Tuesday
Read Matthew 21:18-22.
Jesus seems to spend the nights of Holy Week across the Mount of Olives in Bethany, most likely at the home of his friends Mary, Martha and the recently-raised Lazarus. In the morning, he walks back across Olivet, down the steep slope (probably the same route he rode a donkey down on Sunday), and into the city, probably into or near the Temple courts. The chronology is a bit difficult to reconstruct, so different people have different ideas, but on Tuesday, it seems, Jesus goes into the city to do some teaching. But as he does, he finds himself hungry.
Perhaps he forgot to eat breakfast that morning. Maybe Martha, who liked to putter around in the kitchen, had slept in. Maybe they were out of Cheerios (what kind of cereal would Jesus eat?). Whatever the reason, Jesus, on his way into Jerusalem sees a fig tree and hears a little rumble in his tummy. Nearby, he sees a fig tree, but when he goes up to it, there are no figs on it. Mark, who is telling Peter's story, puts in a little disclaimer: "It was not the season for figs" (Mark 11:13). It was too early in the year for figs. Still, Jesus seems to get angry so he curses the tree. Immediately, it withers in response to Jesus' command: "May you never bear fruit again" (21:19).
Now, this seems especially cruel. Surely the maker of the universe knows it is not the season for figs. Did Jesus just forget? Is he in a bad mood? Is he hangry? It's interesting that the two Gospel writers who tell this story draw different conclusions as to what it was ultimately about. For Matthew, this is a story about the power of faith. The disciples ask Jesus how he managed to wither the tree so quickly, and Jesus responds, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer" (21:22). For Mark, there are similar conclusions made, but this story also frames the cleansing of the Temple (not for chronological reasons, but for dramatic ones—in other words, Mark is making a point that is more important than chronology). In Mark's telling, this withering fig tree is a parable proclaiming judgment on Israel and all the people in the Temple courts who are not producing fruit. Centuries ago, they had been given a mission: be a blessing to the world. And since they have not produced the fruit they were called to produce, Jesus is about to pass judgment on them as he hangs on a cross.
This is a story about faith and it's a story about judgment. The winds are building. The storm is coming. And it's only Tuesday.
Jesus seems to spend the nights of Holy Week across the Mount of Olives in Bethany, most likely at the home of his friends Mary, Martha and the recently-raised Lazarus. In the morning, he walks back across Olivet, down the steep slope (probably the same route he rode a donkey down on Sunday), and into the city, probably into or near the Temple courts. The chronology is a bit difficult to reconstruct, so different people have different ideas, but on Tuesday, it seems, Jesus goes into the city to do some teaching. But as he does, he finds himself hungry.
Perhaps he forgot to eat breakfast that morning. Maybe Martha, who liked to putter around in the kitchen, had slept in. Maybe they were out of Cheerios (what kind of cereal would Jesus eat?). Whatever the reason, Jesus, on his way into Jerusalem sees a fig tree and hears a little rumble in his tummy. Nearby, he sees a fig tree, but when he goes up to it, there are no figs on it. Mark, who is telling Peter's story, puts in a little disclaimer: "It was not the season for figs" (Mark 11:13). It was too early in the year for figs. Still, Jesus seems to get angry so he curses the tree. Immediately, it withers in response to Jesus' command: "May you never bear fruit again" (21:19).
Now, this seems especially cruel. Surely the maker of the universe knows it is not the season for figs. Did Jesus just forget? Is he in a bad mood? Is he hangry? It's interesting that the two Gospel writers who tell this story draw different conclusions as to what it was ultimately about. For Matthew, this is a story about the power of faith. The disciples ask Jesus how he managed to wither the tree so quickly, and Jesus responds, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer" (21:22). For Mark, there are similar conclusions made, but this story also frames the cleansing of the Temple (not for chronological reasons, but for dramatic ones—in other words, Mark is making a point that is more important than chronology). In Mark's telling, this withering fig tree is a parable proclaiming judgment on Israel and all the people in the Temple courts who are not producing fruit. Centuries ago, they had been given a mission: be a blessing to the world. And since they have not produced the fruit they were called to produce, Jesus is about to pass judgment on them as he hangs on a cross.
This is a story about faith and it's a story about judgment. The winds are building. The storm is coming. And it's only Tuesday.
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