20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matthew 21:20–22 (ESV)
2 Corinthians 4:17–18 (ESV) says, “17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal”
“Endurance is based on a person’s ability to look beyond the physical to the spiritual, beyond the present to the future, and beyond the visible to the invisible. Believers must look past what is temporary—what is perishing (i.e., the things of the world). Pursuing God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the souls of men should consume the believer,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.
What has 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 to do with Matthew’s account of Jesus’ cursing of the barren fig tree? In a word, much!
The disciples did not ask Jesus why He cursed the fig tree. Rather, they asked how the tree immediately withered. Jesus was more concerned with the why, rather than the how.
The fig tree represented the false but seen religion of the Jewish leaders. They appeared righteous, and most everyone saw them as such. However, Jesus looked beyond the seen to the unseen. He knew they bore no righteous fruit (Matt. 7:15-20; John 15:1-11; Gal. 5:16-24). True righteousness is not about the seen, but rather the godly qualities of the unseen Lord of the universe. This is the mark of true and saving faith.
This was why the mountain to which Jesus referred, the temple mount, would figuratively be thrown into the sea. The righteousness the temple represented, the person and work of Jesus Christ, was obscured by the visible trappings of crass merchandise, materialism and greed. It had become like a barren fig tree. This was why Jesus cleansed the temple (Matt. 21:12-13).
“As Jesus returned to Jerusalem, He saw the temple mount. That mountain must be moved, not physically, but spiritually. Faith alone can move the mountain where dead religion flourishes. Jesus cursed a fig tree that represented Israel’s show-without substance temple. They could hurl that into the sea, if they would pray in faith,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.
The disciples’’ prayer of trust in, dependence upon, commitment to and a worship of Jesus Christ would be answered on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-41). Such a prayer continues to be answered today by the Lord when given by His disciples on behalf of the lost. Even when believers in Christ suffer persecution for heralding the good news of the Gospel, we look past the seen to the unseen.
“Let’s not misconstrue the phrase “whatever you ask in prayer” (21:21–22). The Lord hears lawful prayers. The best prayer is for living faith, and dead religion is a great obstacle to it. So disciples should pray in faith that God would remove that obstacle. Indeed God did remove that mountain, so the church could grow,” concludes Dr. Sproul.
Who do you know who is trapped in the throngs of dead religion? Pray the Lord would move this mountain, for His glory and according to His will.
Soli deo Gloria!
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