Bible Lesson: Miracles Of Jesus: Barren Fig Tree Cursed.
Bible Location: Olivet.
Bible Text: Mark 11:12-14; 20-24 KJV (Matthew 21:18-22)
12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, He was hungry:
13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, He came, if haply He might find any thing thereon: and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And His disciples heard it.
20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto Him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Mark 12-14;20-24 NLT
12 The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.
13 He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so He went over to see if He could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit.
14 Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard Him say it.
20 The next morning as they passed by the fig tree He had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up.
21 Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!”
22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God.
23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.
24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.
Matthew 21:18-22 KJV
18 Now in the morning as He returned into the city, He hungered.
19 And when He saw a fig tree in the way, He came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Matthew 21:18-22 NLT
18 In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, He was hungry,
19 and He noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then He said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up.
20 The disciples were amazed when they saw this and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”
21 Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.
22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”
Mark 11:12 KJV
And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, He was hungry:
Monday morning, Jesus and His disciples were traveling from Bethany to Jerusalem, this is when the encounter with the fig tree takes place. Jesus was hungry. Jesus was in every capacity a man in the flesh. And for those who deny this, the word of God declares.....
1 John 4:2,3
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
2 John 1:7
For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
Mark 11:13 KJV
And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, He came, if haply He might find any thing thereon: and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
From a distance Jesus saw the fig tree full of leaves, figs would be His, and His disciples breakfast.
But when He came close to the tree He found it all leaves, and no figs!
Now “Mark,” states....” for the time of figs was not yet,” Matthew, however does not state this.
It may well have been early in the season for figs, but the truth remains. Fig trees bear their fruit, “first,” then the leaves. This tree was at best a “work of deception.” Nor were there on it any figs from the previous season, totally devoid of any fruit.
Our precious Lord in His infinite wisdom, chose to use the event as an (anti-type) illustration. A illustration regarding the “showy,”dead self-righteous works of the Jews, and all those who know not God.
Matthew 23:25-28 KJV (Be sure to read the whole chapter.)
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Jude 1:12 KJV
These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
Mark 11:14 KJV
And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And His disciples heard it.
Jesus cursed the deceptive fig tree with death, so that it would never again deceive any hungry soul.
Matthew 3:7-10 KJV
7 But when He saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism (John the Baptist), He said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
How many a dear soul lost in showy rituals and liturgy, yet far from any place of repentance, and dependence on Christ alone, has deemed itself beautiful and fit. And yet the living God, who sees all says....”depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.”
Matthew 7:13-23 KJV
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.
Pathway To Life Everlasting:
John 3:14-16 KJV
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 5:24 KJV
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 20:31 KJV
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.
Acts 4:10-12 KJV
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Acts 15:11 KJV
But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved...
Romans 5:9 KJV
Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
Romans 6:23 KJV
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 10:9 KJV
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Ephesians 2:8,9 KJV
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
I Thessalonians 5:9,10 KJV
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us...
Hebrews 5:9 KJV
And being made perfect, He (Jesus) became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him;
Mark 11:20,21 KJV
20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto Him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
Tuesday morning, the day after, the fig tree was dead, dried up from the roots.
Ezekiel 12:25 KJV
For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass...
Jesus now uses this as an illustration to His disciples concerning faith.
Mark 11:22-24 KJV
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Faith, God's people are to be a people of faith. And faith is absolute assurance that God can do what He has said He will do. This is one more reason why we need to read and know the word, the will of God.
The Psalmist proclaimed...
Psalm 119:89 KJV
For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
Matthew 5:18 KJV (Jesus said.)
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 24:35 KJV
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.
I Peter 1:25 KJV (Peter)
But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
I John 5:14,15 KJV
14 And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us:
15 And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.
A man or woman of God must have a heart of faith!
Romans 10:17 KJV
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 14:23 KJV
"...for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."
Hebrews 11:6 KJV
But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
James 1:5-8 KJV
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
I John 5:4 KJV
For whatsoever is born of God over cometh the world: and this is the victory that over cometh the world, even our faith.
Only eternity will reveal, how that the poorest of God's saints have marched on against the impossible, time and time again, because of their faith in God, and over come.
Is there a mountain in your way? A mountain of debt, a range of disease, a chasm of rejection, rivers of disloyalty? Have faith in God!
He will never leave nor forsake you, every word of His, is true, believe in them, believe in Him!
John 14:6 KJV
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.
Psalm 37:3-5 KJV
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.
