HOLY TUESDAY 2021 : Reflections On The Fig Tree And The Authority Of Christ
By Bro. Nathan
" 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." (Mt. 21:21) KJV
After His triumphal entry to Jerusalem, and cleansing the temple, pumunta si Jesus sa Bethany, sa isang maliit na village malapit sa Jerusalem. while returning to the city, nagutom si Jesus then He saw a fig tree but wala itong bunga. the tree is barren. Jesus then said, cursing the tree :
".......Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever." (Mt. 21:19) KJV
And presently the fig tree withered away.
Bakit Nga Ba Nangyari
Ito?
Ang mga figs usually, kapag may leaves indicates na nagkabunga na ito, but in this case, it did not. with it's misleading appearance, this fig tree symbolized hypocrisy, at ang kinahantungan nito perhaps represented what awaited those who professed righteousness yet plotted the Savior's death. (cf. Mt. 6:1; 23:27-28; Mk. 7:6; Lk. 6:46; Gal. 6:3; 1 Jn. 4:20). Elder James E. Talmage (1862–1933) stated that another truth we learn from this account is that Jesus had “power to destroy by a word.” This truth helps us appreciate that His willingness to be arrested and crucified just a few days later was “truly voluntary” (Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed. [1916], 526).
Questioning The Authority
Of Jesus
The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem saw Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem and His cleansing of the temple as a challenge to their authority (Mt. 21:15–16). Temple priests oversaw the money changing that was taking place in the temple, thus profiting thereby. When Jesus overturned the tables and referred to the temple as “My house” (Mt. 21:13), He openly questioned their authority to do so. Later, when Jesus was teaching in the temple, the Jewish leaders issued a dramatic challenge to Him by asking, “By what authority doest thou these things?” (Mt. 21:23).
The priests claimed authority based on their ancestry; the scribes, based on their education; and the elders, based on their social standing and wealth. The Savior, however, had authority from His Father, which had been manifest in His teachings and works throughout His public ministry (Mt. 7:29; Mk. 1:27; Jn. 3:2). The Savior responded to the Jewish leaders’ challenge by posing yet another question that silenced them (Mt. 21:25). This set the stage for a vivid teaching moment, as the Savior proceeded to teach His challengers and the listening multitude three successive parables dealing with the failure of Jewish leaders to repent and believe in Him (Mt. 21:28–44; 22:1–14). (New Testament Student Manual 2014)
Image : By James Joseph Tissot (The Life Of Christ)
