Tuesday: No Fruit
Jesus’ cleansing of the temple was an act of compassion. It was the Gentile courts where the buying and selling were taking place, and Jesus intended His house to be a place of prayer and worship for all peoples.
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But the cleansing was an act of judgment also. The priests who ran the temple had ruined their chance to bless all peoples; their day of judgment was near. If, after all that Jesus had done to reveal His divine calling, these men still refused to accept Him, what else could happen but that they reap the results of their doleful choices?
Read Matthew 21:18-22. How does Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree relate to His cleansing of the temple?
Jesus cursed the fig tree as an acted parable about many of the leaders of the Jewish nation who were finally and irrevocably reaping what they had sown. We must remember, though, that this parable wasn’t referring to all the religious leaders. Many did, indeed, come to faith in Jesus as the Messiah. “Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7, NKJV). However, just as the fig tree bore no fruit, neither did the temple ministry, which was soon to be made void.
This action and Jesus’ harsh words must have come as a powerful shock to the disciples, who were still trying to learn the lessons of compassion and inclusion that Jesus revealed throughout His ministry. This was the same Jesus who declared that He had come, not to condemn the world but to redeem it; the same Jesus who claimed that “‘the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them’” (Luke 9:56, NKJV). Every word and deed in His ministry was devoted to restoring fallen humanity, to point people toward the hope and promise of a new life in Him. So for Him to act and speak so harshly, with such finality, surprised them, which is why Matthew wrote that they had “marveled” at what He had done.
| No question, sooner or later people totally reject God’s mercy and grace (see Gen. 6:13, Gen. 15:16, Gen. 19:24, Rev. 22:11). Why, though, is it so important that we leave those kinds of judgments to God and never make them ourselves, either about others or even our own selves? |
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It is amazing that we judge others on what we think people are thinking and what we assume is happening. Most of the time there is error in what we presume is truly going on because we do not have all of the information to make a good decision. Only God knows or thoughts and the desires of our hearts, and all have sin and come short of the glory of God. ---- Only God----
the LORD is the Creator and Destroyer of created beings....He is the LORD.
Only God knows whether someone is is going to change or not, and He is the only one that can say when to give up on someone. Until then, we should continue to try and reach them for God's kingdom.
I really find Mark's account of the fig tree incident very challenging to understand:
See below Mark 11:12-14
A Fig Tree is Cursed
12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, FOR IT WAS NOT THE SEASON FOR FIGS. 14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”
And His disciples heard it.
It would seem quite strange that the Lord would expect the tree to bear fruit 'out of season' but then again does not another scripture speak of this concept? Oh yes it does, 2 Tim 4:2 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."
Fruit bearing is a critical and natural part of the christian experience. I am asking myself, 'Am I abiding in Christ and He in me such that I am then able to bear the fruit that naturally (or even supernaturally) comes through maintaining that constant connection with God?'
May God work in us to do and to will of His good pleasure, bearing fruit for His honour and glory and thus hastening His soon return.
Well said Chris
From the writer, 'But cleansing was an act of judgement' Can someone please elaborate to make the point very clear. How was cleansing an act of judgement? Which judgement- Final or what? Cleansing of the sanctuary?
Renford, I think that reading chapter one of the book The Great Controversy (The Destruction of Jerusalem) may shed some light on your question. Also, refer to the 70-week (490 years - 457 BC to 34 AD) prophecy of Daniel chapter 9, which speaks of literal Israel's probationary period.
Renford,
I believe it was act of judgement, but it certainly was not the final end time judgement nor the cleansing of the sanctuary which took place on the Day of Atonement.
Throughout the History of Israel, God judged and disciplined Israel many times. This is but one more act of God through and in Jesus judging and disciplining His people, that He has called to be a witness to all peoples, so that His house would be a house of prayer for all peoples.
Hi Renford, I think that in order to know that somethings needs cleansing we must first decide that is not clean. This requires judgment. We must know the difference between clean and unclean.
Jesus could see the difference because he knew the truth about the characters of the people selling their wares. I believe that this information was given to Him by the Father by way of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said of himself I do nothing of myself, but by the instruction of the Father. I believe that this instruction came by way of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Scriptures through prayer and submission to God the Father.
Here we see how important it is for us to pray and to know the scriptures and to receive all the word of God that He makes available to us. Sometimes his word comes through Scripture. Sometimes it comes through experiences that we have. Sometimes it comes through nature but all interpreted by the Holy Spirit within us.
Is it reasonable for us to believe that God can give us the same kind of help that he gave to Jesus in discerning truth from error in our thinking?
God makes it quite clear in scripture that it is not our job to judge his servants. We're not so smart that we know others hearts nor the job that He has invited them to do. He tells us to uplift one another and encourage each other to build relationship with our Lord. And nothing is more inspiring than to be around a joyful, Spirit-filled Christian praising the Lord and lifting Him up. I think of King David...
The Pharisees knew scripture and considered themselves full of knowledge but didn't have relationship with God so they didn't recognize Jesus. Instead of worshipping Him, they judged Him.
Nancy you are very correct regarding judging, thus we should not be to quick to judge why some Pharisees did not recognize Jesus or condemn all Pharisees. As the article above pointed out:
"this parable wasn’t referring to all the religious leaders. Many did, indeed, come to faith in Jesus as the Messiah."
As for those who did not, that is for God to deal with, not us, for we can not read the heart of those and know their motives. It would seem reasonable that they did not have a relationship, but we cannot know for certain, only God knows. As I am certain you know this I am only adding this for clarification.
It is very true that we are not smart enough to judge others. But God has given judgment to Jesus and we are also to receive good judgment as well as Jesus while we are growing in sanctification we are needing to be very careful not to judge in our own selfishly motivated judgment. This is evil. However, judging righteously is necessary for God's people.
The Pharisees judged Jesus falsely. Jesus judged the Pharisees righteously, calling them "hypocrites," "children of your father the devil," "whitened sepulchers." He even called Herod a "fox."
Did Jesus judge motives? How can we know how to ask for forgiveness if we do not judge our own motives for what we do? Can the Holy Spirit help us to judge our own motives correctly?
If Jesus judged motives of other people, and He was our example, are we supposed to follow that example?
If Jesus did not judge the motives of the money-changers in the temple before He chased them out, how did He know to chase them out?
Don,
Can the Holy Spirit help us to judge our own motives? Yes I believe so.
If Jesus judged motives of other people are we supposed to follow that example? No, we are not to play God, we can not judge motives (1 Samuel 16:7) only God knows the heart.
Robert, what is it that makes us a child of God--brothers and sisters of Jesus?
I had thought that we should emulate every aspect of the example of Jesus. Maybe I was wrong. Can you think of any other ways that we should not follow the example of Jesus?
Don,
Yes we should emulate Jesus however we should not go to far with this. Obviously we are not God and we should not allow or expect people to worship us. Again we are not God and we should not think of taking God's place, God alone is the King and sovereign and all power and dominion has been given to Jesus not us. We are not all knowing, all powerful or all present. We are finite and can not and do not know all and see all. Therefore we have no right to usurp the role of God.
Robert, of course we should not userp the role of our Heavenly Father. Jesus did not even do that. He showed us how to live as a human "in the Father."
He showed us how it is to unite humanity with Divinity properly. If we do this with the mind that was in Christ Jesus we wil do it humbly under God as Jesus did. Even though Jesus was God incarnate He showed us just how we should live as human-Divine beings.
The Holy Spirit is the link between God and His created, human children. When the Holy Spirit is allowed to motivate our thoughts and feelings we are receiving the very Mind of God.
I understand your concern, but we need to understand and allow God to do for us what Jesus prayed for recorded in John 17. We must be rightly in God and Him in us.
Is the Holy Spirit not able to work in us the same way he worked in Jesus for discernment and understanding and truth?
Don,
Yes and no, Yes in the way that Jesus was and is fully man, no in the way that Jesus was and is fully God.
Robert,
Is the Holy Spirit fully God in your opinion?
"Why, though, is it so important that we leave those kinds of judgments to God and never make them ourselves, either about others or even our own selves?"
Because "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)
Consequently, we don't even know our own hearts, much less others' and thus shouldn't judge.
While this is certainly true of human hearts, it does not apply to Christ.
There is not time or season for a christian to bear fruits
Our life should be always bring people more closer to the lord jesus cchrist
The fig tree episode emphasizes the indispensability of faith in activating the power of God.
oppong, You are the only one that I have found after looking for comments like this, finally. The example of the fig tree was to teach Peter, like he is prone to do, as well as all the disciples, the essentials of a living faith. The type of Faith that can move mountains, and the type of Faith that we should emulate,Matt.21:21,22. The fig tree readily drew their attention. They marveled that the fig tree quickly withered as they watched what would take a much longer time.
Addendum, Ephesians 3:8, FAITH
I've come to realized that everything Jesus says or does was & is for a reason. I cant say I have full understanding of His dealings but there's a lesson in all of His actions and words. If we are not producing fruits we are just "leaves". Though it wasnt the season for figs- the tree gave a false concept; as though it was heavily laden with figs. The fruits are always on the branches before the leaves/foliage starts to show. The fig tree gave a false impression that it was loaded with fruits but at a closer a glance it wasnt bearing. The same is true for anyone of us if we appear spiritual but no fruits. O Lord have mercy on us! Please do not "curse" us because we dont want to be withered away.
Allanson,
Thanks for the reference books.
God bless you.
You're welcome my brother. May God bless you abundantly as well. As you study, may the Holy Spirit guide you into all truth.
The more one spends time with Jesus, the less they have trouble accepting the behavior recorded in scriptures about His acts with the money-changers and the tree that had no fruit. Some in church claim that they love Jesus, but do they like him or how he behaves? How much time during the week do people spend with Jesus of their 7000 waking minutes?
SOP..."Although there are evils existing in the church, and will be until the end of the world, the church in these last days is to be the light of the world that is polluted and demoralized by sin. The church, enfeebled and defective, needing to be reproved, warned, and counseled, is the only object upon earth upon which Christ bestows His supreme regard."
There are soft-sell deceptive doctrines, about Jesus' personality & character, presented to cater to the perverted, depraved nature of humans that allow for the continuation of sin and still let people inherit eternal life.
Some make a deal with death and think they will be reincarnated. Others warp scripture to think that they are immortal and will have the company of others in hell forever.99% of Christians accept that the Sabbath is abrogated and/or any day is a Sabbath to do, or not do whatever they want.
Humans are wicked, deceived (Jer 17:9) law trashing, God hating (Rom 8:7), truth trampling (2 Thess 2)criminal rebels on a penal colony called Earth. God has a gospel of grace pardon & transformation program for us. And there are few who get with the program. (Matt 7:14)
As the SDA, we are richly blessed as we we have the SOP to give us light in most scriptures. We are Green like the fig tree but we do not have fruits to show for such blessings. We should be ready every time for his coming even when it is out of season. Lets us not wait for certain prophesies to be fulfilled to get ready. We should be ready now even before the Mark of the beast. Otherwise Jesus will curse us when he sees no fruit in us.