Title: The Fruitless Fig Tree Text: Matthew 21: 18-22 18. Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the fig tree withered. 20. When the disciples saw his, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly? They asked? 21. Jesus replied, “ I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask in prayer. Have you seen a tree without fruit? Or do you have in your house a tree that bearing no fruit ever since? It’s a quite different and questionable. Fruit trees must bear fruit in due time and in season. Well, in this case the fig tree that was being mentioned was the Israel or the people of Israel. Myrons stresses that as a disciples observed the fig tree wither, they were so impressed with Jesus’ authority over nature that they missed the parabolic meaning of His act. Upon their comment He ignored the meaning of the fruit missing from the tree and from the Israel, and gave the disciples a lesson of faith. The fruit of grace in their lives will be the faith to cope with insurmountable difficulties, described metaphorically as “mountains.” The incident is symbolic of God’s curse upon the fruitless Israel, as the cleansing of the temple was a symbolic act, showing the emptiness of forms of piety with no fruit. By the way, according to Duling and Perrin about the fig tree incident that what in Mark had been a testimony to the judgement of God on the Temple and a way of coming to terms with the fact of its destruction becomes in Matthew an example of the power of faith. So, Matthew omitted something from the work of Mark because of his audience. Actually, this story talks not only for one thing but of many. But I just want to tackle about the fruitless of the fig tree or the fruitless of Israel as leaders of the church. He adds that it illustrated the Jewish nation which held out a promise of spiritual fruit before the world, but when Jesus came to their temple He found the very court which was to be open to the Gentile world cluttered with activity but with no spiritual vitality. According to Henry, Matthew omits Mark’s difficult observation, “for it was not the time for figs,” because it makes the cursing unreasonable. Also by Matthew’s time the “time of figs” had already passed—for the Jerusalem war of A.D. 66-70 was the final hour of decision for Israel. The Fig-tree is a fit emblem of Israel. Its peculiarity is that the blossoms of the fruit appear before the leaves. Naturally, therefore, we should look for fruit on a tree in full leaf. This accounts for why Jesus cursed the Fig tree that had on it nothing but leaves. Matt. 21:18-20. The presence of the leaves led Him to expect fruit, and when He found none He cursed the tree for its fruitlessness. Mark gives us another version of the incident. Mark 11:12-14. He says that Jesus found nothing but leaves, for the time of figs was not yet. Why then curse the tree? This is easily explained. The early fruit, or blossoms, appear in spring before the leaves open, on branches of the last years growth, and the first ripe fruit is ready in June or earlier. The late figs grow on the new wood, keep appearing during the season, and are ripe from August onward. The unripe fruit of autumn often survives the winter and ripens when vegetation revives in the spring. Now it was about the first of April that Jesus cursed the Fig-tree, and the time of figs was not yet, because they did not ripen before June. But fig-trees which have retained their leaves through the winter usually have some of the last years figs also, and as April was too early for new leaves or fruit, Jesus knowing this, and seeing leaves on the tree, naturally expected to find some of last years fruit, and when He found none He cursed the tree because of its deceptive character. So Jesus has this authority and ability to curse the nature. Now my question is, does it right for him to curse the innocent tree knowing that it was out of season? Well, the fig tree as I have noticed, because he was hungry and it was not the main reason though, upon seeing the fig tree and having no fruit, led him to curse in it. Meanwhile, Israel was being compared to this fig tree because they were religious in terms of rite, ritual and etc. but their lives have no fruit which is the fruit of the Spirit. Actually, this is particular to the Pharisees and other leaders. Sometimes we become fig trees that we sees our lives fruitful but the fact is not. Well, the author of this book has a good intention for us to ponder upon. Sometimes we sees ourselves that we are worthy but in the eyes of God we are not. The application of this incident to Israel is simple. Naturally Jesus from their leafy profession would expect to find fruit on the tree of their National life, and when He found none He cursed them for their hypocrisy. Matt. 23:1-33. Yes it is true; the leafy profession is sometimes ourselves. We want to show ourselves as great because we are leaders but in the end, there is something behind us that is useless. As I saw the fig tree it was so beautiful, it was so awesome and wonderful to look for but it has no fruit. How displacing and embarrassing because you want something from it- its fruit. According to France…with its image of a fruitless fig tree introducing a picture of Israel’s moral and religious failure (cf. Je: 13), may have inspires Jesus’ ‘acted parable’ of the failure of Judaism in his day. Jesus was being discourage and daunted with the act of the Israelites caused him to curse the fig tree. Jews were the leaders yet they were the one became stiff-necked from the laws and teachings of Jesus Christ. A tree, sanding alone where all men, could see it, having promise of fruit but no fruit- a fitting symbol of Jewry in the time of Christ. The Gentile nations were also barren, yet not as guilty; for they had not been cultivated for a special mission as had the Jews. That is why, they had no luxuriant law and ritual to deceive men’s hope. Even in their laws and ritual, they do not have the spirit of obedience. It is sharp teaching: our religion may be no better than a tree “gone to leaf.” We must ask ourselves certain sharp questions. What of my practice as compared with my profession? How much real kindliness have I shown for Christ’s sake? How much have I willing to suffer for his truth? The fact of judgment cannot be blinked: the Jewish tree did wither. In the soul’s country there is no understanding for a fruitless tree. There is no fruit behind their wonderful outfit and garments. Their fine dresses were not fine as their hearts and obedience. It made them fruitless. Jesus reminded their acts as Fisher says, “the tender growth of a tree in the spring signals the imminent bursting forth of the blossom, so those who see these sufferings about them will know that the reign of God is near.” Now Henry and Scott stress that, the fig tree that had no fruit, soon lost is leaves. Hypocrites may look plausible for a time, but having no principle, their profession will soon come to nothing; and the falseness and folly of the pretender is manifest to all. Well, sometimes in our lives we are like this, maybe most of the time. We ought to pretend to show to everyone that we are great, we deserve to be applauded but behind that it cost nothing, behind that we are not deserving. In his later part of the book, he adds, cursing of the barren fig tree represents the state of the nation and people of the Jews in particular. Our Lord Jesus came among them, looking to find something that would be pleasing to him, fruit that might bound to a good account. His expectation were frustrated; he found nothing but leaves; they called Abraham their father, but not do the works of Abraham; they profess themselves expectants of the promised Messiah, but when he came, they did not receive and entertain him. Well, this was the picture of Israel of being fruitless. Jesus was being angry with the reason of their pretentious acts. As if they were religious but not. They were not called as models as he adds, “except the particular persons among them that believed, they became worse and worse; after they rejected Christ, blindness and hardness grew upon them, till they were undone, and their place and nation rooted up; their beauty defaced. Their privileges and ornaments, their temple, priesthood, sacrifices and festivals, all the glories of the church and state, fell like leaves in autumn. Yes, their dignity fells like the leaves of the autumn for the reason that their spiritual life is failure. One of my research with the unknown author explains, “But Israel, in the days of the Master was not bringing forth godly fruit! It was barren- spiritually barren and had indeed, placed itself under the curse of God. That is why; God does not show favouritism in rebuking people. He rebukes everyone who does wrong and unfruitfulness. It was Israel who does not bring godly fruit. Puente says, Scripture relates the struggles of the Israelites in keeping the law, and tells us of their times of peace and their times of distress. Now, using the Jewish Hermeneutics Literal approach will reminds us that sometimes we are like fig trees. We are so proud that we are Christians but cannot be seen in our lives. We pretend to do well in the eyes of people but God knows our real name. Fig tree in this text is so beautiful because it surrounded with a green leaves. So in its beauty we expect that it has fruits and it may dismay us if there is none. However, we could see many people, church goer, leaders who are just presenting themselves for them to make known. They sometimes forgot that the real essence of having fruit is in our hearts. We could not see our heart but it makes our outside appearance beautiful. Let us not live like the fruitless fig tree for it does not please God. Fruitless fig trees are those people who believe God but just only in their mouth. Fruitless fig tree is the one who is not willing to obey what God has commanded. Fruit less fig tree is a lip Christian, shouting the name of Jesus but does not obey.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 02:27:23 +0000
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