We call it “Passion Week” – the week that began at Palm Sunday and ended with the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday. The word “passion” comes from the Latin word which means “suffering.” To enhance your worship and appreciation for what Jesus did for us all, let’s follow Jesus through the Scripture during this most important week in human history and understand how the events of each day related to His substitutionary death and Glorious Resurrection.
Yesterday, on Palm Sunday, Jesus had triumphantly entered Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” Mark 11:9. He openly declared his identity as the Messiah of Israel.
It’s Monday….Today, we see two prophetic events that pronounce judgment on Jerusalem and the Jewish religious establishment.
1. The Cursing of the Fig Tree (Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14;20-25)
This was a pronouncement of judgment. You see, this was on a Monday in spring (the time of Passover). Jesus knew it was not the season for figs to be on tree. The Old Testament used fruitless fig trees in prophetic texts as symbols of judgment. See Jeremiah 8:13.
The cursing of the fig tree points to the temple’s destruction (which would happen in 70 A.D. – about 40 years after this) for its failure to bear fruit and bring God Glory. Fruitfulness was a part of Israel’s responsibility to God (much as it is ours), but Israel had failed to bear fruit.
Remember, Jesus had taught in John 15:8:
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit;
Mark tells us this happened as Jesus was on the way to the temple. When Jesus arrived at the temple, He knew He would not find the fruit God desired.
2. The Cleansing of the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48)
Read what happened in these Scriptures. Jesus entered Jerusalem Monday morning, having returned to Bethany to spend the night after Palm Sunday. The Temple was one of the most magnificent structures of the ancient world. But, it was built to be a place to worship God. But, the religious and commercial leaders had turned it into a commercial place. Animals were sold in the outer courts for sacrifices. Money changers were there – because people from foreign lands (with foreign monies) would come to worship and needed to make the prescribed offerings. The Jewish people had to pay a half-shekel temple tax, and travelers had to exchange their monies. Guess what? The money changers were glad to do it – but at exorbitant rates.
Jesus called to mind Jeremiah 7:11 when he contrasted the “house of prayer” with the “den of thieves.” That Scripture reads:
Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the Lord.
So, His temple cleansing challenged the temple leadership directly. His actions caused them to seek his destruction (Mark 11:18) and to decide that Jesus must die. (John 11:53). But, particularly after Palm Sunday, He was popular. They had to find a way to bring this about away from the crowds. The conspiracy was coming together.
Jesus cursed the fig tree and cleansed the temple to show that Israel would be judged for its fruitlessness.