Fruit will appear.
This miracle takes on a different slant than many of the rest that Jesus performs. Its distinguished nature and harsh treatment are a wide-eyed teaching illustration for the disciples and also for each of us. Jesus is not cursing the fig tree simply to show that he is equipped for such judgment. Jesus is using the fig tree as a picture of Israel with its apparent beauty but fruitless life. A fig tree is allowed to take up valuable soil for the pretense of providing valuable fruit to the people. Where is the fruit?
Where was this fig tree? What was its purpose? Why, ultimately, did Jesus cause it to wither? What can we learn from Jesus and the fig tree? How can we, then, properly bear fruit?
All these questions play into our lesson. We will start with the location of the fig tree. “Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road . . .” (Matthew 21:18-19). The fig tree was by the road. Its location was eminent enough to draw attention. Its leaves were vibrant green, making a vast display of pep and vigor next to the dusty brown trail laden with the heavy feet of travel.
In Israel, as in many places of the near East, every parcel of ground was valuable for producing. If a fruit tree took up space, it was expected that it would produce fruit for the owner or at least for anyone trekking nearby. Fig trees, in this part of the world, bear three crops of fruit per year. The first arrives in early June, the second in August and the third starts showing fruit in September. The final batch from September is the least prominent and would typically remain hanging on the tree for the late months of the year and even, at times, into the spring of the year. It was possible to discover this late fruit even as leaves were appearing on the tree in April or May.
It’s April in this text (Passover time) and Jesus sees the tree, finds no remaining fruit among its brilliant foliage, and condemns it to become brown and withered. This seems like harsh judgment even on a tree.
What’s the lesson he is trying to teach? Israel is a picture of the fig tree. God’s people occupied a very precious piece of land in the Middle East. God was looking for fruit among their branchy biography but none was found. Remember all the times that Jesus calls out, “you of little faith” (Matthew 8:26) or something similar. He is looking for some evidence that faith is growing in their hearts and lives. Jesus has a stalwart appetite; he yearns to see their faith in God grow bright and vibrant.
Jesus is placed in this world as the Gardener for his people. He is searching for fruit. He is hungry for fruit. In Jerusalem he finds little or no fruit.
The call for fruit cannot be overcome by some act or testimonial. Fruits of faith are not evoked from human plans or fierce activity. Fruits of faith are the result of faith in God, not action that is prompted by fear. Yet fear is used to rouse deaf ears and awaken in us the need to turn back to God and hear his voice. Fear of the coming judgment is not a threat but a reality which Jesus himself hungers to take away from his people.
This miracle is a warning for all of God’s people, for all the people of the world; it is a call to examine the basis of our faith. In what do we trust? Is our hope in the God of all plants, trees and vines? Do we build our future on Jesus’ hunger to be near us? Do we find ourselves dependent on him or independent from him?
Just a day before this Jesus rode into Jerusalem, was greeted by throngs of people who showered him with laud and honor. He accepted their outward praise then began to lament because of their lack of faith and the absence of fruit [that will be present with faith]. What Jesus created in the withered fig tree was a reflection of what he saw in the people.
One other note to which we must attend: the tree was fully covered with leaves. It looked healthy. But what kind of leaves? Fig leaves, of course! Why is this prominent? The Eastern mind lives with pictures that describe spiritual reality. One of the first Biblical [real] pictures comes from Genesis 3. Moses writes about our first parents and their need to be covered with fig leaves. As we ponder their choice of material, we could enunciate the crude shortfalls of fig-leaf clothing. We might even smirk, if we had settled in the Garden on the day they hid behind this leafy verdure. Fig leaves can cover their nakedness but they offer no real protection from wind, heat, and the blush of shame Adam and Eve felt. Fig leaves are a sign of human attempts to create safety where only God can provide safe haven.
Jesus points the disciples right back to faith. “Jesus replied, ‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and it will be done.’ ” (Matthew 21:21). Faith in Jesus brings about massive changes. Faith in Jesus opens the gates of heaven because we have Jesus’ righteous clothing - not fig leaves. Faith in the Savior causes determination rather than fear because we are completely covered for all our fears. Faith in our loving Creator leans on his promises to provide all that we need: food, clothing, shelter, house, home and more.
Such faith is not limited to an appearance of spirituality [leaves] but produces a reality [fruit] that can’t be contained internally. Faith will and must produce fruit. This faith in our living Savior is animated by confidence and adorned with certainty about the future. This faith will rise slowly from the soil in which it is planted and course through the verdant membranes of our existence. This faith needs the nutrients of water, soil and sun; this all comes from the Word of God and the Sacraments. This comes from God himself.
Hebrews 12:2 is one of my favorites when it comes to bearing fruit: “Fix your eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). The failure to bear fruits of faith does not come from ignoring the fruit but from taking our eyes off of Jesus. He is the one who began our virile faith. He is the one that adds life to our faith and from that faith produces fruit. As we look to all that Jesus has done for us, our trust in him builds. We spot his commitment to our needs, despite the cost. We see that he could not walk away from the care necessary for our faith to grow because he is perfect. We experience his longing to be close to us and that creates further and further growth in our life. He is the perfecter of our faith. Look to him. Trust him. Faith will grow. Fruit will appear.
Blessings,
Pastor Al
Matthew 21:18-22 (NIV)
18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.
22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”