John 1:9 The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, but the world did not recognize Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received him, to them He gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. NHEB
At the time Mark was written, there were growing problems between Judaism and Rome. In addition, the church is also being persecuted. This changes by the time John writes his Gospel (90 to 100 A.D.) as the church is now fully established and has moved to Rome from Jerusalem. In the late first century, there is not a canon of New Testament Scripture yet so most of the arguments being made by the church regarding Jesus are based on the Old Testament. At the same time, these early Christians are wondering how they see this so clearly and the Jews do not.
In the first eight chapters of Romans, Paul writes about why we need to be saved and how we are saved by faith in Christ. He suddenly shifts gears starting in chapter nine. In many respects, it appears that Paul has finished writing at the end of chapter eight only to suddenly realize the fatal flaw in his argument. If God didn’t keep His earlier promises then how can we trust Him to keep His promises to us? Some might argue that the Jews were responsible for this happening because of their own action (or lack of action). Problem with that argument is that if the Jews have been “divorced”, then perhaps the same thing could happen to us.
Romans 11:1 So I ask, God has not rejected his people, has he? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew! Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 3“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left and they are seeking my life!” 4But what was the divine response to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand people who have not bent the knee to Baal.”…..11 I ask then, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, did they? Absolutely not! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full restoration bring?…..15 For if their id? 16 If the first portion of the dough offered is holy, then the whole batch is holy, and if the root is holy, so too are the branches. 17Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in the richness of the olive root, 18 do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 Then you will say, “The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted! They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear! 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you. NET
It is easy to read verse 21 as implying that the Jews are done for but that doesn’t tie to Paul’s earlier comments in Romans 11.
Mark 11:12 The next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 Seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, He came to see if perhaps He might find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” and His disciples heard it. NHEB
We saw Jesus as being hungry earlier after the 40 days in the wilderness. The devil tempts Him to turn stones into bread but He rejects that by saying that “man does not live by bread alone”. So here Jesus is hungry and there is nothing but leaves on this tree. One thing to keep in mind is that many fig trees produce two crops of fruit. The good fruit comes out in June or July so it is not yet the season for that but there is an earlier crop (breba figs) that grows underneath the leaves on last year’s growth rather than on this year’s new growth. These figs are not as tasty but are generally still edible. So it is not unreasonable for Jesus to think that a fig tree with leaves might have fruit. Since the tree had leaves, there are many horticultural folks who would suggest that even without breba figs, growth of the current year crop would already be visible in places. Either way, it appears that Jesus looked and found nothing.
Verse 14 is problematic because the fig tree is a national symbol of Israel. Jews would immediately understand in this teaching that He was talking about them. Although Jesus looks self-centered and upset about something that He shouldn’t be upset about, what we are seeing is a prophetic action. In other words, Jesus is trying to make a point. That point is that Israel should have produced fruit and the excuse that it isn’t the season (or time) just doesn’t fly as the time is now.
Mark 1:14 After the arrest of John, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God. 15 “The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!” BSB
Ezekiel rails against the Jewish leadership for not caring for the flock and as a result, they are carried off by the Babylonians. In Malachi they have rebuilt the Temple but are back into their old ways with judgment to fall on the leaders who have been unfaithful. (With faith being measured by a lack of fruitfulness). To better understand the fig tree story we need to look at what happens in-between. In Mark 11:11, Jesus came to the Temple on Sunday and looked around before returning to Bethany. If there is any fruitfulness, it should certainly show up at the Temple. Perhaps Jesus was troubled by what He saw as He is right back there the next day.
Mark 11:15 When they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. 16 And He would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17Then Jesus began to teach them, and He declared, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” 18 When the chief priests and scribes heard this, they looked for a way to kill Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching. 19 And when evening came, Jesus and His disciples went out of the city. BSB
John puts this cleansing at the very beginning of of his Gospel while the synoptics place it at the end of Jesus’ ministry. Some might ask if someone got it wrong. By the time John writes his account, the other Gospel accounts have been around for some 20 to 30 years so he would be aware of what had been written previously. The traditional answer is that Jesus cleansed the Temple twice – at the beginning and the end of His ministry. Jesus comes in, sets them straight and then three years later they are back to their old ways. To make matters worse, people are traipsing through the Temple as a shortcut without regard to the holiness of the place. Jesus then quotes Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11.
Mark 11:20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots. 21 Peter, remembering, said to him, “Teacher, look. The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.” 22 Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your wrongdoing. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your wrongdoing.” NHEB
His teachings after the fig tree don’t address what happened to it but rather faith and prayer (the language of that faith) with the fruit being forgiveness. Jesus is also talking to us in that His first covenant people were supposed to be faithful, prayerful, and fruitful but they aren’t. It is similar to a situation in baseball this week where a pitcher with a no-hitter was pulled after seven innings and a substitute pitcher was put in for him. That pitcher is still on the team but had to be removed from the playing field because the manager felt the team had a better chance of winning the game by bringing in a different pitcher.