Jesus and the Fig Tree - A Deeper Dive
Scripture: Mark 11:11-14
Message recap
Happy New Year! There’s really nothing magical about January 1 for making resolutions and goals. But it is a natural break and a good place to evaluate what we should strive to improve in the new year. Notice we’re using the word “strive.” We can also hope to improve areas of our lives, but hoping doesn’t require much effort. There isn’t a high level of commitment when we merely hope for something to happen. But striving implies that you’re going to take some action. You intend to put effort into improving rather than just sitting by and waiting. Over the next few weeks leading up to the season of Lent, we’ll be talking about taking inventory and allowing the Holy Spirit to nudge us toward areas in our lives we should strive to work on.
This week’s scripture from the Gospel of Mark tells the story of Jesus cursing a fig tree. The story coincides with Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on the day we now call Palm Sunday. It’s late in the day, and the fanfare from Jesus’ entry has died down. After reaching the temple, Jesus and the disciples called it a day and returned to Bethany. It was in Bethany that Lazarus, Martha, and Mary lived, so it’s reasonable to assume that Jesus was perhaps staying with them.
The story continues the following day, and we’re told Jesus is hungry.
“13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.; And his disciples heard him say it.”
Mark describes the tree as “in leaf,” which means the tree is full of leaves and is probably quite a beautiful display of greenery. There are two elements in the continuation of the story that need our attention. First, did Jesus really need to walk to the tree to find out it had no fruit? He is, first and foremost, all-knowing, but he’s probably familiar with the seasonal characteristics of fig trees since he’s been around them his entire life. Second, can you imagine being the disciples and seeing this man who preaches love and care curse a fig tree? They knew it wasn’t the right fig season, yet Jesus reacted harshly to the absence of fruit. The disciples had to be standing by in utter shock.
Later in the chapter, as Jesus and the disciples return to Bethany from the temple again, we learn the rest of the story.
“19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. 20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!’”
Cursing the fig tree is Jesus’ only miracle of destruction. There are no other miracles documented where he destroys something. But the timing of this story makes the cursing of the fig tree and its ultimate destruction a teaching moment. Remember, the trip to the temple the morning after Jesus arrived in Jerusalem resulted in his expelling the merchants and money changers. After seeing Jesus cleanse the temple and finding the fig tree withered from the roots, the disciples may have begun to understand the underlying message.
Throughout the Bible, the fig tree often symbolizes Israel. The prophets used it to represent God’s people and their spiritual state. A fig tree bearing fruit is a barometer of the people's spiritual health and relationship with God. Consider the words of the prophet Jeremiah:
“‘I will take away their harvest, declares the Lord. There will be no grapes on the vine. There will be no figs on the tree, and their leaves will wither. What I have given them will be taken from them.’”
The imagery of a barren fig tree illustrates the spiritual condition of the nation of Israel when they turned away from God. They bore no fruit.
From a distance, the fig tree Jesus cursed appeared healthy and vibrant. Yet, Jesus saw no fruit or any indication fruit would come. Similarly, according to the Gospel of Luke, when Jesus saw Jerusalem from a distance, he saw the outward appearance of a beautiful and healthy city. It had all the right buildings and symbols. But Jesus knew all too well that the city's inhabitants would be fruitless. And he began to weep. The idea of “all show and no go” is something we can all relate to.
Later in the Gospel of John, Jesus expands on the metaphor of plants and fruit to provide a solution:
“5 ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.’”
The remedy is staying connected to Jesus so that we bear fruit. The illustration of the branch and the vine exemplifies how we are to walk with Jesus. God created us and then redeemed us so that we will bear fruit. Jesus has chosen us to be his branches and bear the fruit of the Spirit.
In 2024, we will focus on producing the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And we begin with some simple self-evaluation:
Love - Do others feel loved by you? Do others ever feel judged by you? Do people look forward to being with you, or, at times, do some people try to avoid you? Do you give others your time, talent, and treasures out of love, or do you give out of a sense of duty?
Joy - Do you smile a lot, or do you constantly frown? Are you more likely to complain and grumble, or are you being more hopeful?
Peace - Are you anxious and worried or calm and confident because you know God's in control? He expects us to do what we can, but do what you can and then have confidence knowing God is in control.
Patience - Our world is destroying our ability to be patient. We do not have to exercise it at all. Patience is a virtue that is being thwarted at every turn. As followers of Christ, we need to keep track of this and keep it in the mix of spiritual fruits we're working on.
Kindness - How do you treat those who are the least or the lowest around you? It's widely believed that animals and small children have almost a sixth sense of kindness in people. So, when you're out and about, do animals fear you, or do they approach you? What about kids? Do they see you as kind? Do they engage with you even though they don't know you? Or do they keep their distance because you seem a little grumpy?
Goodness - Do you hold the high moral ground while lifting others up, or do you get there by putting them down?
Faithfulness - Do you keep your word? Do others know they can count on you? If you tell God you will do something, do you do it? If you don't follow through on commitments to God, how can you follow through on commitments to other people?
Self-control - Who is the master of your life and your desires? How much does the world control your actions? How much control does the world have over you? The world uses all kinds of deep psychology against you to make you think you're in control, but you're not. If you want God to be the author of your life, you’ve got to let him have the pen.
So what are we going to do? Are we going to stand by and hope to improve in areas of our lives that need work, or will we make a list of things we want to change? The new year is a good time to start, isn't it? Jesus wasn’t cursing a fig tree or clearing out the temple just to make a point to his disciples and the religious leaders of the time. He addressed the believers with him and those who would come to him in the future. He wants us to have authentic faith, evidenced by being fruitful. And he wants us to do that by attaching to him like a branch to a vine. What does he see when he looks at us? Are we like a beautiful leafy plant but a little light on fruit? Or does he see a tree bearing a bounty of fruit? What do you want him to see?
The “I Am” Verses
Earlier, we referenced the passage from the Gospel of John where Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches.” (see John 15:5 NIV) Of course, this is a metaphor for the disciples to understand that God provides everything needed for life. We simply need to be rooted in Jesus. But this is also one of several “I am” verses recorded in the Gospel of John that emphasize his nature and character.
Remember that when God revealed himself to Moses, he said, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (See Exodus 3:14) Jesus also uses “I am” to reveal himself. It links Jesus to the revelation of God in the Old Testament.
Here are the other instances where Jesus reveals himself using “I am”:
I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)
I am the Door (John 10:9)
I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14)
I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)
I am the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)
There are seven instances in John’s Gospel containing the phrase “I am.” Whenever Jesus made an “I am” statement revealing a divine characteristic, he identified himself as God. Each repetition adds another layer to our understanding of Jesus’ character until we see his form perfectly.