It is Tuesday, and Jesus is leading his disciples back into Jerusalem. He is heading again to the Temple. Yesterday, the Son of God made quite a scene with his whip. Perhaps today, Jesus will be less controversial. (Don’t hold your breath!)
On their way into the Holy City, they pass a familiar fig tree. Yesterday, the fig tree was …
- Leafy and green
- Proclaiming itself to be filled with delicious and desirous fruit.
- Discovered to be making a false profession.
- Ceremonially cursed by its Maker — the Lord Jesus Christ.
Consequently, today, the disciples see the fig tree is …
- Withered.
- An object lesson proclaiming God’s appraisal, condemnation, and judgment of Israel.
Seeing the destroyed tree, Jesus’ disciples may be thinking, “Well, that’s a bit intense. Perhaps things will be a bit more mellow going forward.” If they reason such, they are wrong.
Upon arriving at the Temple, Jesus continues to teach and trouble those in the religious establishment. So irritated are these ministers that they endeavor to trap and undermine him with questions. Finding themselves completely unsuccessful, they determine to depart and find other grounds upon which to have Jesus arrested and terminated. However, before they can evacuate the scene, Jesus has a few more things to say. In their face, Jesus calls them …
- Whitewashed tombs — beautiful on the outside but containing nothing but death and decay within.
- Son of vipers, snakes.
- Blind guides, missing the Son, heading for hell, and taking many people with them.
Jesus also has something to say about their kingdom. Jerusalem is …
- Soon to be a desolate house.
- Soon to be a prophetic picture of what God is going to do on the Earth before his final judgment.
At this point, their Tuesday mission being accomplished, “Little Jesus Meek and Mild” heads back to Bethany to spend the night with his disciples and friends.
Again, are we seeing the command and control of Jesus? In no way is he bashful before crowds, elders, scribes, priests, Pharisees, Sadducees, governors, kings, or emperors. He is the sovereign one. He is the one dominating the scene.
Again, are we seeing the righteous indignation of Jesus? Yesterday, he was turning over tables. Today, he is turning heads as he judges and condemns antichrists. And one day to come, Jesus is coming again, not only to collect his own, but also to consume certain enemies.
Finally, again, are we seeing the compassion of Jesus? Sovereign and dominant as he is, he is only three days away from turning himself over to his devilish enemies. The King of kings is a mere four days away from allowing himself to be affixed to a Roman Cross. And why is he about to allow such? Why the self-sacrifice? Why the godly suicide? It is only because the Father, Son, and Spirit have unified, unexplained, unreasonable and unconditional love for certain devilish sinners.
Truly, Jesus is a King like none other.
Matthew 21:23–24:51; Mark 11:20–13:37; Luke 20:1–21:36; John 12:20–38
Unfathomable Grace 