LENT 2016 - GOING TO JERUSALEM

Wednesday, February 17

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree - Matthew 21:  18 - 22

             At first blush, this act of cursing the poor, fig tree seems rather petulant of Jesus. Jesus was hungry and hoping to find some figs still left on the tree; he condemned it when he found none. 

But let’s be careful here – this is not the same as going to the fridge in the middle of the night, to enjoy that last piece of chocolate cake and discovering that one of the kids ate it earlier. My, my, such language…           

            There is much symbolism in this text, which a Jewish reader would easily appreciate. A fruit-bearing tree is a familiar image of prosperity and future blessing for God’s people. “They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper,” (Psalm1:3).  

This fig tree, though, has nothing on it but leaves. It may look good, but there is not even a dried-up fig from last season to satisfy Jesus’ hunger.

            There are the soft-hearted among us who feel the fig tree gets a raw deal from Jesus, because it wasn’t even fig-bearing season. Jesus was being very unreasonable in his expectations.

But maybe that is the point. There are parables and teachings which suggest that, as disciples of Jesus, we need to be always ready, always prepared. There are no excuses, no alibis, no justification for fruitlessness, no rationalization that excuses us from giving out when called upon by Christ: "Be prepared in season and out of season," (2 Timothy 4:2).

Fruitlessness is dealt with rigorously: "I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit., because apart from me you can do nothing. whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers. Such branches are gathered, thrown into the firs, and burned." (John 15: 5 - 6). Ouch!

We can always find or make reasonable excuses for our lack of Christian productivity, growth, and nurture for ourselves and others. We may think that as long as we just look good, and look the part, that’s enough.

In the past God has always distanced himself painfully from his people when they failed in their responsibilities for bearing fruit and blessing others. “The vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree-- all the trees of the field--are dried up. Surely the joy of humankind is withered away.” (Joel 1:12)

In his prophetic action of cursing the fig tree Jesus has demonstrated that once again the people are neglecting their stewardship of blessing others, and therefore “failing” God.

Jesus has an appetite for us, his disciples, and therefore his Church, to bear fruit. We should not take his hunger for the building of his kingdom lightly. We may think that we look healthy and be satisfied with green leaves and shoots but we need to be always producing real fruit, living out his Love and Grace in our world.

“Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:20)