Mark 11:14, “Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again…”
Jesus spoke a destructive miracle into being! Of all the miracles that Jesus performed, none of them was of a destructive nature other than the cursing of the fig tree. Upon leaving Bethany Jesus was hungry, and saw a fig tree in the distance, and therefore went over to it to satisfy his hunger. However the tree He noticed only bore leaves, but NO fruit. Then Jesus spoke the words of cursing upon the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” This doesn’t quite make much sense in light of Mark stating, “He [Jesus] found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.” Why is Jesus cursing a tree for having no figs, but every other fig tree had the same testimony, “because IT WAS NOT THE SEASON FOR FIGS.” Was it reasonable for Jesus to curse the fig tree for not bearing its fruit out of season?
Dr. Christie in his book ‘The Barren Fig Tree,’ explains six weeks before figs were actually to bear upon the tree in April, the tree would first have the foliage coating complete. Coincident with [this], and sometimes even before, there appears quite a crop of small knobs, NOT THE REAL FIGS, but a kind of early forerunner. They grow to the size of green almonds, in which condition they are eaten by peasants and others when hungry. When they come to their own indefinite maturity they drop off. These precursors of the true fig are call taqsh [”pre-figs”] in Palestinian Arabic. Their appearance is an indication, a sign, of the fully formed figs which were to appear six weeks later in. Mark says the time for figs had not come yet. However if the leaves appear without any taqsh [pre-figs], that is a sign that there will be no figs appearing six weeks later. Since Jesus was hungry and found nothing but leaves, leaves without any taqsh, He knew that it was an absolutely hopeless, fruitless fig tree, and said as much.
Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” And in Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
People will say to Jesus on that day [Judgment Day], look at all the things I did in Your Name Jesus. In Your name we prophesied, cast out demons, performed miracles, we knew every worship song and joined the choir, we even started ministries, etc…. God wants fruit in lives and many people will point to things in their lives, all of their spiritual accolades, but Jesus was saying to those in Matthew 7, “All I see in your life is leaves, but NO FRUIT. You did those things all right, but I NEVER KNEW YOU, because you never did ABIDE IN ME all that is plain to see now because all of your efforts are just leaves and that is not my will, my will was that you bear fruit. There is only one reason that you produced leaves instead of fruit, because you lived disconnected from me, although you were very religious, you did NOT do my will, but YOUR OWN! Depart from me! Many do works for God, apart from abiding in Him”. If faith without works, hence works without abiding, being connected to His heart and will is also dead (fruitless). If the life of Christ permeates a disciple, fruit will be inevitable, NOT leaves. May we give Him what He wants, FRUIT.
Application: Are you bearing leaves or fruit in your life, because Jesus only honors fruit! Blessings Pastor Phil
He Has Magnified His Word 