Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Laetare Sunday (Lent IV)
Sunday of Laetare (Lent IV)
Daily Lectionary Readings: Genesis 41:1-27; Mark 11:1-19; (Sirach 19)
Mark 11:12-14; 20-25 [12] On the following day, when they came from Bethany, [Jesus] 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.
[20] As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. [21] And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” [22] And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. [23] Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. [24] Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. [25] And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Palm Sunday is only a day or so in the past, and Jesus is preaching and teaching in Jerusalem for the final time. He is here because the time of judgment has arrived. God is gracious and upright, but God is also severe. God is love, but He is also fair and just. He demonstrates care, forgiveness, and patience but also holds mankind responsible and accountable for their actions. The bill has come due, and Jesus comes to pay the balance in full for us all. Even with the cross looming ahead, everything Jesus does is to either teach us or to help and save us. But why is this little fig tree the recipient of Jesus' condemnation?
It's not even the season for figs on this bright Spring morning in April. Jesus is hungry, so He looks at this little fig tree to try to find something to eat. The fig tree has no figs - no fruit! - therefore, the fig tree is held accountable and judged harshly. As the end of March approaches, the new leaves appear on the fig trees. After a week, all the leaves have come in. Near this time, fig-trees put out some small knobs, called taqsh (tuck-WAsh). They are not genuine figs, but they are edible and about the size of green almonds.
The appearance of the taqsh is a harbinger of the actual fig crop coming in about six weeks. These taqsh were most often consumed by peasants and sojourners. Eventually, they fall off, and the true figs take over. Because the time for figs had not yet come, Jesus looked for the taqsh. Finding none, He cursed the tree. When a fig tree produces no taqsh, neither will it bear true fruit. A fig tree without taqsh is a hopeless, fruitless tree. What good is it? Jesus says as much by cursing the tree.1
Jesus hungers not only for figs but for men and women who bear abundant fruit in their lives. That is His true craving, His real purpose for coming to Jerusalem. Trying to satisfy His physical hunger with the fruitless fig tree illustrates Christ's larger purpose for you and me. "For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost [unfruitful].2 “So, my brothers you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could belong to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit to God.”3
To all appearances, the fig tree Jesus cursed indicated it had fruit. At times, our sinful nature gives an outward appearance of being faithful to the Lord, while inside, we are not as fruitful as we should. Others will see that - they will pick up on the fact you are a Christian and have a certain expectation of you. When they look beyond the thin veneer of our pity, do they find a hypocrite or a disciple of Christ? Do we disguise gossip as "filling someone in?" Do we make excuses and justify our actions when we bend the truth? Do we present the picture of a faithful follower and then simply go through the motions for appearance's sake? Are we always joyful givers, or are we miserly with our time and talents?
Jesus comes to you today with the cure for unfruitfulness. Like the barren tree, we have the potential to bear abundant fruit - a potential Jesus saw from a very long way off. In fact, He saw it from before the foundation of the world! Our lives do not match the potential Jesus sees because of our sin. We profess to be Christians, but our pursuits and our use of our time and talents serve selfish, worldly expectations. Rather than be cursed to wither and die like the fig tree, Jesus calls us to gather and confess our sins and bear abundant fruit in thanksgiving for His great mercy.
The cursed fig tree was doomed to be withered because its purpose went unfulfilled. We were condemned for the same reason, but Christ came and completely fulfilled His purpose for you. On the cross, He became the curse of sin in your place.
Bearing fruit on your own is impossible. Our sinful nature and the world's influence cause a blight that produces stunted, rotten fruit. But with prayer in all things, repentance of all sins, and giving our forgiveness to others can move mountains. Alone, we're suitable only for the burn pile. Together with Christ and each other, living in the light of forgiveness of each other's sins, we are a vast orchard planted with the Name of Jesus. Amen.
1Bruce, F. F. The Hard Sayings of Jesus. The Jesus library. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1983. ebook. Loc. 2046ff.
2Luke 19:10 (ESV).
3Romans 7:4 (My translation).