Sermon Tone Analysis

Palm Sunday

Important moment in history.

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.

13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it.

When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”

And his disciples heard it.

Between now and next Sunday (Easter)…

This passage occurs just after PALM SUNDAY, and during the week leading up to the Crucifixion.

This is significant…

• Palm Sunday

• Stay at Bethany

· Next day walk from Bethany and the fig tree

• Cleaning the worship areas

• Seeing the tree again

• Explanation of why

This story is driven by an object lesson.

(Dr.

Jim Bradford)

· Not a lesson in anger management, with Jesus being frustrated in spite of the natural lack of figs.

· The Gospels are to be read more as ‘sermons’ than chronological stories, and Mark especially edits stories tightly together as a way of ‘preaching’ to the suffering believers in Rome.

· The Son of Man motif in Mark is taken from – the son of man who has authority (confronts), suffers and is vindicated.

· This is the Son of Man acting true to himself according to Mark.

Throughout the whole book Mark therefore tends to alternate authority/teaching sections with stories of confrontation and conflict.

This is the only time in the Gospels when Jesus is described as being hungry .

· It attests to His humanity.

He had been angry on occasion, but now He was hungry?

· The One who fed crowds of 5000 and 4000 Himself was hungry!

· Amazing! ~ Dr. George Wood

· Unlike the times when He miraculously multiplied bread and fish, He makes no food for Himself.

In fact, never does He do a miracle for His own personal benefit .

It’s always for others.

· In fact, never does He do a miracle for His own personal benefit .

It’s always for others.

· What an example for us – that we live out our lives in self-giving and not in self-serving !

It’s a most perplexing text.

On the one hand, Jesus surely knows that it was not the season for figs.

Why then did He even bother to check it for fruit?

· Various reasons have been offered – including the idea that a fig tree in leaf, if it was going to bear fruit, already had small fig buds.

· The analogy would be that of an apple tree with small sour unripe apples needing further maturation.

The premature fig, like the apple, would be bitter to the taste but could be edible.

· On the other hand, since the text says Jesus was hungry, it doesn’t make sense that He would be looking for a sour fig to satisfy His hunger.

· When a fig tree was in leaf, but does not have premature figs, it meant the tree would have no fruit in that year.

There are two accounts.

The other account is …

Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry.

19Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves.

Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!”

Immediately the tree withered.

18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry.

19Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves.

Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!”

Immediately the tree withered.

20When the disciples saw this, they were amazed.

“How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.

22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

20When the disciples saw this, they were amazed.

“How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.

22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

· One answer is that this may have happened twice.

· The other is that the tree began withering immediately (as opposed to waiting a few hours) but that it was not fully and strikingly noticeable until later in the day after the temple confrontation (if it took a few hours to finish withering).

· It did not serve Matthew’s purposes, writing to convince a Jewish audience, to put this kind of son-of-man authority/confrontation in, and so there is no linkage for Matthew between withering a tree and confronting money collectors.

Again, the gospels are sermons, not just stories.

The POINT

Jesus is moving forward to being taken, challenged, beaten, and crucified.

· I would assume these moments are important… hinge of history that opens the door to heaven.

· I would assume we are meant to learn deeply from these moments… just before crucifixion and resurrection.

FIRST – from the Tree

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.

13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it.

When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”

And his disciples heard it.

Fig tree moment.

• Challenge With visual aid to explain.

In the Matthew version the DISCIPLES instantly had to point this out.

I mean he has done so much, yet they still needed wake moments to remind them WHO HE IS.

: 19Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves.

Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!”

Immediately the tree withered.

20When the disciples saw this, they were amazed.

“How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.

22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

A metaphor for them to remember.

The VISUAL AID of the FIG TREE:

How did Jesus know the fig tree was barren?

Because the leaves and the fruit typically appear at about the same time.

To see a fig tree covered with leaves but with no fruit meant that it was barren.

In the Old Testament the fig tree often stood as a symbol for the nation of Israel (; ).

Remember the fig tree?

· IS ABOUT remembering the truth of Christ.

· If He can… then why can’t we!!???

Now let’s briefly talk about cursing…

The Curse

· The term “cursed” is used only once in the two New Testament records of this incident.