The Lesson of the Fig Tree

1. The Fig Tree

This passage poses problems to some.

Jesus comes to a fig tree and doesnt know that it is in bloom, therfore he curses it. If Jesus is God and he is all knowing why then does he not know when the seasons for figs are? Why does he then curse the fig tree because it does not bear fruit?

One option is that Jesus is not God and he was hungry and there was no figs.

Jesus went to the tree searching for figs on a fig tree that should have had figs on it in that time of year.

Fig season occurs in the fall in palestine, however in the spring the fig tree would let out little bulbs called paggim. On the way hungry travelers would stop and eat the paggim off the trees.

Never the less there is a fig tree that bear fruit outside the regular fig season, as seen here in the text, where they would produce the figs durring the budding of the leaves in the spring.

I think this is the most logical stance. However the purpose that Mark includes this text is not that we are able to know the biological makeup of fig trees but that Jesus was using a means of Prophetic object lessons.

When we see prophets provide object lessons in the Old Testement we can think of Ezekiel making bread over human poop. or in Jeremiah where he uses figs to show the good figs represent the holy remnent of Israel and the bad Figs as the people who will be judged.

We have this Object lesson on the fig. while sandwitched in between the fig lesson is Jesus cleansing the temple. Through this today I want you to see that

Main Point: Disciples of Christ should live as those who are actively worshipping Jesus.

These two sections of the fig tree with the section on Jesus clensing the temple in the middle shows us that the fate of the unfruitful fig tree is the fate of God on the unfruitful temple.

History on the Temple

Currenly the temple that Jesus was at is Herods Temple, The third of all the temples. The first temple being built by Solomon on the place where Abraham was going to sacrifice Issac. The first temple was destroyed by Babylonial invasion. Afterward of the exile Cyrus provided mandate that Israel could re-build the temple in which Zurubbabel completed. However, Harod re-built the temple to a much grander scale. The columns were thrirty feet high and so massive that it took three persons with hands joined together to surrond one of them at the base.

The amount of trade that went on in the court of the gentiles was conducted on a humonguous scale. around 255,600 lambs would be sacrivficed on passover. In the courts of the Gentiles was a market of aniumal dealers and money changes who would sell animals to pilgrims heading to passover.

The Purpose of the temple was that eveyone would worship God, all nations, however they were not worshiping God. They perverted the temple by using it as a means to gain more money. they would charge 25% more to change money out.

however Jesus called them robbers and drove them out of the temple. Jesus quoted from in saying that his house was ment to be called a house of prayer for all nations including gentiles. however that was not the case. The Jewish people hated gentiles.

How do these two passages coincide?

The barren fig tree had been cursed, and it was worthy only to be cast into the fire as firewood. It would never bring forth fruit again. The lesson of the tree applies to israel, symbolized in the OT as God’s fig tree. Just like the bareen fig tree Jesus cursed, Israel has proven unfruitful with respect to God’s purpose for her. Her worship had become an exersie in hypocrisy. As the fig tree was cursed, sowas the nation of Israel, fit only to be cast into the fire.

Just as the first temple was destroyed, so was Harods temple destroyed in 70 AD. The prophesy came to pass. For there was no need for a temple now since God’s presence has came an dwells within those who are following Christ.

Jesus through this showes the hypocrocy of worship that was going on in the temple. This should cause us to evaluate our live.

How are we living for Christ?

Are we saying here that we are Christian but our actions at school or at home are anything but Christ like?

What are you doing when no one is around?

Are we activly living as if Christ is in us?

How are we worshipping Jesus?

Worship is valuing or tresuring God above all things.

The inner essence of worship is the response of the heart to the knowledge of the mind when the mind is rightly understanding God and the heart is rightly valuing God.

This means we cannot worship God rightly when sin is in the way.

We should present our bodys as living sacrifices living to God, all of us livind in love for God and displaying His worth above all things in our lives.

Where are the idols in your life?

school, grades, friends, boy or girl friends. money

are you holding them above Jesus?

This is what Jesus is showing here that he should be worshiped above all else.

Do you know him as lord over your life.