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Bible in a Year :
Judges 1–3,Luke 4:1–30
Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit.
Mark 11:13
The barren and withered fig tree, representing an unfaithful nation soon to be overrun by its enemies, is a common Old Testament image (Isaiah 28:4; 34:4; Jeremiah 8:13; Hosea 2:12; Joel 1:7, 12; Amos 4:9; Nahum 3:12; Habakkuk 3:17). Quite often, the centre of Israel’s faithlessness was its abuse of the temple services, and the prophets used a withered fig tree as a warning of the temple’s destruction. Israel, however, often ignored the prophets sent by God and were punished.
In fact, the passage quoted in Mark 11:17 is just such a text. Jesus quotes the prophet Jeremiah who condemns Judah for hypocritically thinking that temple attendance would expunge the guilt of her idolatry (see Jeremiah 7:2–4, 8, 11).
This was Jesus’ problem with the fig tree mentioned in today’s story (Mark 11:13). It was early in the season, yet the tree’s leaves signalled it might have early figs. Nope. The tree had sprouted leaves, but it hadn’t yet produced fruit. Jesus cursed the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again” (v. 14). By the next morning the tree had entirely withered (v. 20).
Cursing the fig tree was not about His appetite. It was an object lesson. The tree represented Israel, which had the trappings of true religion (the fear of Moses's law) but had lost the point (the gift of God, grace and salvation). They were about to kill their Messiah (the Anointed). How more barren could they be?
Israel may look good from afar, but Jesus comes near, looking for fruit that only God's Spirit can produce. There was no fruit. Israel is on the wrong path.
But it must be supernatural, such as love, joy and peace in hard times (Galatians 5:22). Relying on the Spirit, we can bear fruit even then for Jesus.
What fruit do others see in you? How might you be more fruitful?
