Hall, eds. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, , pp. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, , pp. Philadephia: Fortress, pp. That she and Edwards—a non-conservative and a conservative—agree on this matter is one pointer to an emerging consensus. Almond Springs, Ep. The Next Faithful Step. Almond Springs. Background Episodes. September Ep. October Ep. There will be no figs on the tree, and their leaves will wither.
What I have given them will be taken from them" Jeremiah Jeremiah's words were being played out on a real fig tree and the nation of Israel as the kingdom of God was being opened to every nation, and His Spirit poured out on everyone who would come to Him. Throughout Jesus's ministry, He reinforced the importance of being productive. And to do so, He'd use fruitfulness to illustrate His point.
The New Testament uses this picture corporately and individually. After the cleansing of the temple, the Pharisees challenge Jesus's authority. And He responds by telling them the Parable of the Tenants. In this parable, Israel is represented by a vineyard which is being poorly cared for by tenants Israel's religious establishment.
After beating and abusing the landowner's servants the prophets , the landowner sends his heir Jesus —and the tenants choose to kill him, too. The crux of Jesus's parable lies in these words, "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit" Matthew This reinforces the fig tree's message.
God expects the trees He plants to produce fruit. Jesus further fortifies this message with a parable about a man and believe it or not his fig tree:. Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil? If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down'" Luke —9. The landowner is a patient man.
For years, the fig tree has taken up valuable real estate in his vineyard. It's used up nutrients and taken up the attention of the caretaker. But after years of not producing fruit, the landowner is ready to replace the fig tree with something that will actually produce. Why waste the soil on a tree that will not bear fruit? The caretaker asks the landowner for one more year. He will pay special attention to the tree and give it one more opportunity to create fruit.
If it doesn't produce in that year, the caretaker promises to cut it down. The whole parable drives home the point that God expects a certain amount of fruitfulness. He has patience, but His restraint is intended to lead to repentance. Eventually, He will pass judgment and that's what will happen with Israel. The expectation of fruitfulness is not limited to Israel. Jesus expects His followers to bear fruit as well.
He explains this in one of His final dialogues with the disciples before the crucifixion:. I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He replaces the old recordings that we play over and over again in our minds, things people spoke over us , with what HE says about us. He does this through His Word! As we study His Word , he prunes us! We grow in Him and allow Him to remove those dead things from our life through His grace and His mercy!
As pruning a tree makes it grow more full and vibrant, producing more and better fruit, we too will grow in Him and produce more fruit!
And as we allow this pruning and allow that new fruit to grow in abundance, we never have to be concerned with only displaying leaves! All rights reserved worldwide. All rights reserved. Used by permission of the Tree of Life Bible Society. Too funny — this just popped up on Pinterest when I just read that story last night!
Thanks for the great insight!! Thank you Lois! I am glad you enjoyed it! There are certainly other parallels out there but this was just one possibility! I am late finding this post. This instantaneous withering away of the Fig Tree was also a way of showing His disciples that Jesus had power over death.
He had on previous occasions shown that he could restore life, but this was the first time that He displayed His full power over death. Thank you for sharing that Joseph! Yes there are a couple of different things He was trying to teach His disciples in this interaction and you touched on one of them…it is also believed He is demonstrating a prolepsis regarding the coming destruction of the 2nd Temple. It is quite an interesting topic of study!
Thank you for your insights! I really enjoyed the teaching on the cursing of the fig tree. Thank God for you. I teach the word and I have gone through that pruning. I am bearing more fruit. Is it a hard copy? I am new to your teachings. But, I would like to read more. Keep on teaching. And thank you for helping me to grow even more. Just like the vine keeper, Jesus intercedes for us and defends us today.
Passion Week: What does righteous anger look like? Passion Week: How much are you willing to spend on Jesus? If Good Friday was a movie, then Jesus Christ would be its protagonist.
Siqi often loses her footwear in the office. She is also known for her loud sneezes, huge appetite, and weird sound effects. Happens to be a writer too. Easter Passion Week: Why did Jesus curse the fig tree? How would you react to that? Today, some 2, years ago, Jesus Christ made a similar remark. One of the characteristics of fig trees is that it forms its fruits before its leaves sprout.
Yes, Christians are hypocrites Fig trees are also a symbol of peace and prosperity.
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