Jesus Curses a Fig Tree - Matthew 21:19

Matthew the apostle wrote about Jesus, “in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered, and in chapter twenty-one and verse nineteen of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus did not see any fruit on a fig tree and said, “let no fruit grow on you henceforward for ever” where we read:

And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on you henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

The verse reads, “And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, ...” Matthew began with the words, “and when” or “and at the time and moment” “he saw” which means “Jesus perceived, noticed, discerned and discovered” “a fig tree” or “a tree bearing the fig fruit” “in the way” which means “in the traveled road, course or path”, “he came to it” or “Jesus arrived where the fig tree was”, “and found nothing thereon” which means “and discovered and detected not one thing upon the fig tree”, “but” or “except” “leaves only” or “the leaf sprouts alone upon it”. Matthew shared how Jesus came to a “fig tree” He found “leaves” but did not find any fruit upon it.

The verse goes on to say, “... and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on you henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.” Matthew added the words, “and said” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed” “unto it” which refers to “to the fig tree”, “Let” or “permit and allow” “no fruit” which refers to “not any fruit at all” “grow” which means “to appear or arise” “on you” or “upon the fig tree” “henceforward” which means “no longer, no more or hereafter” “forever” or “to the unbroken age, perpetuity of time and eternity”. “And presently” which means “and immediately, forthwith and instantly” “the fig tree” or “the tree that normally bears fig fruit” “withered away” which means “dried up and withered and pined away”. Matthew wrote how Jesus “cursed” the “fig tree” so that it would never bear fruit again.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see the power of Jesus demonstrated over natural things He created. This “fig tree” was stricken by Jesus because it bore no fruit, and because He was hungry, He expected it to satisfy his hunger. God designed creation to “bear fruit” for Him, and this tree did not fulfill it's purpose. Those who are wise will yield their lives to Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” and fulfill their purpose to bear “pleasing fruit” with which the Master satisfies His hunger.

Next time Matthew writes, “when the disciples saw it, they marveled”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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