Sermon Podcast

Palm Sunday:- No Figs But Leaves

Mt 21:1-46 Rev Evan Seah

24 March 2024

The passage of Jesus cursing the fig tree is one that stumps many Bible readers. Why does Jesus act seemingly out of character to curse the tree just because He was hungry? Why does He expect figs even though it was not the season for it? If He just meant to teach the disciples faith, why must He make the tree die and not bear fruit?

A walkthrough of the whole chapter of Mt 21 would tell us why. While it starts with Jesus entering Jerusalem and people shouting ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ (V9), He goes straight to the Temple (the ‘den of robbers’ V13) and cleanses it, causing tension between Him & the religious leaders. At the end, Jesus uses 2 parables to illustrate the Kingdom of God being taken away from those who do not believe & given to others, such as the tax collectors & prostitutes (V31-32), who will produce its fruit (V43).

Being wedged in the middle, the cursing of the fig tree thus has a deeper meaning than just a lesson on faith. It is a metaphor of what God would do to people who do not produce fruit, when He arrives to visit His people. On the day He comes, He will not simply look for praise itself, but for the fruit, which is the outcome of our faith life.

The fig tree is used to symbolise Israel (Jer 24, Hos 9:10). Israel was so hardened in religion that they could not recognise the King Jesus nor present to Him what He wanted. Even when they witnessed the ‘wonderful things’ (V14) & the tax collectors & prostitutes believing, they still refused to believe Jesus (V32) & challenged His authority (V23). They could not recognise the moment of grace, instead hindering others, such as rebuking the children for praising Jesus (V16)

They caused Him to be ‘hungry’ (V18), almost ‘deceiving’ Him into thinking there was fruit in the tree, when there was nothing but leaves. (Fig fruit usually appears before the leaves, and is green when unripe, hence it would be expected that when there were leaves, there should be fruit.) Israel only had the appearance of godliness, just like the Temple which seemed like a ‘house of prayer’ but in reality was a gathering of unholy people. Ultimately because of their fruitless religion, they would rather kill Jesus than to accept Him (V46).

Likewise the Church which is absorbed in just outwardly worshipping Jesus (with palm leaves and cloaks), without a focus on eating the Word (the nutrients for the tree), and does not let Jesus be King over everything in their lives, will be in danger of being disqualified at the end (22:13). We must not get caught up in religious fervour, just like the crowds (21:8), but be like the disciples who could purely obey Jesus, even when they did not fully understand (21:6; Jn 12:16), and the blind, lame and children who could respond at the right moment.

---