The Fig Tree and the Temple

It was the Monday morning of His last week, and when Jesus was walking to the Temple (the Passover festival was ready to begin) two unusal things happen that are seemingly unrelated.  Before looking into it more closely, I had no idea why the two would be connected, and really didn't understand the part with the fig tree.

First, the fig tree.  Jesus was hungry, and when he saw they fig tree he expected it to have fruit on it to eat.  Figs were a popular source of food, and each tree grows fruit twice a year (in Spring and Fall).  So when Jesus saw the budding leaves, he expected to see fruit too.  When there was no fruit, Jesus cursed it...which was an acted out parable about genuine faith, which relates to the next situation - the clearing of the temple.

So Jesus walks into the temple and there's lots of people buying and selling things, doing business with all the travelers in town for Passover.  There were animal stalls set up in the temple court, making it almost impossible to worship.  Imagine walking into church on a Sunday morning expecting to sit in your seat and hear the message/series for that week and instead there's a flea market going on.  You had the expectation of worship...but are left wanting.

The fig tree and the temple are the same example of being fruitful in appearance, but spiritually barren.  (For more on the "fruit" reference, see Galations 5:22)  We can end up the same way...having a religious life, but lacking substance.  Like the Pharisees, we can mistakenly follow all the rules and make sure we look good in the eyes of the world, yet not allow the love of Christ to change our hearts and our lives.