The passages that we are studying are packed with powerful lessons and Biblical applications. It is early Monday morning, and on the road to Jerusalem, there stood a solitary fig tree filled with leaves. There were no figs, just leaves. Our Lord was disappointed and cursed the fig tree. He then used that opportunity to warn Israel of the high cost for rejecting Him.
Introduction
After a night’s rest at Bethany, Jesus and the disciple left for Jerusalem. Our Lord Jesus Christ will make three trips to Jerusalem on consecutive days: Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. In articles one and two we covered what occurred on Palm Sunday. Now we turn to the events that occurred on Monday.
So, early in the morning, as they were on their way to Jerusalem Jesus saw a fig tree beside the road. It gave every indication that fruit would be found. He was hungry, so He sought to pick some figs. When He discovered the tree was fruitless and barren, He judged the tree. The disciples were in awe and wondered how quickly the fig tree had died. As usual, they missed the point, for they wanted to know "how He did it" rather than "why He did it." 1 The Lord follows Peter's surprising observation about how dead the tree looked with a lesson on the spiritual condition of Israel.
Along the Road to Jerusalem [Monday Morning]
18) Now in the morning, when He returned to the city, He became hungry.
19) And seeing alone fig tree by the road, He came to it, and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, "No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you." And at once the fig tree withered.
20) And seeing this, the disciples marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?" Matthew 21:18-20
The Lord Jesus is a fascinating Person to study. He is the God-Man. This terminology, the God-Man, is theological and represents the unique nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is God. He is man. He is one Person with two natures. We see Him approaching the fig tree because He was hungry. This is a picture of His humanity. Then when He discovered that there wasn't any fruit, He condemns the tree and it immediately shrivels up and dies. Now we observe His absolute sovereignty and omnipotence. He is God. He is indeed the unique Person of the Godhead. 2
Our Lord does not act arbitrarily or capriciously nor does He act in a fit of temper. There is a purpose in every action. He turns the circumstances into an opportunity to teach a point of doctrine visually. This fig tree is a picture of the spiritual condition of Israel.
About the fig tree
Regarding the fig tree, it was used by the Old Testament prophets as a symbol of the nation of Israel. (see Isaiah 28: 1-4; See also Hosea 9:10; Micah 7:1). The main harvest of figs takes place in the Summer, but there is a species of the fig tree that produces its figs in the Spring. The one that Jesus cursed had plenty of leaves indicating that it was the kind that can be gathered in the Spring. In Dr. Trench's classic work, he says:
"Our Lord's cursing the fig-tree near Bethany (Mark 11:13) has occasioned much perplexity from the circumstance. . .". The explanation of the words, however, lies in the simple fact that the fruit of the fig-tree appears before the leaves, and hence that if the tree produced leaves, it ought also to have had fruit. It ought to have fruit if it had been true to its "pretensions," in showing its leaves at this particular season. This tree, so to speak, vaunted itself to be in advance of all the other trees, challenged the passer-by that he should come and refresh himself with its fruit. Yet when the Lord accepted its challenge and drew near, it proved to be but as the others, without fruit as they; for indeed, as the evangelist observes, the time of figs had not yet arrived. Its fault, if one may use the word, lay in its pretensions, in its making a show to run before the rest when it did not so indeed." 3
The Lord's Appraisal of the fig tree
It had leaves, but no fruit. When Peter, the following day, drew the Lord's attention to the extreme deadness of the fig tree, Jesus said to them "Have faith in God." These few words contain the key to understanding the Lord's actions. We will repeatedly see the priest and people rejecting Him. They lack faith in Christ. They do not believe. The tree lacked fruit, and it is like Israel who lacks faith in God or faith in Christ. Now, you may hesitate and say, "Israel lacked faith in God?" I don't believe it! The reason why this is so hard for us to understand is that the "tree has leaves." But I tell you the tree does not have "FRUIT." There is a difference! Although the Lord stated this about the Jewish people of His day, the application to us is obvious. There is a difference between a type of Christianity that is RELIGIOUS and one that is based on a RELATIONSHIP with the Lord Jesus Christ. Christianity, the religion, has leaves, leaves, leaves and it is loaded with them. But a Christianity that is based on an intimate walk with Christ has fruit.
Leaves symbolize the outward veneer of piety, the visible works of human righteousness which religious people perform. On the outside and from a distance the tree looks healthy, full of life and vigor. For instance, look at Israel:
Leaf #1: She had 24 courses of priests. Each day a new group of about 50 priests served in the temple. The temple every day was bustling with priestly activity. Every day the burnt, meal, peace, trespass and sin offerings were observed with meticulous care.
Leaf #2: Large crowds of people gathered daily in the temple courts for morning prayer and evening prayer.
Leaf#3: The Holy days of Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Feast of Tabernacles, Day of Atonement were celebrated throughout the year.
Leaf #3: The foods they ate were only those prescribed by the law.
Leaf#4: Every child that was born was circumcised on the eighth day according to the Law.
Israel had leaves. She had the leaf of ritual; she had the leaf of animal sacrifices, she had the leaf of an active priesthood, of circumcision, of tithing, prayer, of keeping the law, etc. Israel produced beautiful leaves, wonderful leaves, good leaves, colorful leaves, leaves to be admired, and oh how proud she was of her leaves. Jesus said she had leaves but no fruit. Fruit comes when you "have faith in God." It is not that Israel does not have any faith, please notice again what Jesus said, "Have faith IN GOD." What was Israel trusting "IN"? Their good works! They believed that God provided a way of salvation through good works as outlined in the Law. In this way of life, you do not need God. God defines the good works, and you may call upon Him to help you, but it is your efforts that save you. God is there but not in the center. You are in the center. God is a passenger in your car, not the driver. God spoke to Joel the prophet about this:
[12] “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning;
[13] And rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil. [Joel 2:12, 13]
Your religious activity means nothing to God if your heart is not right with Him. Your fasting, weeping, and saying you're sorry to God are but leaves. God requires your heart, and that depends on a right relationship with Him. Jesus' greatest competitor in salvation is "your good works."
For example, I would like you to meet Joseph Ben Hillel. He was born a Jew. He was circumcised according to the law. He is keeping the law. He goes to the temple twice a day, morning and evening. He tithes. He says he loves God, and the proof is "Look at what I do for God!" If you ask Joseph, "Are you going to heaven?" His reply would be, " I hope so, I am a son of Abraham. I try to please God and live a life according to the Law." Now, nothing really bad can be said about Joseph. He is a good husband and father and from a distance is a very moral and upright person. He has leaves. This reminds me of Adam and Eve. When they sinned, they felt guilty in the presence of God and covered their shame with leaves. By the way, they were fig leaves. Joseph's good works are the fabric of clothing he is sewing to hide from a Holy and Righteous God. He is a sinner and needs a savior. Yet, he hopes that his good works will provide the best chance for a life in eternity. He is a typical religious man, like any good Moslem, Christian, Jew, Buddhist, etc. They all have a common faith; that is, by their good works they will be saved. For this reason, we say "they are trusting and depending on themselves."
Sadly, the fact is, if you do not know and trust in Christ; your heart is not right with God. Turn to the Lord Jesus Christ today if you already haven't. Do not delay! Trust in Him right now! If you need more information link here.
For those who have believed in Christ, the lesson is for you as well. The Christian Way of Life is designed by God to enable us to live joyfully, gratefully, and abundantly in all our relationships, with God, and with others. The Lord Jesus is to be at the center of the life we live. This means that the attitude and actions of Jesus Christ our Lord are to be reflected in every area of our lives: at home, at work, in the Church, and in all our relationships; in our marriages and in the rearing of our children, and with one another. The Lord is the center of all things, the measure of all things. If not, we are the center of all things, the measure of all things. We will be like that fig tree, a leaf factory. We will have leaves, but no fruit. We will be fruitless and barren and under discipline. Self-induced misery will replace the inner peace and inner joy of a life well-lived for the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord's Action
Jesus' actions are a warning to all who are trusting in their good works for salvation. He said, "No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you." He is entering Jerusalem, the center, and heart of the Jewish religion, the place of meaningless and empty ritual, a fig tree with a luxuriant mantle of beautiful leaves, but spiritually barren. This generation has rejected the One who is the only true Messiah, and therefore they have been rejected. John said, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" John 1:11. If you reject Christ, you will come under the curse of eternal damnation. There are no second chances. Note this, Jesus' action caused the tree to wither and die. Now the tree properly reflects what Israel is like. Dead, spiritually dead! She is under condemnation and will experience the result of rejecting Christ.
In 70 AD, the Roman army of Titus appeared before the walls of Jerusalem with 80,000 soldiers. The city would be sacked and the temple walls and buildings destroyed, never to be rebuilt. They will confiscate the wealth of the nation. They will remove and scatter the Jewish people throughout the Roman world.
The Lord's Application to prayer (Matthew 21:21-22)
21) And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith, and do not doubt, you shall not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,” it shall happen.
22) "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive."
My dear friend Pastor Robert Grossman, who led my wife and me to the Lord, called the men's prayer group, "The Mountain Movers." Jesus pointed to the Mount of Olives when he said: "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him." This will be literally fulfilled. In the future, Jerusalem will be under siege, and half the city will be captured by enemy forces. Then, suddenly, without warning supernatural darkness will completely cover the land. The next light will be the return of Jesus Christ (Revelation 19). Associated with that return will be an earthquake that will split the Mount of Olives in half all the way to the Mediterranean sea. It will look like the Mount of Olives was thrown into the sea. I believe this is in answer to the prayers of those fighting in Jerusalem. They will literally be "Mountain Movers" Zechariah 12:1-14;14:1-8.
Jesus tells us that effective prayer is dependent upon faith. The Scripture says that "The Just shall live by faith" Romans 1:17 and that "without faith, it is impossible to please God" Hebrews 11:17. Faith is something that we as believers should understand because we are to live by it and it is the way we please the Lord. Faith, however, is easier to describe than it is to define.
The simplest conception of faith is, "a personal confidence in God; a trust or reliance on Him." Saving faith is a trusting in the work of Christ on the cross. Living by faith is trusting and relying on God, living in daily dependence upon Him." Beyond this definition is a more technical concept of faith, that it is a complete system of thinking comprising all that God has declared in His Word. This is what Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, "But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
The words we are meant to live by are God's Word and represent God's thinking. Faith is actively resting in the plan of God, the power of God, the promises of God, the provisions of God, and the person of God. Faith is thinking God's thoughts, looking at life from the divine viewpoint. We are warned not to trust our own thoughts; they cannot be relied upon:
(8) For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.
(9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8,9
One of the conditions that we must meet if our prayers are to be answered is that we must have faith. We must trust that God hears and will answer our prayers
Conclusion:
The cursing of the fig tree is a solemn reminder that "without faith, it is impossible to please God." The leaves of good works are no substitute for faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5). Religion cannot replace the intimate, vital relationship that God requires for salvation and a daily walk. God is looking for fruit, not leaves.
ENDNOTES
1 This is a good place to note the method I am using in this study. First, I am seeking to harmonize the four gospel accounts of this amazing week. Since each gospel tells the story from a different point of view, the Holy Spirit has provided a wonderful variety of perspectives. Matthew tells the story of the King of the Jews that has come. In Mark, He is the servant of man. John shapes the story he tells by emphasizing the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Dr. Luke wants us to see the humanity of Christ. How does this bear upon our passage? Matthew associates the Lord's teaching with the Lord's action. When our Lord cursed the fig tree, it was early Monday morning. When He explained why He judged the tree, it was Tuesday morning. Matthew is not as interested in the chronology of the events as he is in combining the Lord's action with the Lord's teaching. On the other hand, Mark is the most chronological of the Gospels. He tells us that the teaching occurred the next day, Tuesday. As they were passing the dead tree, Peter (according to Mark's account 11:21) called the Lord's attention to it. Jesus then explained why the tree had been cursed. Since we are following Matthew's version, the action of cursing the fig tree and the lesson Jesus taught will be in the same article.
2 Our Lord Jesus Christ has two natures. He is God and as God possesses undiminished deity. He is man and as a man possesses body, soul, and the human spirit. He is the God-Man. In the person of Jesus Christ are two natures which are inseparably united, without mixture or loss to either His deity or humanity.
3 Richard Chenevix Trench. Notes On The Miracles Of Our Lord. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Company, 1895, p. 475.
4 An outline and Bible study on fruit-bearing can be obtained by emailing me at davefar1943@gmail.com and requesting a copy.