Mark 11:20

11:19-26 The disciples could not think why that fig-tree should so soon wither away; but all wither who reject Christ; it represented the state of the Jewish church. We should rest in no religion that does not make us fruitful in good works. Christ taught them from hence to pray in faith. It may be applied to that mighty faith with which all true Christians are endued, and which does wonders in spiritual things. It justifies us, and so removes mountains of guilt, never to rise up in judgment against us. It purifies the heart, and so removes mountains of corruption, and makes them plain before the grace of God. One great errand to the throne of grace is to pray for the pardon of our sins; and care about this ought to be our daily concern.

Mark 11:20-21. And in the morning, they passed by, &c. — Next morning, as they were returning to Jerusalem, it astonished the disciples not a little when they looked on the fig-tree that had been pronounced barren the night before, and found it dried up from the roots, that is, quite withered down to the ground and shrunk: a miracle the more extraordinary, because the fig-tree is remarkable for its abundant sap and moisture. Peter, in particular, expressed great surprise at it, saying, Master, Behold the fig- tree which thou cursedst is withered away. “We have seen already that Jesus only said to the fig-tree, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever; this Peter, according to the Jewish manner of speaking concerning things that are barren, ( Hebrews 6:8 ,) called a cursing of the fig-tree. And some ill-disposed readers, not apprehending the proper force of the words, are apt to form a very unbecoming notion of Jesus from this action. But they do so without the least cause. Every thing he said on the occasion was decent. Moreover, the transaction was intended to prefigure the speedy ruin of the Jewish nation, on account of its unfruitfulness under greater advantages than any other people enjoyed at that day, and, like all the rest of his miracles, was done with a gracious intention, namely, to alarm his countrymen, and to induce them to repent.” — Macknight.

Thus Bishop Hall viewed this miracle, as appears by his excellent paraphrase on the passage: “When he saw a fig-tree in the way, he came purposely to seek that fruit which he knew he should not find ripe, that he might hence take occasion to work that exemplary miracle upon it which ensued: for when he found only store of leaves upon it and no fruit, that he might in this tree show how much he hates a formal profession (such as the Jews made) of religion, without an answerable fruitfulness, he cursed the fig-tree, and said, Let that which is thy fault be thy punishment; since thou bearest no fruit at all, never mayest thou bear any. And presently the fig-tree, as blasted by that word of judgment, withered away.” It is observable that the destruction of the swine, and this blasting of the fig-tree, were the only instances of punitive miracles in the whole course of our Saviour’s ministry, notwithstanding they do not appear to have been injurious. The case of the swine we have already considered; (see note on Matthew 8:30-32 ;) and, with respect to the fig-tree, Matthew informs us that it was in the way, that is, in the common road, and therefore probably no particular person’s property; but if it was, being barren, the timber might be as serviceable to the owner as before.

Mark 11:20-24 . Comp. on Matthew 21:20-22 . But according to Matthew the tree withered away forthwith after the cursing , so that the following conversation immediately attached itself thereto. A later form moulded in accordance with the immediate result in other miracles. If Mark had separated the miracle into two acts in order to give to it the more importance (see Köstlin, p. 335) he would have reckoned erroneously, as the immediate result is the greater and therefore the more in keeping with a “later reflection” (Hilgenfeld). But this variation of the tradition has nothing to do with the view that the entire history is only a legendary formation from Luke 13 (in opposition to Schenkel). παραπορευόμενοι πρωΐ ] Fritzsche is wrong in rejecting this order, because “ πρωΐ is opposed to the preceding ὀψέ .” In fact παραπορ . is the leading idea (and passing by in the morning), pointing out the modal definition to the following εἶδον κ . τ . λ . Mark 11:22 . πίστιν Θεοῦ ] confidence in God ; genitive of the object. Comp. Acts 3:16 ; Romans 3:22 ; Galatians 2:20 ; Galatians 3:22 ; Ephesians 3:8 ; Dem. 300, 10; Eur. Med. 414. Mark 11:24 . διὰ τοῦτο ] because the confidence has so great effect. ὅτι ἐλάβετε ] (see the critical remarks): The praeterite is not “ ineptum ” (Fritzsche), but the having received , which one believes has its ground in the counsel of God . Comp. Mark 13:20 . The real de facto bestowal is future ( ἔσται ὑμῖν ).

20–26 . The Withered Fig-Tree 20 . And in the morning ] The early morning of Tuesday in Holy Week. as they passed by ] On their return to the Holy City. dried up from the roots ] From St Matthew ( Matthew 21:19 ) it would appear that “some beginnings of the threatened withering began to shew themselves, almost as soon as the word of the Lord was spoken; a shuddering fear may have run through all the leaves of the tree, which was thus stricken at its heart.” Trench.

Verses 20, 21. - And as they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots . They had returned the evening before, probably after sunset, to Bethany; and so, in the twilight, had not noticed the withered tree. St. Matthew gathers the whole account of the fig tree into one notice. St. Mark disposes of the facts in their chronological order. It was on the Monday morning, the day after the triumphant entry, and when they were on their way to Jerusalem, that our Lord cursed the fig tree. Thence he passed on at once into Jerusalem, and drove out the profaners of the temple, and taught the people. In the evening he returned to Bethany; and then on the next morning, as they were on their way into the city, they saw what had happened to the fig tree. And then Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him; Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away ( ἐξήρανται ), the same Greek word as in the preceding verse. Some have thought that the fig tree was the tree forbidden to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. (See Cornelius a Lapide on Genesis 2:9 ). Mark 11:20

Ver. 20-23. See the notes on "Matthew 21:21" . It is I confess the opinion of many excellent interpreters, whom I reverence, that the main end of our Saviour’s cursing and blasting this fig tree, was to let his disciples see in a type what would be the consequent of a spiritual barrenness. That spiritual barrenness is exceedingly dangerous is out of question; our Saviour teacheth us it plainly by another parable of the fig tree, Luke 13:6-9 , and the apostle teacheth us it, Hebrews 6:7,8 . But I see nothing to guide us to any such interpretation of this action of his, which was a miraculous operation, by which as he; 1. Plainly showed his Divine power; so; 2. These verses inform us, that it was his design to show his people the power of faith, that is, a full persuasion, that whatsoever we ask of God according to his will, and which may tend to his glory, shall be done for us. Which interpretation of this action of our Saviour’s solves all the difficulties relating to this story, about which interpreters have so disquieted themselves.

20. And in the morning—of Tuesday, the third day of the week: He had slept, as during all this week, at Bethany. as they passed by—going into Jerusalem again. they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots—no partial blight, leaving life in the root; but it was now dead, root and branch. In Mt 21:19 it is said it withered away as soon as it was cursed. But the full blight had not appeared probably at once; and in the dusk perhaps, as they returned to Bethany, they had not observed it. The precision with which Mark distinguishes the days is not observed by Matthew, intent only on holding up the truths which the incident was designed to teach. In Matthew the whole is represented as taking place at once, just as the two stages of Jairus' daughter—dying and dead—are represented by him as one. The only difference is between a more summary and a more detailed narrative, each of which only confirms the other.