NOTE: The fig tree story is in two parts. The first part is when Jesus is on His way from Bethany to Jerusalem and the temple cleansing.
The second part is Jesus on his way back from the Temple to Bethany.
SCRIPTURE
Mark 11:12-14; 20-26
Jesus and the withered fig tree
The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry. Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf, he went over to see if he could find anything on it. When he reached it he found nothing but leaves; it was not the time for figs. And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!” And his disciples heard it.
Early, the next morning, as they were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its roots. Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God. Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours. When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.”
JESUS CURSES THE FIG TREE
REFLECTION
Why did Jesus curse the fig tree when it was not the time of the year for figs? Jesus saw a fig tree from a distance. Jesus sees a fig tree with leaves, and being hungry, He approaches it hoping to find some fruit, since blossoms of fruit appear before leaves. He finds no figs and curses the fig tree or better said, Jesus calls the fig tree what it is, cursed….just like us when we don’t bear fruit of the Spirit..
Fig trees are used throughout the Old Testament to stand for Israel. We read in 1 Kings 4:25, “Judah and Israel lived in safety, every man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba…The presence of a fruitful fig tree was considered to be a symbol of blessing and prosperity for the nation of Israel. Likewise, the absence or death of a fig tree would symbolize judgment and rejection.
The LORD said, What do you see, Jeremiah? “Figs,” I replied; “the good ones are very good, but the bad ones very bad, Then this word of the LORD came to me: Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, I will also regard with favor Judah… I will look after them for good and bring them back to this land,
They shall be my people and I will be their God…but for others, like fig trees that are bad…I will make them an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, a taunt and a curse, in all the places to which I will drive them. JEREMIAH 24:3-9
Symbolically, the fig tree represented the spiritual deadness of Israel, who while very religious outwardly with all the sacrifices and ceremonies, were spiritually barren because of their sins.
Jesus, also in a sense, is denouncing “unfaithful” Christians of today…that is people who profess to be Christians but have no evidence of relationship with Christ. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father will enter.” MATTHEW 7:21
We too must bear good fruit as witnesses to Christ lest we be cursed, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for Me, either. These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” MATTHEW 25:46
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. JAMES 2:14-15
SCRIPTURE
Mark 11:15-19; 27-33
The cleansing of the Temple (God’s House)
They came to Jerusalem, and on entering the temple area he began to drive out those selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area.
Then he taught them saying, Is it not written: My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples? But you have made it a den of thieves.” The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it and were seeking a way to put him to death, yet they feared him because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching.
The chief priests, scribes, and elder approached Jesus outside temple area and said to Him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?” Jesus said to them, “I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.”
They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say, ‘[Then] why did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”—they feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” Then Jesus said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE
REFLECTION
Jesus had just arrived at Jerusalem amid great fanfare and great expectations, but then proceeds to cleanse the Temple and curse the barren fig tree. Both had significance as to the spiritual condition of Israel. With His cleansing of the Temple, Jesus was effectively denouncing Israel’s worship of God.
Why did Jesus in particular disrupt the money changers and those that sold doves? It is about exploitation of the poor and oppressed. Money changers were charging high interest of those Jews coming from many nations to worship at the temple who had to change their currency for temple currency to pay the temple tax. (oppressing the alien) Lambs were the usual sacrifice but if you couldn’t afford a lamb then two doves would do. Those who sold the doves were exploiting the poor.
. . . do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place . . . Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely…and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house…and say, `We are delivered!’ — Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, says the LORD. JEREMIAH 7:6, 9-11
In cleansing the Temple and cursing the fig tree, Jesus pronounces His coming judgment of Israel…Perhaps his judgment on us as well if we are Christians only in appearances. Religious words and appearances are not enough to guarantee salvation. There must be genuine fruit evidenced in the life of the person.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. MATTHEW 7:11
The chief priests and scribes heard about the Temple event and were seeking a way to put Jesus to death but feared the crowds who were so moved by his teachings. Jesus teaches with authority.
The chief priests and scribes want to challenge this authority so they approach Jesus, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them? But Jesus is ready for them, as always.
Jesus asks them a question that He knows they can’t answer because on the one hand they would admit their guilt of not following John the Baptist and call to repentance. Or on the other hand enrage the followers of John the Baptist if they called him of human origin. For John’s followers considered him a prophet of God.
So Jesus has called their bluff again and they weakly say “I don’t know.” Jesus replies, ““Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.” Jesus may have cleansed the Temple but has made little difference in the hearts of these religious leaders of the time.
Let us pray that the Spirit of God will cleanse our hearts from attachments and false gods, that we may be clean of heart, our number one priority is giving glory, praise, and thanksgiving to our God, giver of all good things. “Blessed are the clean of heart for they shall see God.” MATTHEW 5:8