Mark Part Four: The Point of the Fig Tree
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton
“Have faith in God.” Mark 11:22
There are two parts to the story of the Fig Tree and they sandwich the cleansing of the temple in between them.
In the morning Jesus was hungry. He saw a fig tree full of leaves but no fruit. It looked healthy and plentiful from a distance, but it was empty when closely examined. It wasn’t the season for figs so its leaves were doubly deceptive, not only did it look full but it wasn’t ready to be full.
Jesus cursed the fig tree and went on to the temple.
In the temple Jesus drove out the merchants who were using the house of God as a marketplace rather than a house of prayer.
The next morning as they passed the fig tree the disciples noticed that it was withered and pointed out to Jesus that this was the fig tree he had cursed.
There are two parts to the story of the Fig Tree and they sandwich the cleansing of the temple in between them.
In the morning Jesus was hungry. He saw a fig tree full of leaves but no fruit. It looked healthy and plentiful from a distance, but it was empty when closely examined. It wasn’t the season for figs so its leaves were doubly deceptive, not only did it look full but it wasn’t ready to be full.
Jesus cursed the fig tree and went on to the temple.
In the temple Jesus drove out the merchants who were using the house of God as a marketplace rather than a house of prayer.
The next morning as they passed the fig tree the disciples noticed that it was withered and pointed out to Jesus that this was the fig tree he had cursed.
You might think that the point of the fig tree was judgement, but Jesus spoke of prayer. The fig tree produced no fruit for its time wasn’t ripe, but the time was soon approaching when the full mystery of God’s love for His creation would be revealed in the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.
The point of the fig tree? “Have Faith In God.”
The point of the fig tree? “Have Faith In God.”
Simple - Ain't - Easy
Wendy
If you have recently read the Gospel of Mark what lessons did God point out to you?
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