The New Covenant
Substance and Authenticity Written By: Deanna Ellis
Mark 11 12-17
12The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it.
I’ve always wondered why Jesus cursed the fig tree. I searched the internet about fig trees, when they bloomed, when they produced fruit, and guess what? Nobody agrees. Some said the fig tree starts producing fruit before it leaves, others said, no, fig trees leaf before producing fruit. So, when I stumbled across this explanation, Jesus’ actions suddenly made sense:
According to the website BlueLetterBible.org., “The early fruit, or blossoms, appear in spring before the leaves open, on branches of the last year’s 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 year’s 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 year’s fruit…” (Larken).
So, even though it was not the time for figs, Jesus obviously expected some fruit leftover from the previous season, and finding none, cursed the tree.
The next scriptures read:
15When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. 17He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”
Jesus drives out the people making money from those coming to the Temple to worship God by bringing their sacrifice. According to Mosaic law, the animal to be sacrificed had to be perfect, without spot or blemish. This symbolized the sinless nature of Jesus, who became the Lamb sacrificed for the sin of the world. Often, even if a person brought his own animal to sacrifice, the money changers would find something wrong with it and require him to buy from them at an elevated price. So, in effect, the money changers were cheating people for their own profit with something that should have been holy and set apart to the Lord. What appeared to be giving to God was actually to profit the Temple marketplace.
I have never seen the connection to the fig tree before, but the fig tree also proclaimed to have something it didn’t have. The fig tree had leaves, which appeared to indicate it bore fruit. Like the Temple was a structure where people went to worship God, but were being swindled instead. I can see why Jesus was angry.
Throughout his ministry, Jesus called out hypocrisy. He desires for us to be whole, filled on the inside with his Spirit that oozes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. He wants us to be real. And that doesn’t mean everything is going to be perfect all the time, but what it does mean is that we are honest, with ourselves and with God. He can work with us when we’re honest. Sometimes, I think, “Well, I shouldn’t feel that way; that’s not very Christlike.” But instead of pushing down such feelings, I have learned to take those feelings to God. After all, He knows everything anyway. I have yelled out, “Hey God, that hurt! I am really angry right now!”
When I have acknowledged my anger, my hurt, my disappointment to Him and then begin to filter my feelings with His Word, He begins to change me, to remove old ways and thoughts and give me His new ways and thoughts. He makes me new from the inside out. When I am new, I will bear fruit because I am now crucified with Christ and the life I do live is lived by faith in the One who loved me and gave Himself for me. It’s His fruit for His glory.
Father, help me to be real with myself and with You. I don’t want to be a plastic Christian or FaceBook perfect. I want to be real. Holy Spirit work in me to be all you want me to be. May my actions, my words, and even my feelings be pleasing to you.
