The matter we are emphasizing with respect to the cursing of the fig tree is that this indicates that God had determined to give up the nation of Israel and to go to another people, the church. The church is composed of those who have been brought into the death and resurrection of Christ in order to participate in the full enjoyment of Christ. This people includes both Jews and Gentiles.
Mark 11:12 says that the Lord was hungry. This signifies that He was hungry for fruit from the children of Israel that God might be satisfied. The fig tree, however, did not have any fruit. We have seen that this fig tree is a symbol of the nation of Israel (Jer. 24:2, 5, 8). The fact that it was full of leaves but fruitless signifies that at that time the nation of Israel was full of outward show, but had nothing that could satisfy God.
In 11:12-26 the Slave-Savior’s cursing of the fig tree and His cleansing of the temple are merged. This indicates His dealing with the corrupted and rebellious nation of Israel in different aspects at the same time. The fig tree was a symbol of the nation of Israel, and the temple was its center in its relationship with God. As a fig tree planted by God, it did not bear fruit for Him, and as the center of its relationship with God, the temple was filled with corruption. Hence, the Slave-Savior cursed the fruitless fig tree and cleansed the contaminated temple. Such a dealing may be considered a harbinger of the destruction foretold in 12:9 and 13:2.
In His ministry for the spread of the gospel in Galilee in 1:14—10:52, the Slave-Savior’s work was to preach the gospel, teach the truth, cast out demons, and heal the sick. In that work, His human virtues with His divine attributes were expressed as His qualification for, and beauty in, His divine service rendered to sinners for God. In His preparation in Jerusalem (11:15—14:42) for His redemptive work, His major work was to confront the opposing Jewish leaders, who were supposed to be the builders of God’s building (12:9-10), but actually had been usurped by God’s enemy Satan and instigated by him to plot to kill the Slave-Savior. In this confrontation, under their subtle and evil questioning, testing, and examining, His human dignity was expressed in His human genuineness (11:15-18), and His divine wisdom and authority were expressed in His human conduct and perfection (11:27—12:37), so that eventually His fault-finders became His quality-provers. This paved the way for Him to point out to these blind opposers that He, the Christ, as the Son of David was the Lord of David, the very God (12:35-37), so that they might know His deity in His humanity, that they might know that He was God living in man.
In dealing with the opposers, the Lord’s human dignity certainly was expressed in His human genuineness. While He was being examined by them, He expressed His dignity in His genuineness. Furthermore, at the same time, His divine wisdom and authority were expressed in His human conduct and perfection. As a result, those who came with the intention of finding fault with Him had to become those who could prove His qualities.
In 11:1-26 there are three main points: entering into Jerusalem and lodging in Bethany, cursing the fig tree, and cleansing the temple. These three things all must have come as a great surprise, even as a shock, to the followers of the Slave-Savior. Peter, John, James, and the other disciples had been following the Lord Jesus for three and a half years. During those years, they had observed how the Lord conducted Himself, how He did things, and how He treated people. They had come with Him from Galilee, a despised region, to Judea, even to the city of Jerusalem, the most important place in the country. Jerusalem was the place where the temple was located and where the Sanhedrin, the great council of the Jews, met. There were many important people living in Jerusalem. Now into that great city came a group of despised Galileans led by a carpenter.
When the Lord and His disciples “came near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sends two of His disciples, and says to them, Go to the village opposite you, and immediately, entering into it, you will find a colt tied, on which no man has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it.” These disciples obeyed the Lord’s word without saying anything. They had been trained not to express their opinion. If the Lord had made such a request earlier, they might have asked Him why He wanted them to do such a thing. But now that they had passed through so many things, especially the healing at Jericho, they simply obeyed the Lord when He told them to go into the village and untie the colt and bring it. This indicates that the training rendered to the disciples in the foregoing chapters was effective. The Lord gave the two disciples an unusual command, a command that most people would not believe or accept. However, having been trained by the Lord, the disciples did not express any opinion about what the Lord commanded them to do.
Mark 11:7 says, “And they bring the colt to Jesus and throw their garments on it, and He sat on it.” In a foregoing message we pointed out that when blind Bartimaeus heard that the Lord was calling him, he threw away his garment. Here we see that the disciples threw their garments on the colt. This signifies that they no longer cared for position. They were willing for the Lord to have all the position. The disciples were absolutely for the exaltation of this One.
Verse 8 says that “many spread their garments in the road.” We may say that the crowd followed the disciples in casting aside their garments. The people then proceeded to give the Lord a great welcome, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” (vv. 9-10).
The disciples must have been surprised by the welcome given to the Slave-Savior. To be sure, they never imagined that the Lord Jesus, a carpenter from Galilee, would be so warmly welcomed by the crowd in Jerusalem.
The disciples must also have been surprised by the Lord’s cursing of the fig tree. The Lord’s Galilean followers may have said to themselves, “We have been following the Lord for three and a half years, and we have never seen Him do such a thing. Why did He curse the fig tree? The fig tree is a symbol of our nation, and we have a high regard for this symbol. Yet, the Lord cursed it. His behavior certainly has changed. It is much different now from what it was in the past.”
After cursing the fig tree, the Lord entered the temple and began to cast out those who were selling and buying there. He even overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who were selling doves (v. 15). Imagine what the disciples must have thought when they saw this. They may have said to themselves, “Is this our Teacher? He has always been kind, gentle, and compassionate. What is He doing?” Of course, the disciples did not dare to say anything to the Lord.