Matthew 21:18-22

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Introduction

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.

20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

This week we continue our march through chapter 21 of Matthew’s Gospel, and as a brief recap I want to remind us that these final chapters of Matthew are almost exclusively about judgement against Israel, specifically chapters 21-24. Which shouldn’t surprise us given that the long awaited Messiah was understood to bring with him both salvation and judgement. However, that salvation was not the kind of salvation the Jews had expected or wanted, and the Messiah’s judgement would be against Israel rather than her political enemies.

Triumphal Entry

At the beginning of chapter 21 Jesus made a deliberate public spectacle of himself riding into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt, portraying himself as Israel’s king, the long expected Son of David. Large crowds prepared the way before him and follow behind him crying out,

“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

And Matthew tells us that,

when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Temple Cleansing

Then the following day Matthew tells us that Jesus entered the Temple and drove out all who bought and sold in the temple, that he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold sacrifices. The Temple, in a sense, had been turned into a bank and a market place. The religious leaders had allowed those who sold sacrifices and exchanged foreign currencies for the Temple tax onto the Temple grounds, effectively ruining the Temple’s purpose for prayer and worship, which made Jesus furious. Then we reach verses 18-22, where we’ll see this theme continue in Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree.
Now, this particular account is also found in Mark’s Gospel broken into two parts in chapter 11. Mark actually bookends his account of Jesus cleansing the Temple with this incident. He records that Jesus had first seen the fig tree and cursed it on his way into Jerusalem before the temple cleansing, then Mark tells us that it wasn’t until that following morning when Jesus and his disciples are entering Jerusalem again that his disciples notice that the fig tree had withered away.
So in typical Matthew fashion he condenses this event, and if it weren’t for Mark’s account we would probably assume that the events all took place during the same morning. Now, I thinks it important that we keep in mind that this incident takes place in close proximity to Jesus’ temple cleansing. In fact, I think Mark takes special care to bookend the temple cleansing with this event, precisely because I think Mark and Matthew intend for us to see a connection between the two events. In other words, the temple cleansing is the context for Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree, so keep that in mind as we make our way through these verses.

Timeline

Now, if you’re at all like me timelines are always helpful at this point, I think they can help us visualize what we’re reading. So let’s imagine Jesus and his disciples arrive in Jerusalem at the end of the day on Sunday (the first day of the week), because don’t forget the Passover feast is a weeklong celebration. Then, after Jesus makes his triumphal entry that evening he retreats outside the city to Bethany to stay the night. The next morning, on Monday, they leave Bethany and on their way to Jerusalem Jesus sees a fig tree in leaf out in the distance. Being hungry, he heads over to the tree seeking fruit, but he finds none, and so he curses the tree. Then they continue their trek into the city and into the Temple where Jesus proceeds to have his famous exchange with the money-changers.
And then in Mark 11:19 we’re told that,

when evening came they went out of the city.

Matthew 21:17 also says that,

he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.

So, now it’s Monday evening and they’re back in Bethany for the night. And finally, on Tuesday morning, we pickup in Mark 11:20,

20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”

So this event takes place over a 24-hour period, at first Jesus curses the fig tree on a Monday morning, and then that following Tuesday morning the disciples notice that the tree has withered to its roots.

Two Theological Points

And I point this out for a couple of reasons, 1) to get our bearings, and become comfortable with the setting and the chain of events, and 2) because it’ll help us see that this event has two theological lessons that span both mornings. On Monday morning Mark says, starting in chapter 11, verse 12, that,

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

12 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.

Then, starting in Mark 11, verse 20, we read,

The Lesson from the Withered Fig Tree

20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Notice, that two different theological points are made on Monday and on Tuesday. The common thread, of course, is that both theological points are based upon Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree. The first point is related to why Jesus curses the fig tree in the first place, and the second point is related the disciple’s response to the miracle. On one hand Jesus curses the fig tree for a particular reason, and on the other hand Jesus will use the fig tree as an object lesson to teach his disciples something else.
So we’re going to spend our time looking at both of these aspects of the incident. Why does Jesus curse the fig tree (i.e. what does it represent), and what does Jesus teach his disciples by this miracle (i.e. what’s the object lesson for the disciples).

Significance of the fig tree

Let’s start with the first theological point, why does Jesus curse the fig tree in the first place? Let’s read again there in verses 18-19,

18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.

Now, at first, I want to point out that this isn’t Jesus being vindictive, or merely angry at the tree that he didn’t find any fruit on it to eat. I remember one time as a teenager, when I was bending over to get something from under the kitchen counter, and when I raised my head I forgot where the edge of the counter was and I slammed my head into its bottom edge. It was so painful that I remember becoming enraged at the counter top, so much that I slammed my fist on the counter in anger, as though that inanimate object had hit me on the head. And so I don’t think Jesus is hangry and decides to take his anger out on the tree. First, it isn’t consistent with his character that the Gospels record for us, and two I think the context of this incident tells us otherwise.

Parable in action

Instead this incident was a parable in action. In fact, Mark goes out of his way to record in 11:14 that,

And his disciples heard it.

In other words, Jesus intends for them to understand the significance of this miracle. That this miracle was done as a sign to symbolize something. Which, again, I believe is the reason Matthew immediately follows the temple cleansing with this story, and why Mark goes out of his way to sandwich the temple cleansing in between this incident.
The OT prophets were also known for acting out parables in this way, though, usually in a less miraculous fashion. God commanded Isaiah to walk around nearly naked for three years as a sign of shame. Jeremiah wore a yoke around his neck symbolizing submission to the Babylonians. The prophet Ezekiel was commanded to eat a scroll that turned to honey as confirmation of his prophetic call. Hosea was commanded to take a wife of whoredom to demonstrate the Lord’s experience as the husband of Isreal, and her going after other gods.

False Advertisement

And I think Jesus is doing something similar here when he curses the fig tree. We’re told in Mark 11, starting in verse 12, that,

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.

Now, Mark also indicates that this wasn’t the time of year for figs, that they were not yet in season. The Passover would have been celebrated between March and April, while figs wouldn’t have been ripe until late May or early June. Now, we all know that fruit bearing trees and bushes don’t always follow their typical cycles. Certain unusual changes in climate can affect how early or late they produce fruit, so it wouldn’t have been too much of a stretch for Jesus to think their might already be figs on the tree. In fact, Mark says that because the tree was in leaf, or was covered in leaves, that this indicated to Jesus that it should also have figs. And for fig trees, the fruit usually follows close behind the time the tree begins producing leaves in the spring, so Jesus had a good reason to think he should also find figs on the tree. In other words, the leaves on the fig tree indicated that it was bearing fruit.
However, Matthew says in verse 19 that when,

he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves.

So the point here is that the tree falsely advertised that it was bearing fruit, just like Israel. NT Scholar D.A. Carson said it like this, “Its leaves advertised that it was bearing, but the advertisement was false. Jesus, unable to satisfy his hunger, saw the opportunity of teaching a memorable object lesson and cursed the tree, not because it was not bearing fruit, whether in season or out, but because it made a show of life that promised fruit yet was bearing none.” (D.A. Carson, Matthew, Vol. 8, p. 445)

Cursing the fig tree

The Temple was also a magnificent place, an 8th wonder of the world, but its worship had become corrupted, it had been turned into a den of robbers. Temple worship gave the appearance and promise of fruit, but had none. And I think Jesus intends for us to see that, I think we’re intended to see a comparison between Jesus’ denunciation of the Temple and his cursing of the fig tree.

Fig tree represents Israel

And many of the prophets used the fig tree and its figs to describe Israel in their prophecies. And in Deuteronomy 8, verse 7, we’re told that God brought the Hebrews into a good land, a land described as being filled with springs of water, wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees. Fig trees were a hallmark of the promised land that God had brought them into. And now Jesus is saying that Israel has become like a fig tree that looks good on the outside but has borne no fruit, so the fig tree is meant to represent of the nation of Israel.

Outward piety

The religious leaders in Israel were really good at outward piety, they looked really good on the outside, they looked really religious, but on the inside they were dead. When we get to Matthew 23 we’ll see Jesus outline this clearly, so for now I’ll just read a small portion from Matthew 23, verses 27-28,

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Hypocrisy

Notice Jesus’ use of the word hypocrisy. The word gets at the heart of why Jesus cursed the fig tree. When it falsely advertised fruit by it’s leafy branches Jesus saw it as a parable of Israel’s own hypocrisy, and so he curses the tree in judgement, and he’ll do the same to Israel. In fact, all seven indictments against the scribes and Pharisee in chapter 23 begin with this phrase, “Woe to you, scribe and Pharisees!” The word we translate as ‘woe’ was the language of pronouncing a curse. It’s the opposite of what Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount in the beatitudes, when we said “Blessed are you ...” So like the his cursing of the fig tree Jesus will condemn Israel.
However, we know that this won’t befall all of Israel, but that Jesus’ words are primarily focuses upon her religious leaders. This is why a vast majority of Jesus’ confrontations were with the scribes and Pharisees, and it’s why in chapter 23 Jesus addresses them rather than the crowd.

The fruit of the Spirit

And I think the lesson that we learn from this parable of the fig tree is be on guard of own hypocrisy. To see whether we find the Spirit bearing fruit in our own lives. That we’re not walking in contradiction to to our profession. The Apostle Peter famously wrote in 2 Peter 1:5-10 to,

make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

However, we must never think that, in this life, we will bear fruit unfailingly. Jesus would not have cursed the fig tree had there been even a single fig on its branches, because that fig would have shown that there was life. And so it is with our lives, we ought to bear fruit, we must bear fruit, but it will not be unfailingly. So even the smallest of figs should encourage us that the Spirit is at work in our lives.

Disciples marveled

Now, what’s the second theological point associated with Jesus’ miracle of withering the fig tree? Well, while the fig tree was a parable of judgement against Israel’s hypocrisy, the disciples don’t seem to recognize this. Instead they only seem to be enamored by the miraculous nature of the miracle itself. In other words, they just think it’s really crazy that Jesus did that, almost as if they hadn’t already seen the other miracles Jesus had done over the last 2 years of his ministry. Matthew 21:20 says,

20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?”

Thy’re more concerned about how Jesus did it than why Jesus did it.

What faith is and is not

But this doesn’t stop Jesus from using the miracle as yet another object lesson for his disciples, even if they’ve missed the why behind the what. So the second theological point that Jesus will make by withering the fig tree is to teach his disciples concerning the power of believing prayer. He’s actually going to build upon what he taught them back in chapter 17, verse 20 about the value of true faith, even faith the size of a mustard seed. That it isn’t about how big your faith is, but what the object of your faith is. This’s what Jesus is going to build upon.
We read there, starting in verse 21,

“Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Now, the first thing I want to say is that Jesus is not teaching that faith is some kind of magical power that will enable you to throw mountains into the sea. He’s also not teaching that faith is something that we must muster up by our own strength of will.

True faith glorifies God

The faith that Jesus speaks of here is what he taught back in Matthew 17:20 - a genuine, or true faith. A faith that doesn’t doubt the strength of its object. This is why Jesus describes faith here as without doubt. If I say that I trust in a particular chair but doubt that it can hold me, it’ll never do me any good because I’ll never sit in it, and I’ll never sit in because I doubt that it can hold me. However, if I sit in the chair, and it holds me, I demonstrate that the chair can be trusted.
Often people would come up to Jesus to heal them and he would usually do so. In fact, he delighted in doing so, one, because he was compassionate, but, two, because it pleased him to see such faith! Turn with me to Matthew 8, verse 5. I want to show you an example of this.

5 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

Notice what the centurion says in verse 8,

“Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

This man is confident that Jesus can heal his servant, he knows that Jesus is able, so he asks, without any doubting. And then in verse 10 Jesus says,

“Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

But also turn with me to Matthew 9:27 and read a similar account,

27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

Notice what Jesus says in verse 28,

“Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”

Why does Jesus ask them this? Because at the heart of genuine faith is a belief that God is able. And while Jesus was on earth he was willing to heal anyone who believed that he was able, because it glorified him. True faith glorifies God, and so Jesus was delighted to magnify such faith. And it’s this kind of faith that Jesus is talking about in Matthew 21.
So when Jesus goes on to say in verse 21 that,

you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

he’s describing the infinite power of God, that nothing is impossible with him. That genuine faith in God can result even in this mountain being removed and thrown into the sea, just like such faith can result in the blind being made to see!

Throwing mountains into the sea

Now, Jesus is not saying that he intends for us to run around throwing mountains into the sea. He’s using hyperbole and figurative language to make a point. The Apostle Paul would later pickup this same analogy between faith and moving mountains in his letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 2, when he speaks of the supremacy of love in the Christian life, and says,

2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

The assumption, even for Paul, is that our faith in God can remove even mountains, that genuine faith unites us to the One for whom nothing is impossible. Both Paul and Jesus are using figurative and hyperbolic language (they’re exaggerating) to make their point, to describe the immeasurable power of God. Paul is saying that even the faith that can move mountains, without love, is nothing. And Jesus is saying that believing God means that nothing is impossible for the Christian, that even mountains could be removed. That true faith in God renders the Christian invincible, because of the object of his faith.
And it’s this reality that’s intended to empower our prayers. It’s why Jesus goes on to say, therefore,

whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

In other words, because nothing is impossible for God, your faith in prayer can move mountains. Now, this doesn’t mean that Jesus is gives us a blank check, or that God is beholden to our every desire or request. The underlying assumption in Jesus’ doctrine on prayer is that our requests would be united to God’s own will. This isn’t some kind of genie in a bottle doctrine, but rather a reality that the because God is all-powerful, our prayers cannot be thwarted.
We are to make every effort to unite our prayers to God’s will, in faith, believing and trusting in his ability to carry them out. And when we do this we could say, even to this mountain or that mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and it would happen.

Conclusion

Jesus’ teaching here is intended to embolden us to pray, and to pray more often. To remember that the kingdom of heaven is unstoppable. We’re fortunate to live some 2,000 years after Jesus was on the earth, because we have the ability to look back and see that his kingdom has become larger than anyone could have every imagined, and withstood every attack against it. While earthly kingdoms have come and gone the kingdom of God remains.
It’s because of promises like this that we started this local church, that no matter how hard, or how impossible it may seem, that God intends for his kingdom to prevail, even on this island. And as long as the Lord allows we’ll preach the good news of this kingdom, on this island, week in, and week out. I pray that the Lord would bless our efforts, to bring those around us to saving faith, and that we would be diligent in prayer.
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