Matthew 21:18–22
The Bible4Jesus.com Podcast
About this episode
Our generation wants a Jesus who is endlessly affirming, perpetually gentle, and who would never, ever get cross with anybody. They want a Jesus who is a divine life coach, not a sovereign Lord. They want a Savior who makes suggestions, not a King who issues decrees. And when they come to a passage like this one, they tend to get very uncomfortable. It seems, to our modern sensibilities, unfair to the tree. But this is because we have forgotten how to read our Bibles. We treat the Scriptures like a flat collection of moralistic fables instead of what it is: the unfolding drama of redemption, orchestrated by a sovereign God who is not shy about using object lessons. This isn't a story about Jesus having a moment of horticultural frustration. The fig tree is a prop on the divine stage, and Jesus, the director of all history, is using it to make a point that is as sharp as a sword.