Bible Study on Matthew 22, verses 1 to 14, many are called, but few are chosen

 

Matthew 22:1 ¶  And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2  The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3  And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4  Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5  But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6  And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7  But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8  Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

 

This parable could be a reference to the promised marriage supper of the Lamb in Heaven where the bride of Christ, the church, the body of believers, is called.

 

Revelation 19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God..

 

As Paul refers to the church as Christ’s bride.

 

2 Corinthians 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

 

This union with Christ was offered to the Jews first but they refused. As the passage here in Matthew underscores they even murdered some of the prophets God sent.

 

John 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

 

And the call to enter into God’s kingdom was extended to the farthest reaches of the earth.

 

Matthew 8:11  And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

In this passage we see God’s wrath on those who would reject His offer of amnesty.

 

John 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

 

Prophetically we also possibly see a reference to the tares, the false Christians, who will be rooted out of God’s kingdom at the end which we saw in the previous parable of the tares and the wheat. Please look over the parable of the tares and the wheat in Matthew, chapter 13.

 

First, Christ is our righteousness;

 

1 Corinthians 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

 

Note this verse in Revelation;

 

Revelation 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

 

This person who is not clothed properly is either a type of the false Christian or a type of the Beast of Revelation, as some say. I think it is a prophetic reference to the false Christian. But it also could be a reference to Judas as a false follower of Christ, as some would put it. I’m sticking with a type of the false Christian who will be ripped out at the end with the more immediate context being a foretelling of Judas, the betrayer of Christ.

 

For verse 14 there are several references that bear investigating. Note the contexts of the following;

 

Matthew 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 

Matthew 20:16  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

 

I had noted in my comments on that passage;

 

“Some are called in youth and some at various stages of life but all are called, and few will receive Christ and everlasting life. Those who will are chosen. God’s foreknowledge knows everyone that will accept Christ as their Saviour and God chooses those who will. On one side of heaven’s metaphorical door it could say, ‘whosoever will’ and on the other side, ‘Chosen from the foundation of the world.’”

 

In this context, though, it appears to be Christ choosing only the genuine convert and not someone just mouthing a 1-2-3 repeat after me prayer with no root of belief and faith in their heart of hearts.

Bible Study on Isaiah 1, verses 21 to 31, Judgment on Jerusalem

 

Isaiah 1:21 ¶  How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. 22  Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: 23  Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. 24  Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: 25  And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: 26  And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. 27  Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. 28  And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed. 29  For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen. 30  For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. 31  And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

Jerusalem is what is referred to here. Isaiah isn’t the only prophet who blasts Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness to her God.

For examples see Jeremiah in Lamentations 1:8  Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward. 9  Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.

Read Ezekiel, chapter 16 that starts like this.

Ezekiel 16:1 ¶  Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2  Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,…

Jerusalem and, by extension, Judah have become totally corrupt and defiant of God. God says in verse 25 that He will purge away their dross, which is from a similar word to dregs, and can refer to the solids left over from a precious metal in refining it, and is worthless. Some commentators remark about the inferior state of tin as compared to silver and that removing it refers to removing the superficial observance of religion as taking away the dross refers to removing impurities. Keep in mind the idea of leaven as polluting bread in the spiritual sense.

Matthew 13:33  Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

The woman, think of the whore of Babylon in Revelation, uses leaven, considered false doctrine in Matthew 16 coming up, in three measures of meal, representing the three great branches of Christianity, perhaps, the Roman Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, and Protestantism which controlled governments or were controlled by them, waged wars, bought and sold slaves, and murdered non-conforming Christians throughout history, spreading false doctrines and deceit around.

 

Of course, this is my interpretation from studying history and comparing it with the Bible but it seems so plausible as a warning of what is to come.

 

Matthew 16:6  Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 7  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. 8  Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? 9  Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 10  Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 11  How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 12  Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

He then prophesies, in verse 26, of a future time, perhaps the millennium of Christ’s thousand year reign on earth to come.

Jeremiah 33:15  In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. 16  In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.

 

Matthew 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

 

Bible Study on Matthew 21, verses 33 to 46, the parable of the householder

Matthew 21:33 ¶  Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34  And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35  And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36  Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37  But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38  But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39  And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40  When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41  They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42  Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43  Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 45  And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. 46  But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

 

Jesus uses another parable here to explain the things that have happened and are about to happen with God’s ministry of reconciling mankind to Himself. The Jews have abused and killed the prophets who came before Christ and will kill Him, the Son of God coming in the name of the Father. The prophecy contained here also shows that God’s plan will be opened up to all people who will honor Him.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, will be the cornerstone of God’s plan, rejected by His own people. The blessing that the Jews refuse to receive, their Messiah, will be offered to others who will willingly serve Him. This was very clear to the Pharisees and only because of their fear of the crowds did they not seize Christ at that time.

 

Isaiah 5:7  For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

 

Bible Study on Genesis 49, verses 28 to 33, Jacob makes his final request

 

Genesis 49:28 ¶  All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them. 29  And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30  In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace. 31  There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. 32  The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth. 33  And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

The twelve tribes of Israel play a very important part in God’s ministry of reconciling mankind to Himself as a vehicle, although flawed and more often in error than not, through which His salvation of mankind from eternal agony and suffering, it’s natural destination based on the rebellion we inherited from Adam, comes. Humans are, of all creatures, most miserable if they do not believe or receive Christ as their Saviour when offered.

Jacob is going to die now. He ordains where he will be buried, in a cave in the field that Abraham, his grandfather purchased. See comments on 23:1-20.

Here, we see an interesting event. Jacob does not suffer a long ordeal of disease breathing hard in agony on a bed of suffering. He finishes his blessings and then pulls his feet up into his bed and surrenders his spirit and dies.

I have already gone over the euphemisms for death as evidenced in verse 33 and from its usage the phrase gathered unto his people refers to going to the place where his ancestors went when they died. Jacob is said to have yielded up the ghost. This is a reference to his spirit. Here is a reference to Jesus’s, who was fully man and fully God, human spirit or ghost, lowercase s and g. Here the human spirit belongs to and ascends to God.

Luke 23:46  And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Again, not only the soul leaves the flesh at death but here we see the spirit leaves, as well. Notice Solomon’s question in Ecclesiastes that suggests mankind doesn’t know what he thinks he knows.

Ecclesiastes 3:21  Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

God uses the spirit of man as one means to examine him from the inside-out.

Proverbs 20:27  The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

The Godhead consists of a soul (God the Father), the seat of self-identity and will, a Spirit (the Holy Ghost called the Holy Spirit or Spirit of God when referencing acting on physical reality as the very mind of God), and a body, a physical presence, (Christ or the Word by which all things were created and are held together) it is important to understand that only God’s three parts can act independently although guided by one will. If either our soul or spirit leave us as humans we physically die. Jesus, being fully man and fully God, was not only the physical image of the invisible God but, as a human, He also possessed a lowercase spirit or ghost which He surrendered when He gave up his brief temporal existence before rising from the dead.

Bible Study on Matthew 21, verses 28 to 32, the parable of two sons

 

Matthew 21:28 ¶  But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29  He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30  And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31  Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32  For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

 

On one level this could clearly be a reference to Israel. The obedient Jew may have resisted at first but eventually did what God wanted. I think of Moses himself. The disobedient Israelite said I’ll obey and did not.

 

Exodus 3:11 ¶  And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

 

But he did go, didn’t he?

 

Exodus 24:3  And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.

 

And they didn’t obey.

 

But on a more important level, based on the context, it is also clearly a reference to the outcasts of society who seem, at first, to be as far from God as they can get and yet when they come to Christ they are accepted as if they were always His. The argument Jesus is making here is that the chief priest and the elders who are attacking Him pay lip service to God but disobey Him by rejecting His Messiah while the outcasts will come into God’s kingdom before they will because the elite are not receptive to God’s ministry of reconciling mankind to Himself.

 

The religious elite here, at their best, are farther from God than the prostitutes and tax collectors who receive their Saviour. God’s ministry of reconciling mankind to Himself reaches its most important point when the Messiah makes Himself known to the people of Israel and;

 

John 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Bible Study on Genesis 49, verses 22 to 27, Jacob speaks of Joseph and the future

 

Genesis 49:22 ¶  Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: 23  The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: 24  But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) 25  Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: 26  The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. 27  Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

Joseph has two sons, one Ephraim and the other Manasseh.

41:52  And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

Joseph was a fruitful bough, not only in his progeny but in his career in Egypt and in delivering his family from the famine. A bough is a branch.

Judges 9:48  And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

Isaiah 17:9  In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation.

Christ is referred to as the Branch in prophecy regarding His first appearance and His millennial reign.

Jeremiah 33:14  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. 15  In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. 16  In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.  

Zechariah 3:8  Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

Zechariah 6:12  And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:

Regarding the branch, the bough, and a well, notice this statement by Jesus and, in fact, read the context of His encounter with the woman by the well.

John 4:14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Notice the wall of separation between Jew and Gentile that Christ overcame.

Ephesians 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Joseph’s brothers, likened to archers, tried to kill him but God made him strong and he overcame. Joseph has truly been blessed and used by God.

An interesting thing to note is that Ishmael, considered by Muslims to be a prophet and an ancestor of Mohammed as well as the father of the Arab people having links to Mecca and the construction of the Kaaba, was an archer.

Genesis 21:20  And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.

Note the symbolism with the great conqueror at the end of human history, enemy of Christ and Christians…

Revelation 6:2  And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

Verse 24 gives us a prophecy of Christ. Christ is ultimately the shepherd, the stone of Israel and cornerstone of the church.

John 10:11  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep…14  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

Ephesians 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

He is the spiritual Rock that followed Israel in the wilderness. Notice as you read Exodus and Psalms the importance of the rock.

One example in the wilderness journeys of the Hebrews would be;

Exodus 17:6  Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

Isaiah 8:14  And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

1Corinthians 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

The everlasting hills presents us with an interesting point. Ezekiel will use Joseph and Ephraim as an example of all Israel in a prophecy that can only come true during the millennial reign of Christ with Christ as a type of David, who represents God’s king (2Samuel 23:3 for the quality of a king.)

Ezekiel 37:15 ¶  The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 16  Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: 17  And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. 18  And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? 19  Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. 20  And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes. 21  And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: 22  And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: 23  Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24  And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25  And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. 26  Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 27  My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28  And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

Benjamin had Ehud the judge and Saul the king from his tribe. Also, from Benjamin came Mordecai and Esther. Paul, the great minister to the Gentiles in the New Testament, was also a Benjamite. Truly, this tribe will play a great part in God’s ministry of reconciliation toward mankind. In Judges we see that Benjamin comes near to being wiped out and are a very warlike tribe. Jacob’s prophecy of his beloved youngest son’s progeny shows that this goes beyond just speaking of the future of his child.

Regarding Paul, Matthew Henry makes the point that he devoured the prey or prosecuted Christians in the beginning and divided the spoil, gathering Christians for Christ, as a preacher, later. This brings to mind a parable Christ told about how He spoiled, took, Satan’s goods, people, by those He drew to Himself.

Matthew 12:28  But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29  Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. 30  He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

This is not to say I have written the definitive word on these prophecies but that these are things to consider. There are many more connections to be made and literally hundreds of sermons to be gleaned from these Biblical cross-references. There is more to preach on than attendance, giving, and soul-winning most certainly.

Bible Study on Matthew 21, verses 18 to 27, the fig tree

 

Matthew 21:18 ¶  Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. 19  And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. 20  And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! 21  Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

 

Notice that the fig tree that Christ curses represents the fallen state of Israel in their failure to live up to God’s laws but creating their own rules to go by and claiming piety and righteousness by following their man-made rules and not God’s. They bore no fruit acceptable to God. This is made clear in a number of contexts.

 

Notice the comparison made in the Old Testament with Israel;

 

Hosea 9:10  I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.

 

Jesus then uses a figure of speech that hyper literalists and skeptics stumble over that basically all things are possible with sincere prayer. However, you might be considered foolish if you knelt before a mountain and prayed that it fall into the sea after telling people to watch the power of prayer. This hyperbole, much like the one about the eye of a needle, underscores the power of sincere faith and prayer in our lives and God’s response to it. It is not a call to rearrange geographical features.

 

Of all the fig trees Jesus must have seen He chose this one to make His point. This fig tree represented the entire nation of Israel in its history and at this point in time when the Messiah came and was not believed by the religious elite of God’s people.

 

While a Christian is not cursed by God for not producing fruit the evidence we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us is the fruit we produce.

 

Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

 

We are promised that things asked according to His will He will grant it;

 

1John 5:14 ¶  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

 

Matthew 21:23 ¶  And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? 24  And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25  The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? Andthey reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? 26  But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. 27  And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

 

Here the very political religious elite are stumped by Christ as they dare not answer His question. They fear the people but wanted to respond to Jesus teaching in the temple. He was not part of the religious elite accepted by the Jewish authorities. He knew their weakness and their wickedness. Like Pilate, as revealed later, they are political creatures not so much as concerned about truth as about their position.