CVI.
BARREN FIG-TREE. TEMPLE CLEANSED.
(Road from Bethany and Jerusalem. Monday, April 4, A. D. 30.)
aMATT. XXI. 18, 19, 12, 13; bMARK
XI. 12-18; cLUKE XIX. 45-48.
b12 And
a18 Now bon the morrow [on the Monday following
the triumphal entry], ain the morning bwhen
they were come out from Bethany, aas he returned to the city
[Jerusalem], he hungered. [Breakfast with the Jews came late
in the forenoon, and these closing days of our Lord's ministry were full
of activity that did not have time to tarry at Bethany for it. Our Lord's
hunger implies that of the disciples also.]
19 And seeing a fig tree by the way side, bafar off having leaves,
ahe came to it, bif haply he might find anything
thereon: and when he came to it, [580] he
afound nothing but leaves only; bfor it was not the
season of figs. [Two varieties of figs are common in Palestine. The
bicura or boccore, an early fig with large green leaves and with fruit
which ripens in May or June, and sometimes earlier near Jerusalem. Thomson
found ripe fruit of this variety as early as May in the mountains of Lebanon,
a hundred fifty miles north of Jerusalem, and Professor Post, of Beyrut,
states that fig-trees there have fruit formed as early as February, which
is fully ripe in April. The second variety is the summer fig or kermus.
This ripens its main crop in August, but its later fruitage often hangs
on all winter when the weather is mild, dropping off when the new spring
leaves come. As the fruit usually appears before the leaves, the leaves
were a promise that fruit might be found, and the fruit, though not perfectly
ripe, is considered edible when the leaves are developed. Though it was
too early for fruit, it was also too early for leaves. The tree evidently
had an unusually favorable position. It seemed to vaunt itself by being
in advance of the other trees, and to challenge the wayfarer to come and
refresh himself.] 14 And he answered
and said {asaith} unto it, Let there be no fruit from thee henceforward
for ever. bNo man eat fruit of thee henceforward for ever. And
his disciples heard it. aAnd immediately the fig tree withered
away. [The disciples did not pause to watch the effect of Christ's
words upon the tree. But from the degree to which it had shriveled when
they saw it next day it became evident to them that it had begun to wither
as soon as Christ had finished uttering its sentence. Our Lord here performed
a miracle of judgment unlike any other of his wonderful works. The reader
can hardly fail to note how perfectly this fig-tree, in its separation
from the other trees, its showy pretensions, its barrenness of results
and its judgment typifies the Jewish people. In fact, Christ's treatment
of it appears in some respects to be a visible and practical application
of the principles which he had formerly set forth in a parable (Luke xiii.
6-9). But we must not too confidently make such an application of the parable
since Jesus himself gave [581] no hint that
he intended us so to apply it.]
b15 And they come to Jerusalem: and he entered into the temple,
and began to cast out aall them that sold band them
that bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers,
and the seats of them that sold the doves [three years before, Jesus
had thus cleansed the temple at the first passover of his ministry, for
an account of which see pp. 121-125];
16 and he would not suffer that any man should carry a vessel through the
temple. [The temple space being level and roomy tempted the people
of Jerusalem to use it as a thoroughfare, or short-cut from one part of
the city to another, but Jesus did not permit them to carry any sack, bag,
jug, pail, basket, parcel or such like thing through the sacred enclosure.
The Greek word skeuos which is here translated "vessel" embraces
all kinds of household furniture. It is translated "goods" at Matt. xii.
29 and Luke xvii. 31. The LXX. uses it as equivalent to "instruments of
war" at Deut. i. 41, and to "vestments" at Deut. xxii. 5.]
17 And he taught, and said {asaith}
c46 Saying unto them, It is written [the prophecy cited
is a combination of Isa. lvi. 7 and Jer. vii. 11],{bIs
it not written,} cAnd my house shall be {bshall be
called} a house of prayer for all the nations? but ye have made {aye
make} it a den of robbers. [The caves in certain sections of Palestine
have been immemorially infested with robbers, and Jesus, because of the
injustice of extortion practiced by the merchants, likens the polluted
temple to such a den. The dickering and chafing and market talk were probably
not unlike the grumbling and quarreling of thieves as they divide the booty.]
b18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought
how they might destroy him: for they feared him,
c47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests
and the scribes and the principal men of the people sought to destroy him:
48 and they could not find what they might do; for the people all hung
upon him, listening bfor all the people was astonished at his
teaching. [Overawed by the magnitude [582] of
the popular demonstration made on Sunday, the Jewish rulers feared to attempt
any violent measures in dealing with Jesus. But they neglected no opportunity
by appeals to Jesus himself, by treacherous questions, etc., to divert
the popular favor from the Lord that they might put him to death.]
[FFG 580-583]
