Slide 2:
12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.
13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it. The Holy Bible : Revised Standard Version Second Catholic edition (2006), with the ecclesiastical approval of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Thomas Nelson Publishing for Ignatius Press.
11:12-14 Jesus Curses a Fig Tree :
11:12-14 Jesus Curses a Fig Tree Mark again supplies us with a literary sandwich, the journey to Jerusalem is on both sides of the parable about the fig tree.
Israel, like the fig tree appeared to be spiritually fruitful but instead was spiritually barren.
Just like the fig tree, the temple looked good from a distance but it was fruitless, its spiritually looked impressive, but its sacrifices and other activities were empty because they were not done to worship God, but only for show and in an effort to control people and their actions.
No longer was the temple a “house of prayer for all nations” (Isa. 56:7) it had now become ‘a den of robbers’ (Jer. 7:11).
Jesus, like Jeremiah before him, had exposed the temple for what it really was.
Slide 4:
In the present day the word “curse” means a vulgar remark meant to wish misfortune, evil, doom, etc. upon another person or place.
In Biblical times “curse” meant publically bring attention to a wrong or an evil person or place.
When Jesus “cursed” the fig tree he wasn’t being vulgar, he was merely pointing out the evil and corrupt practices used in the temple with the intent of making a show of worship rather than making an earnest attempt to worship their Creator.
Don’t we find the same thinking in our places of worship today.
“This is my ministry,” wrong, it is God’s ministry.
“This is my ministry,” is the same as the parable of the fig tree, your ministry might look good but your haughty attitude isn’t producing what God desires or expects.