Cursing the Fig Tree
TRANSLATION
(11) And Jesus came to Jerusalem and entered the temple courts. And when he had looked around at everything, he left for Bethany with the twelve since it was already late. (12) The next day as they were leaving Bethany, he was hungry. (13) Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. (14) And he said to it, “Let no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.
(15) When they came to Jerusalem, he entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were selling and buying in the temple and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those selling doves, (16) and he would not allow any who carried merchandise to enter the temple. (17) And he was teaching and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’ But you have made it a den of robbers.” (18) And the chief priests and the teachers of the law heard about it and were seeking a way to destroy him, but they feared him because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. (19) And when evening came, they left the city.
(20) As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. (21) Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered.” (22) And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. (23) Truly, I tell 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 has said will take place, it will be done for him. (24) Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (25) And whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone so that your Father who is in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
OBSERVATIONS
Mark structured this segment like a sandwich. The two outer segments both dealt with Jesus cursing the fig tree and what resulted. In between, we find the narrative of Jesus cleansing the temple for the second time. Repeated words included “Jerusalem” (vss. 11 & 15), “temple” (four times in vss. 11, 15, & 16), “house” (twice in vs. 17), “fig tree/figs” (four times in vss. 13 & 20), and “withered” (vss. 20 & 21). Jesus used his disappointment in not finding any fruit growing on the fig tree as an object lesson to describe his negative response to the far greater tragedy of finding the nation completely unprepared to welcome him as Messiah. Both the cursing of the fig tree and the cleansing of the temple served as warnings of far greater judgment to come upon the nation.
OUTLINE
I. Jesus cursed the fig tree. (11-14)
II. Jesus cleansed the temple. (15-19)
III. Jesus challenged his disciples to have faith in God to answer prayer. (20-25)
IDEA STATEMENT
Those who are not prepared to receive the Lord when he comes will face his immediate rebuke and eventual judgment.
APPLICATION
Along with using the fig tree’s lack of fruit to portray Israel’s being unprepared for his first coming, Jesus took the opportunity to teach his disciples about the importance of faith when they found the tree withered upon their return. With the exhortation, “Have faith in God,” Jesus was essentially telling them, “By faith you can do what I am doing.” He then used an illustration (moving a mountain), an explanation (ask...believe...it will be yours), and a warning (forgive...that your Father may forgive you) to drive home his point.
This served as another example of the kind of praying Jesus constantly urged his disciples to integrate into their walk with God. Prayer should never become formulaic nor should it ever be viewed as a magical way of getting what we want. Prayer should rather be considered an indispensable means of growing in our dependence on God and deepening our relationship with him. As a son, Jesus maintained constant contact with the Father and bathed every aspect of his earthly life and ministry with prayer. This same attitude of dependence is what he desires to see in all his disciples as we learn to walk by faith, not by sight.