It Begins in the House

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” Mark 11:12-21 (New international Version, NIV)

There are two stories in this passage but they are related. They tell of God’s judgment and correction.

The first story describes Jesus and the fig tree. He came to the tree and it had leaves on it but no figs. On fig trees, the leaves are supposed to show up at the same time as the fruit. Then He said to the fig tree that no man would ever eat fruit from it. There is spiritual significance to this. Biblical symbolism uses the fig tree as a type of the nation of Israel, or the Jewish state. According to Romans 11:19-21, Christians have been grafted into spiritual Israel. Therefore, this passage can be applied to both natural Jews and spiritual Jews (Christians). When either group looks good on the outside but bears no fruit, they will be dealt with by God.

Some individuals look good but bear no fruit. The Bible tells us that we will know people by their fruit. God watches and expects us to bear fruit for Him. He will correct those who are supposed to bear fruit but do not. Those who profess to be Christians but who do not bear fruit for Him will be corrected. Not everyone who looks good is good.

The second story in this passage tells of Jesus entering the temple and what He did there. He saw those who were using the house of God for wrong reasons and motives. They were making merchandise in God’s house and defrauding the people. They were overcharging them for animal sacrifices and other related items. The people came to worship God but the moneychangers were taking advantage of them for profit. Jesus saw this and ran the moneychangers out, overturning their tables. He allowed o one to conduct such merchandizing there in the temple courts. God does not condone people using the house of God for personal gain and profit. This is a misuse of God’s house and people.

So to tie this all together, we see that God will judge those who look saved but are not, plus He will judge those who use His house for profit. Neither of these is good. First, we must be who we say we are and we must produce fruit that shows we are children of God. In addition, we must honor God’s house and His people and not use them to promote ourselves or for personal gain. Judgment truly does begin in the house of God.

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? I Peter 4:17 (KJV)

Bear good fruit and utilize God’s house only for the things of God. As we do, we will avoid God’s correction and judgment, and things will go right for us as we advance the kingdom of God and not our own.