Mountain Moving Power
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I. The King’s Curse (17-22)
I. The King’s Curse (17-22)
A. His Power Displayed (17-19)
A. His Power Displayed (17-19)
And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there. Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. Seeing a lone 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.
Believer’s Bible Commentary D. The Barren Fig Tree (21:18–22)Fig trees in Bible lands produced an early, edible fruit before the leaves appeared. This was a harbinger of the regular crop. If no early figs appeared, as in the case of this fig tree, it indicated that there would be no regular figs later on.
This is the only miracle in which Christ cursed rather than blessed—destroyed rather than restored life. This has been raised as a difficulty. Such criticism betrays an ignorance of the Person of Christ. He is God, the Sovereign of the universe. Some of His dealings are mysterious to us, but we must begin with the premise that they are always right. In this case, the Lord knew that the fig tree would never bear figs and He acted as a farmer would in removing a barren tree from his orchard.
Even those who criticize our Lord for cursing the fig tree admit it was a symbolic action. This incident is the Savior’s interpretation of the tumultuous welcome He had just received in Jerusalem. Like the vine and the olive tree, the fig tree represents the nation of Israel. When Jesus came to the nation there were leaves, which speak of profession, but no fruit for God. Jesus was hungry for fruit from the nation.
Because there was no early fruit, He knew there would be no later fruit from that unbelieving people, and so He cursed the fig tree. This prepictured the judgment which would fall on the nation in A.D. 70.
We must remember that while unbelieving Israel will be fruitless forever, a remnant of the nation will return to the Messiah after the Rapture. They will bring forth fruit for Him during the Tribulation and during His Millennial Reign.
Although the primary interpretation of this passage relates to the nation of Israel, it has application to people of all ages who combine high talk and low walk.
Believer’s Bible Commentary D. The Barren Fig Tree (21:18–22)Fig trees in Bible lands produced an early, edible fruit before the leaves appeared. This was a harbinger of the regular crop. If no early figs appeared, as in the case of this fig tree, it indicated that there would be no regular figs later on.
This is the only miracle in which Christ cursed rather than blessed—destroyed rather than restored life. This has been raised as a difficulty. Such criticism betrays an ignorance of the Person of Christ. He is God, the Sovereign of the universe. Some of His dealings are mysterious to us, but we must begin with the premise that they are always right. In this case, the Lord knew that the fig tree would never bear figs and He acted as a farmer would in removing a barren tree from his orchard.
Even those who criticize our Lord for cursing the fig tree admit it was a symbolic action. This incident is the Savior’s interpretation of the tumultuous welcome He had just received in Jerusalem. Like the vine and the olive tree, the fig tree represents the nation of Israel. When Jesus came to the nation there were leaves, which speak of profession, but no fruit for God. Jesus was hungry for fruit from the nation.
Because there was no early fruit, He knew there would be no later fruit from that unbelieving people, and so He cursed the fig tree. This prepictured the judgment which would fall on the nation in A.D. 70.
We must remember that while unbelieving Israel will be fruitless forever, a remnant of the nation will return to the Messiah after the Rapture. They will bring forth fruit for Him during the Tribulation and during His Millennial Reign.
Although the primary interpretation of this passage relates to the nation of Israel, it has application to people of all ages who combine high talk and low walk.
The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2 The Way of the Fig Tree ()But it is the fig tree’s habit of fruit-bearing which is relevant here. The fig tree is unique in that it bears two full crops in the year. The first is borne on the old wood. Quite early in the year, little green knobs appear at the end of the branches. They are called paggim, and they will one day be the figs. These fruit buds come in April, but they are quite inedible. Bit by bit, the leaves and the flowers open out, and another unique thing about the fig is that it is in full fruit and full leaf and full flower all at the same time; that happens by June. No fig tree ever bore fruit in April; that is far too early. The process is then repeated with the new wood; and the second crop comes in September.
The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2 Promise without Performance ( Contd) The cursing of the fig tree taught that profession of faith without practice is condemned. The tree had leaves; the leaves were a claim to have figs; the tree had no figs; its claim was false; therefore it was doomed. The Jewish nation professed faith in God; but in practice they were unable to recognize God’s Son; therefore they stood condemned.
Leafy tree with no fruit. There are many these days who are leafy trees with no fruit. They are religious but have no true fruit of the Holy Spirit
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Leafy people with no fruit are spiritually fruitless, sinful and condemned to judgement.
B. His Power Applied (20-22)
B. His Power Applied (20-22)
Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will 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 will happen. “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
1. To Prayer
1. To Prayer
Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will 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 will happen. “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
faith in Jesus (His character, His principles). Not faith in faith.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
What if we asked for something against God’s Word? Can we ask for God to hurt someone because we don’t like them and expect Him to do it? Can we selfishly ask for a million dollar condo in Hawaii and expect God to jump at our request? Can we humbly ask for understanding of God’s will in our lives and expect Him to give it to us instantaneously? No!
We can ask for God to protect us from His enemies and He may choose to answer that prayer by causing physical harm to someone (). We can ask for God to supply our needs and may choose to meet that need by giving someone a windfall of over 100 million dollars so that they would be moved to supply that need (; ). We can persistently ask for understanding into God’s will in our lives and he may choose to wait 10 or 20 years or more to reveal it to you (Joseph).
God can do anything He wants, Amen!? What do we have the courage to ask of Him? Let’s boldly ask for big things from our Big God.
O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
2. To Israel
2. To Israel
The disciples were enamored with Jesus’ power to destroy a tree but missed its spiritual significance. Jesus meets them where they are at by teaching them this principle of prayer. But in teaching this principle, it is as if Jesus is He is saying, “oh that? That was nothing, if you have faith and ask in prayer you can have that kind of power The important question is not, “how did you do that to that tree?” but rather, “why did you do that to that tree? What does it mean?”
This question is answered in the rest of chapter 21 as Jesus is confronted by the religious leaders and then pronounces judgement upon them through 2 parables.
II. The King’s Authority Questioned (23-27)
II. The King’s Authority Questioned (23-27)
A. The Elder’s Question (23)
A. The Elder’s Question (23)
A. The Elder’s Question (23)
A. The Elder’s Question (23)
When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”
B. Jesus’ Question (24-25)
B. Jesus’ Question (24-25)
Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. “The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?” And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’
C. The Elder’s Answer (25-26)
C. The Elder’s Answer (25-26)
“The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?” And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ “But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the people; for they all regard John as a prophet.”
D. Jesus’ Answer (27)
D. Jesus’ Answer (27)
And answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.