Francis D. Alvarez, S.J. (“The Temple Controversy in Mark”) interprets Jesus’ actions in Mark 11:15–18 as a prophetic act. But what message is it trying to communicate? Instead of limiting his hermeneutical optic to the Temple scene and the episodes close to it, Alvarez considers the temple episode as part of the larger story, the “good news” that Mark wants to proclaim. Hence, the author begins his “maximal interpretation” with the programmatic passage in Mk. 1:15 (“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news”). He goes on to explain the characteristics of Jewish eschatology, the various aspects of time in Mark, the present time and the age to come, the battle with cosmic forces seen in Jesus’ exorcisms, and the Temple as a synecdoche for Israel. Within this broad canvas of Markan eschatology, the author now interprets Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, his first visit to the Temple, the cursing of the fig tree, and finally, the demonstration in the Temple as fulfillments of various Messianic or eschatological prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures (Zech. 9:9–17; 14:21; Mal. 3:1–7; Isa. 56:7; Jer. 7:11; etc.). – from the Editor’s Preface