07/20/2020 – Day 050 – Matthew 20-22
I recall a christian conference Nancy , Emily and I went to , all the way to New Orleans about fifteen years ago. The conference was to be led by two twin young Christian warriors, with the last name of Harris. I think one brother’s first name was Josh. They were just finishing college at a Christian worldview school in Virginia and here they were leading a seminary with a few thousand people in attendance. And it was a blessing! Well , they wrote a book soon thereafter titled: “Do Hard Things” and the whole book followed that theme, putting it in practice in their young lives, pushing hard every single day.
Well, on our reading today covering chapters 20 through 22 of Matthew, I think I “will do hard things” and provide commentary on “The Withered Fig Tree” which spans Ch 21 – verses 18 through 22. It is not that long but very bewildering.
What do we suppose drove Jesus to wither it up after he found it with leaves but nothing was on it. My Matthew Henry commentary throws fuel on the fire by noting Jesus and the disciples are approaching Passover, adding that the tree could not be expected to produce figs for at least a week.
The passage notes up-front that Jesus was hungry. I think this fig tree is symbolic of the nation of Israel. Jesus, must have had great expectations for the nation of Israel. they had disappointed. With the fig tree, he pronounces: “Let no fruit grown on you ever again”. And so it was. Matthew Henry states that this passage in Mark notes that the withered fig tree is not found until the next morning.
So indeed, we have just read in Romans Paul presenting at length how the branches of the nation of Israel would be broken off so that the Gentiles could be grafted in. In chapter Romans 11:21 , Paul the messenger of His Word writes : “For if God did not spare the natural branches , He may not spare you either. Consider the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.”
His kingdom is perfect. It is eternal, and that is good, as that is how long it will take to understand God fully.
I feel compelled to finish with this quote from John MacArthur on Chapter 20:28 in our reading: “If the sinless Christ, who is literally God in human flesh and Lord of all, would so humble Himself for us, we dare not denigrate humility or aspire to self-esteem instead of lowliness…. Do you want to be blessed? Develop a servant’s heart. If Jesus can step down from His glorious equality with God to become a man, and then further humble Himself to be a servant and wash the feet of twelve undeserving sinners – then humble Himself to die so horribly on our behalf – surely we ought to be willing to suffer any indignity to serve Him.”
And like us, the son’s of Zebedee and their mother too had a ways to go on the sanctification journey. Verse 27: “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave —“
Love,
Your brother in Christ,
Jimmy