In Mark 11.12-26 Jesus curses a tree and curses the temple. His cursing of the tree, causing it to wither from the roots up, is symbolic of his judgement on the religious establishment in charge of the temple in Jerusalem. Like the tree, the temple appears to be fruitful from a distance because of its constant activity (religious and otherwise) but upon closer inspection it is really fruitless. It now exists for itself and the profit of the people who run it.
In a shocking lesson, Jesus announces to his disciples that a temple will no longer be required in order for people to pray (worship) the Lord. Also, a temple will no longer be required for sins to be forgiven. Because of what Jesus will do in dying and rising again, people will, by faith, be able to worship and pray to the Lord anywhere and their sins will be forgiven through His once-for-all sacrifice.
For the disciple of Jesus, faith cannot be content with mere religion, faith seeks fruitfulness, and faith holds together our relationship with God (the vertical) with our relationship with people (the horizontal).
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