Instead of a Cure, He Pronounced a Curse!

Alternate title: The Case Against I srael

Daniel Mullen 22candan@gmail.com (also dmullen@socalsem.edu)
Preached at Pio Pico Chapel, J amul, CA March 11, 2014
The Sunday before last we began a short series that will look at the last week of Jesus life
before his crucifixion. We started in the book of Mark, 11, and I pointed out how most of our
Bibles place a subtitle above this section called The Triumphant Entry. Unfortunately, when
translators and publishers put subtitles that aren't in the original text, they run the risk of making
an interpretive error which was the case at the beginning of Mark chapter 11. What we saw
there was not a triumphal entry at all. Jesus was not being received as King, but rather He was
presenting Himself as the Son of Man preparing to go to the cross. The crowd there had no
authority, they had made no preparations, there was no ceremony, and there was no
commitment to support Jesus as King.
Out of the thousands of people Jesus must have addressed in His teachings, there were only a
handful of true followers. Very few people of the nation of Israel prepared themselves for
receiving the Messiah from the days of John and continuing through this particular time in
Mark chapter 11.
There was no recognition of their sin.
There was no repentance and so there was no way to enter the kingdom, much less to see its
inauguration at this hour.
Even though the scene seems to -- with these words of Hosanna sound like praise in our ears,
in fact they were not true worship, because these people did not believe in the Messiah; they
simply wanted relief from the oppression of Rome.
The words -- "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" Are common
phrases used in Jewish feasts. And the word hosanna means "save now." It is not the happy,
innocent little praise song from Sunday school. Political deliverance is what the crowd wanted
someone who could feed them like He did the 5000 and the crowd of 3000. They wanted
someone who could deliver them from the tyranny of Rome. "Save us now!" "Deliver us now
from these oppressors!"
That's all they wanted because in the space of about four days the same crowd would be crying
out "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
As John's Gospel rightly says "he came to his own, but those who were his own did not receive
him."
That is the context for the passage were going to look at this morning.
Please follow along as I read this passage starting in verse 11:
Mark 11:1119
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything,
He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.
12 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry.
13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it;
and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14 He said to it, May no one ever eat fruit from you again! And His disciples were listening.
15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who
were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the
seats of those who were selling doves;
16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.
17 And He began to teach and say to them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house
of prayer for all the nations? But you have made it a robbers den.
18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they
were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
19 When evening came, they would go out of the city.
It is important for us to re-create the scene as best we can, so that we can see and understand as
the disciples would have. The New Testament is really a book that includes us. I think it is
especially helpful for us to see ourselves like the disciples his close followers that have
followed him throughout his ministry and have believed in him.
We are going to look at the background and geographic setting and this short journey of Jesus
and the disciples.
We are going to learn about fig trees.
We are going to see its general use and importance in Israel.
How fig tree can look lifeless, almost leafless, yet it was possible to have fruit.
Its symbolism for Israel with regard to:
1. It's past as a fruitful nation blessed by God;
2. It's condition during the time of Christ as an apostate nation rejecting the Messiah;
and
3. It's future significance as a symbol of Christ's return [to rapture the church, to
judge the world and to sit on the throne of David during the millennial reign. But
we won't get into all of those details]
And we are going to look at this passage and how Jesus actions are the means by which he
presents his case against Israel and judges her apostasy. So in a nutshell, let me present the
briefest outline of what is going to take place in this passage of Mark 11:11-21
1. The Significance of Jesus' Hunger (11:12)
2. The Significance of Jesus' disappointment With the Fruitless Fig Tree (11:13)
3. His Judgment Pronounced (11:14)
4. His Judgment Portrayed (11:15-16)
5. His Judgment Explained (11:17)
6. His Judgment Rejected (11:18)
If we could go to Israel today and go to the area where Jesus went with his disciples on the road
to Jerusalem, we would travel on a path situated along the ridge top of a small mountain
structure that sits to the east and above Jerusalem. The town of Bethany is east of Jerusalem
and just slightly to the north of it, and on the east side of this ridge East of the Mount of
Olives.
The Mount of Olives is one of the higher points with an elevation of 2684 feet, which is just
about 300 feet above Jerusalem. It is part of that hillside region that slopes down towards
Jerusalem in a westward direction. The eastern side slopes down to the Dead Sea.
If we were to see the landscape, we would not see much native plant life because it is a high
desert. And we would see a lot of grayish, white rock called "oceanic sedimentary" rock. This
explains why the large cemetery is located there on the slope of Mount Olives. Because of the
abundance of stone that is easy to use and carve for the gravestones.
The Mount of Olives hillside has been used as a cemetery for hundreds of years. About 38,000
of these graves were destroyed by Jordan between 1949 in 1960. The fact that there are so
many hundreds of historic graves makes it very difficult for Muslims to explain away Israel's
presence in the land since time of the patriarchs unless it was through foreign military
occupation or when the nation was taken away as captives because of idolatry.
The tombs of the prophet Zechariah and David's son Absalom are located on the upper slope.
And hundreds of notable rabbis from the fifteenth century to the present are also buried there
among 150,000+ graves.
Normally it wouldn't take very long to go up or down from the top of Mount olives to
Jerusalem, but today a good part of the area is controlled by the Muslims and a simple walk is
not possible.
The Mount of Olives to Jerusalem is probably no more than a half-mile as the crow flies, but
because the terrain is rocky and steep it would have probably taken about 20 min. in either
direction.
This geographic description will help understand some of the details later
The Significance of Jesus' Hunger
There is an important time markers in the very first phrase "on the next day."
This is the next day after the so-called "Triumphal Entry" when the crowds jumped the gun to
try to pull off an unprepared, ill planned, illegitimate coronation.
They didn't have a crown, much less a throne and a king's court to receive him. And they
certainly weren't ready to take up their cross and follow Christ!
Now here's the scene to picture in your minds Jesus had returned to Bethany the evening
before, and on the next day He and His disciples left Bethany again to go back to Jerusalem. So
for these first three days of the Passover, Jesus is going back and forth between Jerusalem and
Bethany.
The text tells us that Jesus is hungry. The importance of this might be easily overlooked.
They probably started very early. Like the time patterns in our own latitude at this time of the
year, it may have even have been dark when they started before 6 AM.
And just like our little part of the world at this time of the morning, there's not much light; it is
still pretty cold, the body is sluggish, and it is a little bit difficult to wake up. (I don't know how
the disciples felt, getting up so early to go to Jerusalem with Jesus that morning they didn't
have McDonald's or Starbucks or even a home-brewed pot of coffee I'm just trying to present
how it might have felt).
Matthew 21:18, describes the same event. The word used for 'morning' in the Greek refers to
daybreak. 'In the morning, as he returned to the city' This gives us a strong indication that
Jesus and the men with him were approaching the city at daybreak, which means they started
sometime before that!
Why have I gone to the trouble to explain all this? To help us understand how Jesus' disciples
were observing this how they might have been a bit sleepy still and also how it is
understandable that Jesus, as he is getting closer to Jerusalem, is hungry.
Moreover, it will become clearer that Jesus had his itinerary all planned out and he had a full
day ahead of him.
It is by the sovereign direction of the Holy Spirit to have prompted the gospel writers to include
this significant detail that Jesus became hungry.
Yes, it shows his humanity, but that is really a minor point here. At other times Jesus' hunger is
downplayed. In John 4, after Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, the
disciples urged Jesus to have something to eat but in John 4:34
34 Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His
work.
There are enough clues in the New Testament to make it clear that Jesus was fully man, but at
the same time Jesus' ministry is divine. He could not be tempted even by his hunger after forty
days in the wilderness. At times the disciples could not understand that he wasn't hungry, and
now it must've puzzled them that he was.
And knowing their recent track record for misunderstanding we can be sure that they were
still in a sleepy state of mind not too unlike the soft, grayish light before daybreak.
But think about this hunger is a state of dissatisfaction. Rather odd at this point in Jesus'
ministry, just days away from the cross -- we are told that Jesus is hungry!? What is this?
Hunger can be positive or negative. Hunger is positive when you have earned that hunger by
working hard. A meal is a well deserved reward.
I often give thanks that I am hungry because then I enjoy my wife's cooking that much more!
Hunger is a blessing when you know that soon you will be satisfied with something tasty that
has been worth the wait.
Can you imagine? Those who don't have that sense of hunger? Who lack that normal healthy
desire to eat? When someone is not hungry, it may because they are sick and something is
wrong.
Here, in verse 12, Jesus became hungry. Jesus is not sick! Since Christ was actually the second
man Adam, his body suffered no effect of the fall like the rest of humanity. He was probably
the healthiest man that ever lived.
The Significance of Jesus Dissatisfaction with the Fig Tree
Now we need to understand a little bit more about fig trees in order to answer a couple of
questions. No other tree looks like a fig tree. Even if the day is just breaking, it probably
would be easy to identify one from a distance (unless you are a sleepy disciple )
But why would Jesus look for fruit? Especially since at the end of verse 13 it says that "it was
not season" for figs The answer is that figs can bear 2-3 crops per year. If the season is a
little bit warmer than usual and the winter has been mild, they can leaf out early. According to
The Bible Knowledge Commentary, the Palestine fig trees produced small edible green figs right
about this same time of year that were in now, but this is not the season for the main crop
Remember the names of the towns that I mentioned two Sundays ago? Bethphage means house
of figs, or house of green figs. Because it was such a good area for growing figs, the crop might
come early.
Israel has the same seasons as we do. We, in San Diego also enjoy a Mediterranean climate. In
such an environment, it would be possible that there would be an early crop of figs. (Show
sample of fig branch to everyone)
Now you might ask "why is this important?" Well, it is important just as every detail in this
passage is important -- as we will see. This is the final week of Jesus' ministry on earth before
his crucifixion, and although Jesus' disciples, the people, and the leaders of the Jews, do not
realize it, Jesus is driving all these events towards the day of Passover when he will be the
Sacrificial Lamb. This took place that year on the 14
th
day of Nisan. These details concerning
the fig tree help confirm the precise historical accuracy of these last days before his crucifixion.
Why else is the fig tree important? The fig tree is a symbol of Israel. It is a Mediterranean tree
just as other common trees here in Southern California such as the olive tree, and the
pomegranate.
Let's look at some other geographical and topographical details in our passage.
At the beginning of chapter 11 Jesus and the disciples are at the Mount of Olives which is 300
feet above Jerusalem.
Verse 13 describes how "from a distance Jesus saw a fig tree that was beginning to leaf
out" as they were walking towards Jerusalem.
If the daylight is very early coming from the East, one might be able to see the very fresh new
leaves budding forth from the tree. Especially as the sun hits the light green, somewhat
translucent young leaves.
So we know that if the fig tree symbolizes Jerusalem perhaps there is some significance that this
tree was beginning to leaf out at this time. Could it be that this points to the outward religious
appearances of Judaism? Could it refer to the beauty of the Temple and the ornate details?
So Jesus sees this tree. He walks over to it and he finds nothing but leaves. This does sound
like the outward appearances of hypocritical religious people does it not? A temple for the
purpose of satisfying spiritual hunger, but it is like this green-leafy tree but without substance
no fruit.
Let us consider some of the other biblical reference the importance of authentic faith which is
illustrated by the production of fruit:
Matthew 21:43
43 Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a
people [or nation], producing the fruit of it.
In this verse Jesus explains how the kingdom of God would be taken away from the religious
leaders and given to a nation bearing fruits. Wow!
Have you ever thought of that verse like that before?
In 1 Peter 2:9, Peter describes the church as a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation holy
nation
Also, consider this passage just a couple chapters ahead in Mark 13:28-31.
Mark 13:2831
28 Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and
puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.
29 Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at
the door.
30 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
These words were repeated almost identically in Matthew and Luke as well, which underscores
how important this lesson is to us from the Savior! Jesus begins with an imperative command
"Now learn this parable" in other words you better not miss this one! This parable is an
analogy; it is a principle that needs to be understood!
So when we see the fig tree, we are to remember the analogy to Israel.
And when we think of Israel and Christ's second coming, we are to remember the fig tree.
Jesus summarizes the principle that when we see the fig tree budding after the winter, we are to
know that the summer is near. Certainly, those of us fortunate to live in San Diego understand
better than most that the distance the between winter and summer is very short when our spring
is so mild here.
Are you ready for the summer of Christ's return?
Jesus uses this analogy to teach us that the second coming of Christ could come at any moment.
There is very little time to prepare, so we must ALWAYS be ready. There are some small signs
that point to when his coming is approaching.
Secondly, the analogy teaches us something about the nature of Israel. Its appearance will look
rather dead like the fig tree in winter.
[show sample of leaf-less branch.]
Has anyone really noticed what a fig tree looks like in winter? Most trees have brown trunks
with hints of green, but the bark of the fig tree has a rather sick, grayish white color. The limbs
of the tree look like they have been dead for some time already. In fact, it is very difficult to tell
a dead branch from a living branch until the branches start to bud. This is a picture of spiritual
revival for a nation that has been spiritually dead and apostate.
Thirdly, the parable of the fig tree had a lesson for the disciples who would understand only
after they would look back on those last few days with the Savior. Jesus was making it clear
that Judaism was a fruitless, barren religion and there was no hope. God had now judged the
nation of Israel because they rejected his son, Jesus Christ. The disciples would understand this
only after the church was born in Acts 2.
I encounter Jews from time to time who are exactly like the Jews of Jesus day. They flat out
reject him. They want to be Jews, and they are proud of their heritage to some degree but they
don't want Jesus as their King.
They will not submit to Christ!
This week, I stumbled across a comment from a female Rabbi, named Noah Kitty. She
foolishly rejects giving much importance to the coming Messiah. According to "Rabbi Kitty":
There's been a "relatively small amount of time that both ancient and modern Jewish thinkers
spent on the whole idea of what happens when the messiah comes." She continues: "The truth
is we are much more concerned with performing mitzvot [good deeds] in this world and less
about eschatological events in the next."
1

Noah Kitty a modern religious leader is an example of a blind person leading the blind.
Her blindness illustrates the final point that we have to understand with regard to the nature of
parables.
When Jesus taught a parable he was presenting spiritual truth that is hidden from the
unbeliever. The real lesson from the parables were directed toward his closest disciples! And
us, his followers!

1
Lisa J. Huriash, Jewish Americans Buy Plots in Israel for Peace of Mind, Sun Sentinel, June 9, 2012, http://articles.sun-
sentinel.com/2012-06-09/news/fl-jewish-burial-israel-20120609_1_chevra-kadisha-holy-land-rabbi-noah-kitty (accessed March 21,
2014) .
Mark 4:1011 tells us
When Jesus was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the
parables.
11 And He was saying to them, To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but
those who are outside get everything in parables,
"To you it has been given to know' to understand the mystery of the kingdom but outsiders
cannot understand it.
Spiritual truths often remain hidden until God makes it known. "When you see the fig tree"
Then you'll know that summer is near. BUT you won't be able to see it until God makes it
known. There is a season, a time for figs. For now, as far as Judaism goes, since they have
rejected Christ as the Messiah, they are blind. Dead people can't see!
To the disciples, Jesus was saying that Judaism will remain a tree without fruit that is cursed.
And it is until today. While we might have a certain attraction to Judaism, and some well
intended Christians have become infatuated with certain stripes and colors of messianic
Judaism. Frequently this becomes just another distraction that takes people away from solid
biblical theology and practice.
Jesus, as the Sacrificial Lamb, as our Great High Priest, as the one who is greater than Moses,
greater than the priesthood, as the one who is provided a better covenant, a better sacrifice, and
a better rest, which is the meaning of the Sabbath, he has replaced the law and the Sabbath.
There's no need to go back to any type of pharisaical, sabbatarian, or legalistic religion.
Paul asks the Galatians who went that direction backwards towards legalism: "who has
bewitched you? You learn to walk by grace and now you want to go back to the law?!"
Mark 11:13
13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it;
and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
We see that Jesus approached this tree hoping that he would find some fruit to satisfy his
hunger something for breakfast. So now, Jesus' hunger and the barren fig tree together teach
us the lesson of God's dissatisfaction with Israel. There is no fruit. It is not the season. Israel
could have been a source of satisfaction for God, but she was not.
In Exodus 20:3 God commanded Israel:
3 You shall have no other gods before Me.
Many times Israel was unfaithful. As incredible as it is to imagine, this small nation among
many others was chosen by God to be a special people for his purpose to witness to the world
of His love and holy standard!!
He delivered them from the hands of Pharaoh, and brought them out of Egypt, demonstrating
his mighty power, yet they complained time and time again. They complained that they had no
food or water. They complained that they were bored of manna from heaven. They missed the
dainty foods of Egypt or so they said as they forgot the heavy burdens of their slavery under
Pharaoh.
God would deliver them and defeat their enemies before them as they entered the Promised
Land but they fell into idolatry again and again.
In the opening verses of Hosea, there is the description of God's command to the prophet to take
a woman of harlotry for his wife in order that the prophet would portray to Israel with a living
message the grief that Israel had caused God with her unfaithfulness.
Look at verse 2 of Hosea chapter 1. Hosea 1:2
the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry;
for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord.
Although Israel was no longer involved in flagrant idolatry in Jesus' day, their heart was far
from God.
So when Jesus stops at this fig tree along the side of the road with plenty of leaves, he looks to
see if there is any fruit on it.
He found nothing! He is portraying the disappointment of an empty religion, that emphasizes
outward appearances and the works of man.
Judgment Pronounced
So far we have seen
1. The Significance of Jesus' Hunger (11:12)
2. The Significance of Jesus' disappointment With the Fruitless Fig Tree (11:13)
So now let's look at his brief judgment towards the fig tree in verse 14
3. His Pronounced Judgment (11:14)
Jesus has just portrayed in his humanity the desire of God and his plan for Israel -- and for man
in general. Beginning with Genesis, God commanded man to be fruitful and to have dominion
over the earth. As God's image and likeness, man was never intended to be a slave of sin. A
slave of sin is the proof, like Jesus' condemning words to the Jews in John 8 "you are of your
father the devil."
Instead of being his image bearers, we do the works that condemn us. This is certainly Israel's
case.
Just as the farmer expects the privilege of the first fruit, God has the right and the righteous
expectation from his people. It is negative to think of God's standard as mere law a command.
As his people, we should produce fruits of righteousness.
Jesus portrays this expectation as he comes to the fig tree looking for fruit But there is none.
It is a barren tree. Beginning in verse 14 Jesus speaks to the tree! (This is strange!) Where else
does Jesus speak to an object unable to speak back!?
Clearly Jesus is not deranged, but he is personifying the tree before him by speaking directly to
it as though it can hear and comprehend!
We often see this story on a superficial level: Jesus hungry goes to the tree the tree has no
food so Jesus is mad about it, and almost like a boy kicking his bicycle because the chain
came off the sprocket, and he says "I'm not happy with you!" "I don't like you anymore!"
And since Jesus has all this power to do miracles, he performs a negative miracle and curses the
tree!
Folks Jesus didn't have tantrums and he didn't seek revenge with his power If operated that
way he would have done something to Herod and his evil family after the imprisonment and
beheading of His cousin, John the Baptist, in Mark chapter 6.
Not only is this fig tree an inanimate, incoherent, and mute, it would appear to be innocent.
I can imagine what might've been going on in Peter's mind: "what did this tree ever do to
Jesus?" And Peter who often shot his mouth off might've been ready to say: "Um Jesus
Pardon me but aren't you going a little bit overboard here?
Perhaps I'm taking this a little bit far myself, but if we look down in verse 21
Mark 11:21
21 Being reminded, Peter said to Him, Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has
withered.
Of course this event made an impression on Peter, but we have to remember that it is Peter
who used the word, "curse," and not Jesus.
Let's picture the landscape. There is no freeway and no sidestreet to choose from. There was
probably one main path between Bethany and Jerusalem, and it probably was very much like
many of our hiking trails around here.
Our passage indicates that the returned from Jerusalem to Bethany after sunset. Jesus and his
disciples were accustomed to the path as well as to traveling by foot, so this was not difficult,
but they probably were not able to see the details of the landscape and particularly this tree at
night. The next morning they walked back down the hill again to Jerusalem when they come to
the same spot in the road where the tree was dried up from the roots!
It makes me think of the scene in the Wizard of Oz when the wicked witch's feet shrivel and
curl up after the house lands on her. Peter called it a curse, but I prefer to see this as a
judgment, and specifically a picture of God's judgment.
The important lesson for all of us is to know that when God judges, his judgment is perfect, but
also there will be practical consequences.
We find some similar words and imagery in John 15:6. In the context, Jesus illustrates how the
believer enjoys a living relationship with Christ as the vine, and his people abide in him as the
branches. However, there will be some who might make professions of faith, but who are not
true believers. Such branches will be fruitless:
Verse 6 -- "If anyone does NOT abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and
they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned."
False believers are judged with the rest of the world that rejects Christ.
Now we need to come back to our scene in order to understand one other significant point
related to the topography and what I might call a parable within the parable.
The disciples on a small road that runs between Bethany and Jerusalem. A good part of this
road was on the ridge top of the same geological formation of the Mount of Olives.
Perhaps (and this is just conjecture), but one can imagine that as they were coming down this
ridge with the tree cursed what may have stood behind their view, and below them, was the
Temple and the old city of Jerusalem.
I say this for two reasons: 1) what the eye can see and the view would naturally be drawn to the
right and to what is ahead as they faced downward towards the Kidron Valley and Jerusalem on
the other side. The tree was off to the right side of the road, so from the line of sight, Jesus
would've seen the tree in leaf, and behind it in the distance the city of Jerusalem and the
Temple. Jerusalem and the Temple actually sits on the smaller hill almost at the same elevation
300 feet lower, but as you stand on top of a ridge looking across you wouldn't be able to see
that much height difference.
The second reason I say this is because nothing escapes the view of the Savior! But now we
have to go back to the evening before which is in verse 11. Consider this back in Mark
11:11
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything,
He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.
At first this seems like just some extra information some incidental details that Mark is
including.
It was noticeable to the disciples and it may have been a curious thing, but like many things of
Jesus, they could not have understood what was in his mind at that moment
Notice the phrase, "and after looking around at everything"
This reminds me of the TV series, "Undercover Boss." Jesus shows up. He takes a quiet tour,
makes note of everything. No one really notices. But Jesus has his plan, He knows what is
going to unfold the next day, and he knows his mission his GOAL is the cross as the
Sacrificial Lamb on Passover, and he has a timeframe that he is working with perfectly.
Jesus was also very aware of the fear that the Jewish leaders had, especially since the raising of
Lazarus from the dead and the celebrity status that Jesus was gaining in the mind the crowds
after his entry into the city, a couple days earlier. Now, it was necessary for his action and
judgment upon the apostate religious system of Judaism, to force the action of the Jewish
leaders against him.
You may have seen the series Sherlock, with the modern Sherlock Holmes who is brilliant as he
observes every detail and makes these incredible deductions. The program portrays his mind
like a camera going over hundreds of images speeding through his mind's eye.
Oh wouldn't we love to believe that we humans can be so smart! Well, Jesus really is so
brilliant! He was the God-man, who voluntarily veiled His deity, and at other times
unmistakably demonstrated His deity. The knowledge and wisdom of Christ makes Sherlock
Holmes look like a drooling, diaper-dressed toddler.
So thus far we have seen in this passage:
1. The Significance of Jesus' Hunger (11:12)
2. The Significance of Jesus' Disappointment with the Fruitless Fig Tree (11:13)
3. His Pronounced Judgment (11:14)
And now we come to the forth point which is how
4. Christ's Judgment Is Portrayed (11:15-16)
With verse 15 we see that Jesus had this lesson for us in his mind. And this brings us to the
next portion of our passage where we see a second demonstration of Christ's judgment upon
Israel.
Now the plot thickens! Look we have a clear parallel between the inspection of a fruitless fig
tree in verse 13 and a quiet visit of Jesus to the Temple in verse 11 the day before.
Once again we have a small reference to the disciples going to Jerusalem with Jesus but that is
where their involvement seems to end.
In fact, throughout this entire passage almost all the action is being done by Jesus from the very
moment it mentions that He is hungry.
He's hungry
He sees at a distance the fig tree
He goes to the fig tree
He finds nothing
He pronounces judgment "no one will ever eat fruit from you again!
All the action here is with Christ. He is in complete control!
And now we see His action in the Temple.
Jesus is demonstrating, portraying His righteous indignation and judgment against apostate,
spiritually fruitless religious system.
Even as He enters the temple, He is a man on a mission. Don't think he quietly and meekly
peered in through the doors, or entered through the columns quietly this time.
He went in like He owned the place! (And in fact he does!)
He drove out those who were buying and selling. Can you imagine barging into the New York
Stock Exchange and kicking out all the traders? It would've been something like single-
handedly closing down the New York Stock Exchange.
The verse uses the same verb used in John chapter 2 when Jesus drove everyone out of the
Temple including the sheep and oxen with a whip.
So in case anyone is confused about this, this is the second time that Jesus went into the Temple
and condemned the world three, and corrupt activities of trading within the temple walls.
Jesus did this at the beginning of his ministry in John chapter 2 and he does a second time at the
end of his ministry as part of his demonstration of judgment against dead and corrupt Judaism.
Also, it is interesting to note that the phrase could be translated as having thrown them out, as
though he physically moved these people out of the Temple.
He drove out those who were buying and selling. There are no innocent parties here. There
may be those who are being cheated by the corrupt sellers, but the entire system is being
judged. And don't misunderstand, it is not because of the extortion, the high prices and the
disgraceful profiting by religious leaders, but who gave them the right to violate the holy trust
of God and to turn the Temple floor into a marketplace?
The word used for Jesus overthrowing the tables is the Greek word katastrph
from which we get the word catastrophe. In a sense, Jesus is like the proverbial bull in a china
shop but with "catastrophic," righteous, and holy indignation.
Jesus overturned the tables and verse 15 mentions that even the chairs of the meek men who
sold the little doves for the poor people who couldn't afford to sacrifice an animal that would
cost more.
They were all guilty! And in fact the sellers of doves were charging something like 400%
MORE because these were approved by the priests.
Verse 16 indicates that even the Temple was being used as a shortcut for traffic as people went
from one side of the Temple through the other bringing their merchandise.
We have to keep in mind also that this is part of the building up of events that will leave the
religious leaders no option but to have him crucified whether it is a holy day or not. Remember,
these men were cowards and they were fearful both of Christ, and of the people, and they were
afraid that if he were killed on the Sabbath the people might revolt.
1. The Significance of Jesus' Hunger (11:12)
2. The Significance of Jesus' disappointment With the Fruitless Fig Tree (11:13)
3. His Pronounced Judgment (11:14)
4. His Judgment Portrayed (11:15-16)
Now in verse 17 we'll see how Christ makes his case regarding his judgment
The Judgment of Christ Explained (11:17)
There is not enough detail in the verse to explain how Jesus transitioned to this moment of
teaching, from the tumultuous scene before, but suffice it to say that Jesus had everyone's
attention. In several other passages of Scripture we find that Jesus taught like no one else. He
taught with authority. He was the Word of God in the form of a man.
Lots of folks can complain. It's easy to make a list of all the things wrong with an institution.
When Jesus spoke, He shook Judaism to its foundation.
Earlier when the temple police were sent to arrest Him in John 7, they couldn't. They were
asked why by the Pharisees why they couldn't bring him in. Listen to their answer and the
exchange that followed:
John 7:4652
46 The officers answered, Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.
47 The Pharisees then answered them, You have not also been led astray, have you?
48 No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he?
49 But this crowd which does not know the Law is accursed.
50 Nicodemus (he who came to Him before, being one of them) said to them,
51 Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing,
does it?
52 They answered him, You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no
prophet arises out of Galilee.
This shows how much they feared Jesus. The religious leaders could not comprehend that the
temple police could not do their dirty work. In response to a reasonable answer they gave
insults, and name-calling to the officers, the people of Israel and even their chief teacher
Nicodemus.
They pretended to know the Scriptures, and they accused the common people of being ignorant,
but if they had searched the Scriptures on the subject they would've known that the prophets
Jonah and Nahum both came from Galilee.
It is so appropriate that now, in the Temple with Jesus, he began to teach them using the
Scriptures that they should have known. Thus, he asks them: "Isn't it written? Don't you know
what is written in the Scriptures?"
Normally in a verbal altercation, when the adrenaline is raised, there's no time for clear thinking
and calm words. While the scene may have been somewhat chaotic a few minutes before, this
was never a situation that was out of control.
Jesus always had complete control and now the son of God was teaching the Pharisees once
again the Scriptures they claimed to know as he quoted from Isaiah 56:7. "My house shall be
called a house of prayer for all nations"
The beautiful thing here is that the Temple Court which had been changed into a marketplace
was the very place within the Temple compound designated to allow the Gentiles to pray and
worship God. From this we see that God has always had a heart to reach the lost, and one of the
saddest aspects of the perversion of Judaism was that it had become an exclusive club with no
interest in the salvation of God and bring it to all nations.
The final point of Jesus' explanation:
"but you have made it a robbers' den." The hypocritical religious leaders had changed the place
of prayer into a perverted kind of hideout for thieves. What would be more twisted than to use
the Temple the very place where the Scriptures of the law and the prophets were treasured
and to use it as a camouflage and shelter for the corrupt marketplace of the Jews?
This brings us to the reaction of the Pharisees.
1. We've seen that Jesus' Hunger paralleled God's dissatisfaction (11:12)
2. We have seen that the fruitless fig tree symbolized a barren and spiritually dead
religion (11:13)
3. We saw Jesus judgment upon the symbol the nation of Israel, the fig tree (11:14)
4. We have seen how Jesus portrayed his judgment as he drove the buyers and sellers
and moneychangers out of the Temple (11:15-16)
5. And we saw that Jesus who taught with authority like no other as he explains his
judgment to the so-called teachers of the law (11:17)
And now we come to the lawless reaction of the Pharisees
6. His Judgment Rejected (11:18)
Instead of reacting as levelheaded, educated men who knew God's word, they seethed with
hatred.
The last phrase of verse 18 says: "all the people were astonished at his teaching." And in
many places the Scriptures tell us that he spoke not like the Pharisees.
Now, after hearing the stinging indictment of Jesus' words, this verse tells us how they sought to
destroy him. This is a very strong word, and almost always refers to death. Quite often it is
used to speak of physical destruction or death, but it is also such a strong word that it can be
used to destroy something to the point that it no longer exists.
They wanted to "erase" Jesus if they could.
In a couple of days they would have their opportunity to try, when they brought in false
witnesses to condemn Him to death.
Yes they had been looking for an opportunity for some time now, and they had tried to arrest
Jesus they had picked up stones in their hands and were ready to stone.
They were that close But now in a couple days they would have their opportunity
Or so they thought.
While they were trying to accuse the spotless Lamb of God in their kangaroo court, in reality
Christ was presenting himself as the Passover lamb without spot or blemish.
Christ did not know sin. Every word that came from his mouth was pure and undefiled. He
was not stained by either motive or action
as we all are
It wasn't just that he gave facts and had information, and knew the Scriptures so well that he put
them to shame.
It wasn't that he had such confidence, or powerful delivery. No doubt he did.
He was the voice of the word of God in bodily form standing before them, and they could not
stand the brightness of his glory.
But I find the oddest phrase in our text.
Look down at the bottom of verse 18
while this verse says how the scribes and chief priests feared Him (by the way their unified now
in their quest to have Christ put to death)
after that it says "all the people were astonished at his teaching."
That's the part I find odd.
If people were astonished, then why didn't they believe?
If he taught as no other if he commanded the Scriptures in such a way that he put the scribes
and Pharisees to shame
why didn't they believe?
The irony here is that they were looking for the wrong opportunity.
They wanted to silence their shame and embarrassment, by silencing the Savior himself.
While they were looking for opportunity
in reality
They were throwing away opportunity
They were casting aside and turning their backs on the opportunity -- not just of a lifetime
No!
This was the opportunity for their nation, and for each person there it was the opportunity of
eternity!

In the next couple of days some would turn their backs on the Savior forever!
And there would be others, who, as they saw this man
the teacher one who healed all who came to him the one who restored sight to the blind
the one who fed the multitudes who raised Lazarus from the dead
as they saw this man -- Jesus -- the one they condemned dying on the cross.
And witnessed an innocent man dying for the nation, they realized.
He died for me.
He died for my sins.

All I can say at this point is that it is the greatest missed opportunity to let one's false sense of
goodness before God destroy your only opportunity to be restored by God through the Savior.
The religious zeal of the Jews is like so many religions and good intentions and even good
works that are done without trust in the only work that counts.
Christ went to the cross --- WILLINGLY.

That is what a sacrificial lamb for mankind is.
He was like a lamb led to the slaughter but he did not open his mouth.
He did not defend himself
as we would As we do.
He bore our sins --- He accepted our penalty --- He did it for us!

God sent His Son into the world so that it would be spared the condemnation that it deserved.
God sent His Son so that the world and that means each of us
through Christ would be saved who put their trust in Him.