On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see whether perhaps he would find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard it. (Mark 11: 12-14)

Mark's narrative generally moves from one event to the next without transition or much reflection. The eleventh chapter deviates from this pattern.

In both Matthew and Luke the fig tree withers immediately. Mark leaves a full day - and plenty of other action - to intervene before we see the result of Jesus' curse.

In both Matthew and Luke the temple is cleansed of money-changers immediately after entering Jerusalem. In Mark, Jesus conducts a reconnaissance of the temple and then returns the next day.

What is Mark doing? Are Mark's uncharacteristic delays meaningful? Or are these just insignificant discrepancies in how the story was remembered?

When a consistent pattern seems to change we should at least consider the possibility of deeper meaning or cause.