Mark 11:11-26

Meditatio (Reflecting)

When he reached it he found nothing but leaves; it was not the time for figs. And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!”

Oratio (Responding)

The parable of the fig tree is one of the more enigmatic teachings in the bible. It does not make sense to modern ears that Jesus would condemn a tree. But as all things that Jesus taught there are deeper meanings to the teaching. The Fig tree is a symbol of all of isreal, there was no fruit on the tree, just like all of israel. Over all the years, the Jews had only succeeded in creating a system of their own making, a usurper was the kings, pharisees (not levites) were in charge of the temple, and the people were lost in a mire of man made laws. And as such Jesus curses the tree, as stand-in for the whole of Israel. The fig tree also serves as a sign of the truth of his condemnation after entering the temple to cleanse it. The outer court of the temple, was designed as a place of worship for all nations (isaiah 66), God wanted the temple to be a place that all nations could come to and worship the one true god. But instead, because the jews hated the gentiles, they excluded them from any part of the temple, and turned the outer court into a marketplace for buying and selling temple sacrificial offerings. This turn of events was foretold in Jeremiah 7:11 that the temple would become a “Den of Thieves, and that god would not protect it.” So when Jesus used the Prophets words here the Pharisees in the temple, recognized it immediately and were deeply angered. I cannot emphasize enough how this quote would enrage them, it could not have been more volatile or controversial. And indeed god would no longer protect the temple…, It was destroyed 40 years after that day. And so, as a sign of this prophecy, Mark tells us that the Fig tree is withered on the way out, and thus his prophesy was proved true.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me to live my life in a way that honors you, and pleases you, help me not to be like the pharisees, that put their wishes above your own. Amen.