During the time Jesus was in Jerusalem, he had a pattern of daily visits to the temple and a nightly return to Bethany. While in Jerusalem, he taught in the courtyard of the temple, where other teachers would also gather a crowd.
We read about Jesus’ second and only other miracle that he performed in the vicinity of Jerusalem. This one took place in Bethany.
In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry.
And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves. Then he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once (Matthew 21.18-19).
I’ve been asked many questions about this passage, as it seems so contrary to Jesus’s customary behavior. Jesus, like the prophets, occasionally did things out of character in order to draw attention to their symbolic message.
Fig trees didn’t produce fruit around the time of Passover. This one was an exception, having an unusually full coverage of leaves for the season, which encouraged the hope of early fruit.
The fruit of the fig tree is a prophetic symbol for the good life God expects from His people. The words of Micah should be taken seriously in every age.
Woe is me! For I have become like one who,
after the summer fruit has been gathered,
after the vintage has been gleaned,
finds no cluster to eat;
there is no first-ripe fig for which I hunger.
The faithful have disappeared from the land,
and there is no one left who is upright;
they all lie in wait for blood,
and they hunt each other with nets.
Their hands are skilled to do evil;
the official and the judge ask for a bribe,
and the powerful dictate what they desire;
thus they pervert justice. (Micah 7.1-3)
The symbolic act of cursing and withering the fig tree represented the ultimate judgment that would fall on God’s people due to their continued rebellion. A more complete discussion of this will take place in Chapter 23.
A Modern Example
A few months before the fall of the Berlin Wall, a powerful European prayer team walked through Lenin’s tomb. They felt led to speak God’s word of judgment on communism.
As they walked through the tomb, each one repeated, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” Shortly after their experience in Lenin’s tomb, the Berlin Wall fell.
When we obediently follow the Holy Spirit’s prompting in prayer, we can expect results. Some are quite dramatic, others less so, but all give glory to God.
Faith and Prayer
Jesus’ power is unique, making it all the more remarkable when he suggests that his disciples can do the same thing he has done.
When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?”
Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done.
“Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive” (Matthew 21.20-22).
The destruction of the tree is seen as a model of the power of prayer when uttered in faith.
Doubt is identified as the lack of faith. It is being of two minds, which lacks a practical trust in God. The faith that receives answers to prayer is characterized by practical confidence in God’s power and willingness to respond.
Faith is often compared to trust, which we build with people through strong relationships. Similarly, developing faith in God can be seen as a process of getting to know Him better over time.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 