Morning Cup of J(esus)
Fueling the Day!
Jesus Withers the Fig Tree on the Road From Bethany
Jesus withers the fig tree on the road from Bethany. The withering of the fig tree is the only miracle that Jesus performs that seems negative or more of an act of judgment. All the other miracles involved healing or delivering from demonic spirits or provision of some sort. It is also a different miracle from the other miracles in that it resembles a parable or that it has a lesson that is taught after it is performed.
Matthew and Mark record this miracle. In Matthew the miracle is recorded and the lesson is added. In Mark the miracle is recorded, but the follow-up lesson is omitted. Instead, Mark goes straight into the story of cleansing of the temple.
One key take-away from the miracle is Jesus curses the tree because it appeared to be something that it was not. It should have been a tree producing fruit, but instead it was barren. It was just showy and without substance. This is often seen as a symbol of Israel. All religious show and no real fruit. They were waiting for the Messiah, and when He appears, they are not ready to accept because they are steeped in their religious traditions.
The other lesson to the disciples in Matthew is that faith in God is what gave Jesus the power to do what He did to the fig tree. Christ tells the disciples to have faith without doubting “and whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Matthew 21:18:22
Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”
21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”
And His disciples heard it.