Scripture
“The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. He 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. Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it.” Mark 11:12-14 (NLT)
Observation
I would have made that Fig tree not bear bear fruit too. Why? I’m human and I get a little ticked at things that disappoint me. We all get ticked off, even Sheryl or my favorite mother in law Cheri (I’ve seen them get ticked at me!).
After Jesus trashed the temple and threw out the money lenders we read that:
“The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!” Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.” Mark 11:20-23 (NLT)
I like to think that Jesus passed that tree and gave a wink to his disciples. As if to say, “pretty cool huh”? Because it IS cool. That’s just one reason why I’m already like Jesus, I think making a fig tree whither is cool.
Application
Jesus wants to know all of us. Me, you, that bum on the street corner, everyone. He doesn’t want to meet the “churchy you” on Sundays, nope, he wants to know you personally. As a matter of fact you’re so in that God, the creator of EVERYTHING wants to know you just like that too.
When we are able to know God intimately we are able to hear him. As we seek God our relationship grows. As our relationship grows our faith builds. And when we have faith (with no doubt in our hearts) we can kill fig trees, or hurl mountains into the ocean. It’s going to be a blast.
Prayer
God, I want an intimate relationship with you. I know that you have work for me to do, and I’ll do it. When we get to know each other a little better I sure would like to move mountains…just keep that in mind.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Well, that is certainly a different spin on a very difficult verse. To see the act as an expression of the human side of Jesus is sort of applealing, but. . . Jesus rarely did things without a reason or a lesson, there was some symbolism here, the Jewish nation who had been given everything and at the time they should have been bearing fruit (welcoming and recieving the Messiah), was all just leafy show, the Gentiles (us), are now the fig tree and hopefully we are producing fruit-something like that any way.
Also, if we did have the faith required to whither figs trees at a glance just because we were peeved, imagine what a whithering glance from your wife or favorite moter-in-law might do to you, hmmm. . .
Looking past the deeper story (
)we see that Jesus was physically hungry. That’s why he initially approached the fig tree. He did use it as an object lesson, I’m sure he did. He physically withered the tree and though it was symbolic it was also a physical reaction because the tree didn’t have any fruit to feed him. I’m just sayin!
Yes, if God granted you the ability to whither your son in law…my outlook, not so good…I can’t even count how many times I would have been done over by Sheryl…yikes.
That’s right, buddy, you’d have 10,000 daggers stuck to the back of your head! Anyway, I think it would be cool to make the tree grow fruit instead of wither it. All that aside, I like this passage because it shows that Jesus had human emotions. He was hungry, he was irritable, he knew he had a tough week coming up and he was angry that, as mom said, there should have been more “fruit” than what He was seeing, not just a “leafy show”. Many times my irritability is justified, I just need to learn to handle it the way Jesus would. If I had the power He did, every time I got irritable there would be poofs of smoke and charred skeletons in my wake!
James, I’d feel REALLY bad afterwards though, if that makes you feel any better-YFMIL (Your Favorite Mother-in-law).
Does “favorite” imply there’s more? James, is there something you’re not telling me?
Sheryl, do you really think that I could put up with two of you?
Ha Ha.