Sermons from the Moorpark Presbyterian Church

The Cursed Fig Tree

Mark 11:13-14, 20-22, Amos 5:14-15,21-24

by Dave Wilkinson

July 5, 1998

Recent studies at Columbia University in New York and at Oregon State University reveal that under ordinary circumstances, the average man loses his temper about six times a week. A woman under the same conditions will lose her temper only three times a week. The research also showed that men are more likely to become angry at inanimate objects. whereas women generally hit the ceiling over other people because of a real or imagined insult.

This morning we are looking at an event in the life of Jesus which, at first glance would seem to grow out of his human, even masculine side or character. As recorded in Matthew and Mark, Jesus is going with his disciples to the City of Jerusalem during the week between Palm Sunday and Good Friday. Jesus has been staying at the home of his friends Mary and Martha at Bethany which ~ about six miles from the city.

As the gospels record, Jesus saw a fig tree in full leaf along the road. He went over to pick some figs and when he found no figs put a curse on the tree. He said: "No longer will there ever be any fruit from you." Then, as Matthew records the fig tree withered. This would seem to be a typically masculine fit

of anger which is only remarkable in that Jesus had the power to out his anger into action.

People who have written about this passage have a lot of trouble with it. This is especially true because Mark points out that it was "not the season for figs." It seems that Jesus became angry at the tree and cursed it for not doing what it was not able to do.

One commentator calls this "the least attractive of Jesus’ miracles -- the least attractive of all narratives about Jesus. Another terms it "a proof of Jesus' power but devoid of moral and religious significance -- a conjurer's miracle." Another writer calls it "offensive to modern religious tastes and quite unworthy of any religious teacher." Another is so sure that it is out of character for Jesus that it couldn't really have happened. He calls it a literal retelling or acting out by the Gospel writers of Jesus' parable of the fig tree in Luke 13.

Dr. William Barclay in his commentary sees two points of difficulty. First there is the fact of Jesus blasting the tree for not doing what it was not able to do -- produce figs the second week of April. The second problem, in Barclay's view, is that Jesus is using His power here for his own ends. This is what Jesus had determined he would not do in the temptation in the wilderness where he refused to turn stones into bread to ease his hunger.

But all of this difficulty can be resolved by the recognition of a simple horticultural fact.

Fig trees in the Middle East bear two separate crops. The first crop, small figs called Paggim, is borne on the old wood when the leaves appear in June. The second crop comes on the new wood in September.

Now here is a fig tree standing along the road where everyone can see it. And the surprising thing about this tree is that it is in full leaf in the early part of April. Mark records that Jesus saw from a distance that it was in leaf. This was surprising because fig trees did not leaf out until late May or June -- it was much too early. But according to the nature of fig trees these early leaves ought to be accompanied by the small figs of the first crop. Jesus went to the fig tree to see if the advertising of the leaves was actually being made good with the presence of figs.

Jesus did not walk over to the tree to teach something. He went over to the tree because He was hungry and its leaves were advertising the presence of' food. But when the tree’s boast was proved invalid, Jesus condemned it to never bearing fruit again.

While Jesus did not go to the tree to teach, His action does teach us something very important -- that profession without practice -- words without behavior --talk without the walk -- is condemned. The tree had leaves and those leaves were a claim to have figs. But it had no figs. The claim was false.

The immediate Holy Week application of this teaching was to the nation of Israel. Israel professed faith in God; but in practice the nation was out for the blood of the Son of God; therefore it stood condemned. The fig tree by the road was a symbol of a religion that was hollow --- all talk and no action. I believe that there is also an application for our own nation on this 4th of July weekend -- that the beautiful words of our Declaration of Independence be reflected in our national behavior.

But the application is not only to national life. There is also an application to us. For we also are in trouble as a congregation if our lives are all leaves but no fruit -- leaves of religious words. religious organizations. religious emotional highs but no fruit of justice, mercy and faithful service.

This is important for our life as a congregation as we enter a new decade in our life together. We need to continue to insure that we are producing fruit here -- that all of our efforts do not go to producing leaves.

Now it’s important to realize that leaves are not bad. Leaves are a vital part of the tree. Leaves assist in the production of fruit. They transmit the energy from the sun through the process of photosynthesis so that the fruit can grow. The leaves also protect the fruit from being spoiled by sunburn. Without leaves you can’t have the fruit.

But as important as leaves are, they are out of place on a fruit tree if they stand by themselves -- just as the organizational leaves of a church, as important as they are, are out of place if they are not accompanied by actual fruit that they are feeding and protecting.

For example, a church building is a leaf. It is important as a place where people can come together to grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. But if our building were removed tomorrow, we would not stop being a church because God lives in us through the Holy Spirit and not in any building made by human hands. I believe that a church building should be a comfortable and inspirational place to learn and worship. I completely support and applaud the congregation’s decision to move ahead on the Christian Education wing. There’s faith involved but that’s the point. Something needs to be happening here that actually requires the Holy Spirit -- that requires more than good human management. But if our best efforts go into building for the sake of building -- instead of building for the sake of the ministry -- then we are in danger of going to leaf.

When I was in college, I worked two summers at Forest Home Conference Center. My job at Forest Home was maintenance at the Junior High Camp -- the Ranch. One morning my supervisor told me: "We have our first campers coming in this Sunday. Your job is maintenance. It’s important. But if you see a kid off by himself who looks like he needs someone to talk to, you spend time with that kid. We’ll get the maintenance work done somehow. But our focus is on the campers."

That’s the attitude that makes Forest Home such a great place for kids from our church. It’s a focus on people.

Fellowship groups and church boards and commissions are a leaf. They are a valuable leaf because they enable people to make contact with other people -- sometimes in some surprisingly deep ways. But if so much effort is put into maintaining the program that human, Christian interaction becomes secondary, then we are producing leaves where there ought to be fruit.

In Harvest of Humanity, John Seamands tells of "a World War II German soldier who was wounded. He was ordered to go to the military hospital for treatment. When he arrived at the large and imposing building, he saw two doors, one marked, 'for the slightly wounded,' and the other, 'for the seriously wounded.' "He entered through the first door and found himself going down a long hall. At the end of it were two more doors, one marked, 'for officers' and the other, for non-officers. He entered through the latter and found himself going down another long hall. At the end of it were two more doors, one marked, 'for party members' and the other, for non-party members.' he took the second door, and when he opened it he found himself back out on the street.

"When the soldier returned to his unit, his comrades asked, 'how did you get along at the hospital?' 'Well, Mother,' he replied, 'to tell the truth, the people there didn't do anything for me, but you ought to see the tremendous organization they have!'"

We need more than great organization.

Jesus came to the fig tree to see if He could find figs to accompany the advertising of the leaves. My prayer for us for this first Sunday of our second decade is that Jesus will find really high quality leaves -- because the leaves are necessary -- but that He will also find the fruit of mutual love, caring, service and burden bearing. It's much easier to establish an organization or to build a building than it is to create a community of spiritual growth. But without that spiritual community, all we have is leaves. And Jesus doesn’t like that.