The Other Side of Gentle Jesus
In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside he went to it, and found nothing on it but leaves only. And he said to it, "May no fruit come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once. Matt. 21:18, 19, RSV.
At first glance it seems strange to find the story of the fig tree right after the cleansing of the Temple. But the placement is no accident. That becomes especially clear in Mark's Gospel, which splits the fig tree story into two parts (Mark 11:12-14 and 20-24) with the cleansing sandwiched in between them (verses 15-19).
Victor of Antioch (fifth century) clearly saw that connection in the oldest existing commentary on Mark. According to Victor, the withering of the fig tree was an acted parable in which Jesus "used the fig tree to set forth the judgment that was about to fall on Jerusalem."
In its context, the withered fig tree points to the Temple and its failure in preparing the Jewish people for the redemptive activity of the coming Messiah. Despite all that God had attempted to do through the Temple for His people, it had not borne fruit. And just as a tree that does not perform its proper function in bearing fruit gets cut down, so the Temple will meet its end.
By extension, the parable of the fruitless fig tree has much to say to all religionists and all religious institutions characterized by promise without fulfillment, by profession without practice. Whether it be the Jewish nation, the Jewish leaders, or ordinary Christians, Jesus is adamant throughout the Gospels that outward profession is not enough. "You will know them by their fruits" (Matt. 7:20, RSV). "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (verse 19, RSV).
It has become fashionable for Christians to focus on the gentleness and kindness of Jesus and the Father to the exclusion of the "wrath of the Lamb" (Rev. 6:16). The plain fact that the God of love calls His children to wake up before it is too late. Eventually the God of love will terminate the reign of sin and create a new heaven and earth.
And just as Jesus judged the barren fig tree, so He will someday judge the world. In fact, no one in the entire Bible had more to say about judgment than Jesus.
Today is a good one to examine my own "fruitlessness." Let's be honest! Am I all show or is there depth and daily results of the gospel in my life?
In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside he went to it, and found nothing on it but leaves only. And he said to it, "May no fruit come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once. Matt. 21:18, 19, RSV.
At first glance it seems strange to find the story of the fig tree right after the cleansing of the Temple. But the placement is no accident. That becomes especially clear in Mark's Gospel, which splits the fig tree story into two parts (Mark 11:12-14 and 20-24) with the cleansing sandwiched in between them (verses 15-19).
Victor of Antioch (fifth century) clearly saw that connection in the oldest existing commentary on Mark. According to Victor, the withering of the fig tree was an acted parable in which Jesus "used the fig tree to set forth the judgment that was about to fall on Jerusalem."
In its context, the withered fig tree points to the Temple and its failure in preparing the Jewish people for the redemptive activity of the coming Messiah. Despite all that God had attempted to do through the Temple for His people, it had not borne fruit. And just as a tree that does not perform its proper function in bearing fruit gets cut down, so the Temple will meet its end.
By extension, the parable of the fruitless fig tree has much to say to all religionists and all religious institutions characterized by promise without fulfillment, by profession without practice. Whether it be the Jewish nation, the Jewish leaders, or ordinary Christians, Jesus is adamant throughout the Gospels that outward profession is not enough. "You will know them by their fruits" (Matt. 7:20, RSV). "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (verse 19, RSV).
It has become fashionable for Christians to focus on the gentleness and kindness of Jesus and the Father to the exclusion of the "wrath of the Lamb" (Rev. 6:16). The plain fact that the God of love calls His children to wake up before it is too late. Eventually the God of love will terminate the reign of sin and create a new heaven and earth.
And just as Jesus judged the barren fig tree, so He will someday judge the world. In fact, no one in the entire Bible had more to say about judgment than Jesus.
Today is a good one to examine my own "fruitlessness." Let's be honest! Am I all show or is there depth and daily results of the gospel in my life?
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