THE LAST WEEK OF JESUS' PUBLIC MINISTRY AND HIS CRUCIFIXION

TUESDAY

-This is the last day of Jesus’ public work.  It is correctly labeled by A.T. Robertson as “A

 Day of Controversy” (pg 160).  It was a very long and trying day for our Lord. 

            -“On this last day of Christ’s public ministry the Sanhedrin seek to break the power of

             Jesus with the people whose hero he is since the Triumphal Entry.  The first attempt fails

             miserably, but it is followed by a series of other efforts to entrap Jesus and so turn the

             crowd against him.  The three parables leave the rulers exposed by Jesus and they keenly

             feel the denunciation of the reply of Jesus” (Robertson, pg 160, fn).

-The Barren Fig Tree is Withered

-Matthew 21:20-22; Mark 11:20-25

-As noted earlier in this study, there were two roads between Bethany and Jerusalem.  On

 Monday morning, Jesus and the apostles traveled to Jerusalem over the Mount of Olives.  It

 was alongside this road that they encountered the barren fig tree.  It seems that, on Monday

 evening, Jesus and the apostles returned to Bethany by way of the other road.  Therefore,

 they did not pass by the fig tree again until the return trip to Jerusalem on Tuesday morning -

 once again by way of the road that traveled over the Mount of Olives. 

-When they passed by the fig tree the apostles marveled and wondered how it could have

 withered away so completely in a single day.  Mark’s account reveals that Peter then

 remembered the events of the prior day and called Jesus’ attention to the tree.  Rather than a

 mere observation, Peter’s statement to the Lord presented an inquiry for an explanation. 

            -Peter was “satisfied that a miracle so very special, a miracle, not of blessing, as all his other

             miracles, but of cursing, could not have been performed but with some higher reference, and

             fully expecting to hear something weighty on the subject...” (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown).

-Jesus’ response shows that “...one of the designs of cursing the fig tree as related to the

 disciples was to strengthen their faith and prepare them for the great trials soon to come upon

 them” (Dorris, pg 269).

            -The apostles needed to understand that many of the things that would seem improbable or

             impossible to them were going to be immediately available through the avenue of strong,

             proper faith within the will of God.

            -“The disciples whom Jesus addressed were very soon to enter upon a task which would

             seem to them as difficult as the removal of mountains.  The license and immorality of

             paganism, and the bigotry and prejudice of Judaism, would seem insurmountable obstacles

             in their pathway to success.  They needed to be assured that the power of faith was

             superior to all these adverse forces, and that the judgments of God could accomplish in

             a moment changes which apparently could not be wrought out in the tedious course of

             years.  As we to-day look back upon this promise of Christ we can see that the mountains

             then standing have, indeed, been removed; and that which seemed vigorous and flourishing

             has been blasted in a day” (McGarvey/Pendleton, pg 585).

-“Here our Lord emphasizes the need of forgiveness because he had just performed a miracle of

 judgment, and he wished his disciples to understand that they must not exercise their miraculous

 gifts with a vengeful, unforgiving spirit.  They must suffer evil and not retaliate with miracles of

 judgment” (ibid).