Mat 21:21-22 | KingComments | STEP | The Lord returns to Jerusalem early in the morning. He is hungry. He is fully Man – but without sin ( ) – and needs sleep and also food and drink. So when he sees a fig tree, he goes to it to eat of its fruit. When He comes to the tree, He finds only leaves on it, and no fruit. Then He curses the tree. The tree withers immediately. Such a tree that, by the presence of the leaves, gives the promise that there is fruit to be found, but whose appearance is deceiving, is a tree that arouses His wrath. The curse of the tree can only have a symbolic meaning. In this one miracle of judgment that the Lord has performed during His life on earth, we see the judgment of Israel in the flesh. The fig tree is a symbol of Israel. As a nation, there is nothing with them to be found for God that He could use. It is a picture of man in the flesh with all the privileges, but which does not produce fruit for the farmer. Israel possesses all outer forms, “leaves”, of religion. It is zealous for the law and the statutes, but does not bear fruit for God. And in so far as it is given responsibility for bearing fruit, that is, under the old covenant, it will also never bear fruit. The curse of the tree has a direct result because there is no hope of recovery. The disciples are amazed at the direct effect of His words. Despite the fact that they have already seen so many of His miracles, they do not yet realize Who He is in Himself. In His answer the Lord does not point to His Divine omnipotence, but to their faith. If they face a mountain of difficulties, without doubt, in faith, they will be able to move this mountain. The mountain also symbolizes the entire Jewish system that will merge into the sea of nations, as happened and as it still is today. Faith places the Jewish system where God has placed it. The Lord connects to this the promise that they will receive everything they ask for in prayer with faith. What the Lord says must be read in the context in which it stands. It is a system that prevents the unfolding of Divine grace. Through prayer we will be able to overcome human reasoning and remove this obstacle to living by grace.

‏ Matthew 21:21-22

The Fig Tree Cursed

The Lord returns to Jerusalem early in the morning. He is hungry. He is fully Man – but without sin (Heb 4:15) – and needs sleep and also food and drink. So when he sees a fig tree, he goes to it to eat of its fruit. When He comes to the tree, He finds only leaves on it, and no fruit. Then He curses the tree. The tree withers immediately. Such a tree that, by the presence of the leaves, gives the promise that there is fruit to be found, but whose appearance is deceiving, is a tree that arouses His wrath.

The curse of the tree can only have a symbolic meaning. In this one miracle of judgment that the Lord has performed during His life on earth, we see the judgment of Israel in the flesh. The fig tree is a symbol of Israel. As a nation, there is nothing with them to be found for God that He could use. It is a picture of man in the flesh with all the privileges, but which does not produce fruit for the farmer.

Israel possesses all outer forms, “leaves”, of religion. It is zealous for the law and the statutes, but does not bear fruit for God. And in so far as it is given responsibility for bearing fruit, that is, under the old covenant, it will also never bear fruit. The curse of the tree has a direct result because there is no hope of recovery.

The disciples are amazed at the direct effect of His words. Despite the fact that they have already seen so many of His miracles, they do not yet realize Who He is in Himself. In His answer the Lord does not point to His Divine omnipotence, but to their faith. If they face a mountain of difficulties, without doubt, in faith, they will be able to move this mountain.

The mountain also symbolizes the entire Jewish system that will merge into the sea of nations, as happened and as it still is today. Faith places the Jewish system where God has placed it. The Lord connects to this the promise that they will receive everything they ask for in prayer with faith. What the Lord says must be read in the context in which it stands. It is a system that prevents the unfolding of Divine grace. Through prayer we will be able to overcome human reasoning and remove this obstacle to living by grace.