). Condition and conclusion (αν ην — an ēn) of second class, determined as unfulfilled. He had already said that Christ died to no purpose in that case (Galatians 2:21). [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 11:3 mean?

And if anyone to you says Why are you doing this say Because the Lord of it need has soon it He will send back here
καὶ ἐάν τις ὑμῖν εἴπῃ Τί ποιεῖτε τοῦτο εἴπατε ‹Ὅτι› Κύριος αὐτοῦ χρείαν ἔχει εὐθὺς αὐτὸν ἀποστέλλει πάλιν ὧδε

τις  anyone 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
ὑμῖν  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
εἴπῃ  says 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Τί  Why 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: τίς  
Sense: who, which, what.
ποιεῖτε  are  you  doing 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
τοῦτο  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
εἴπατε  say 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
‹Ὅτι›  Because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
Κύριος  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
αὐτοῦ  of  it 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
χρείαν  need 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: χρεία  
Sense: necessity, need.
εὐθὺς  soon 
Parse: Adverb
Root: εὐθέως  
Sense: straightway, immediately, forthwith.
ἀποστέλλει  He  will  send 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀποστέλλω 
Sense: to order (one) to go to a place appointed.
πάλιν  back 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πάλιν  
Sense: anew, again.
ὧδε  here 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὧδε  
Sense: here, to this place, etc.