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The Most Random Story in the Gospels: Holy Week Monday

Among the more puzzling stories in the New Testament, Jesus cursing the fig tree ranked high on my list. To me, it always seemed random and out of place; and somewhat out of character for Jesus. I had imagined that perhaps in a moment of frustrated weakness, he lashed out at a poor innocent tree. 

Had his mother been there, she might have called him “Hangry” and gave him a Snickers. 

The reality is not even close to that. Our gospel writers are far more clever than we give them credit for. The fig-tree episode of Mark 11:12-14 and 20-26 is a deliberately placed event at the front end of Holy Week, framing another important event. In Mark 11:15-19, Jesus overturning tables in the Temple becomes a story within a story, one giving greater insight to the other.

Jesus approached a tree, expecting to find fruit. Sadly, Jesus discovered none. The fig tree is not working properly, failing to do what it is designed to do. And so, Jesus marks it out for destruction. 

Granted, as Mark notes, it was not the season for figs. All the same, Jesus and his disciples should have found something, even if only the small edible buds that emerged in early spring. Being in full leaf, the tree shows the appearance of having life; but if it is incapable of producing what it is designed to produce, it can hardly be called “living.”

The episode with the fig tree, then, becomes the way to understand Jesus overturning tables in the Temple.  

As it turns out, Jesus approached the Temple, expecting to find the fruit of repentance, peace, justice, forgiveness, sacrifice—all the things the Temple was designed to produce. Sadly, Jesus discovered none of those things. The Temple was not operating properly, failing to do what it was designed to do. And so, Jesus marks it out for destruction.

Granted, there is plenty of commotion throughout the Temple. Being as busy as it is, the Temple shows the appearance of having life. But if it is incapable of producing what it is designed to produce, the it can hardly be called “living.”

In due time, Jesus’ connection with the Temple will become clear. He himself is the Temple. As long as we have Jesus, there is no longer a need for the physical brick-and-mortar building. It is subject to corruption and decay, much like a fig tree that has outlived its usefulness. Now, located within the person of Jesus is the venue where we may go to find repentance, peace, justice, forgiveness…. By the end of this week, located within the body of Jesus is the place where we find a holy and sufficient sacrifice. 

This, of course, is not the end of the story as it relates to the idea of the Temple. It is, however, the end for the Temple building itself—that building has outlived its usefulness. And at the risk of pushing a metaphor too far, if you and I are to find figs that will satisfy our appetite, we can’t keep going back to withered trees. Jesus, himself—in the flesh and in the Spirit—has become for us what the Temple was supposed to be. Only in him can we find repentance, peace, justice, forgiveness; only in him do we find a sacrifice sufficient to satisfy our souls.

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