Matthew 21:18-22 Only Leaves
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: July 8, 2019 Matthew 21:18-22
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 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. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
(Understanding the Text) As usual, Matthew gives the condensed summary of an event rather than details. He makes it sound like this happened within a few minutes, but in actuality, it happened over a 24-hour period. Other gospel accounts say that the disciples did not see that the tree was withered until the next day. “As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.’ And Jesus answered them, ‘Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.’” (Mark 11:20-25).
Judas was with this group. He saw the power of what Jesus had done, yet he still didn’t trust Jesus to know best. I guess he was so full of his own shrewdness and worldly dependence that he couldn’t trust someone who wasn’t shrewd and successful by the world’s standards.
Guzik’s commentary helped me see the relationship between the miracle and the faith part of the verses. The miracle was about why Israel was unfruitful and would be judged. This was an acted out parable of that judgment, which was actually typical of what prophets of the past would do also, so it would be readily understood by the disciples. The faith part of the verses was in answer not to the question why or what does the parable mean, but in response to the question how. How did you totally kill a tree within 24 hours with words. Jesus’ response was faith in the power of God to do things.
(Revelation of God) Jesus knew that these were the last few days of His life on earth and that the disciples needed to understand what was about to happen to their nation and the power that He was leaving them with. Maybe, He wanted them to understand that they had the power of death over people, as well as life. He saw in the fig tree the possibility of a lesson. I don’t think that Jesus was very hungry. He had spent the night in Bethany, i.e. the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Martha would not have let them leave hungry. She would have provided plenty of food and urged them to eat in the Middle Eastern manner. It may have been midmorning when they reached the tree, so there may have been reason to be a little hungry, but Jesus had fasted and prayed before, so His action was out of character. Guzik’s commentary says “Jesus’ two “destructive” miracles – this and the events that ended in the destruction of the herd of pigs (Mat_8:30-32) – were not directed towards people.”
(Understanding the Text) One thing confuses me about this verse. I have heard people use it to say that if a prayer does not succeed, it is because we just did not believe enough, yet I know that there have been cases where people believed with all their heart and their request did not happen, and I know that there have been prayers made with little belief that were answered. In fact, I know very few people who could ask for anything with pure motives and true trust. I still don’t understand enough about faith and prayer. Guzik’s commentary resolves the issue by saying that the promise was specific to the disciples. “This promise of God’s answer to the prayer of faith is made to disciples, not to the multitude.” However, I’m not satisfied with that answer either.
(Application / Prayer) The fig tree represented Israel which looked like it should be a healthy fruit-bearing people on the outside, but inside they were as empty of God as the pagans that surrounded them. A lot of churches and Christians are fig trees also. I pray that I am not empty of fruit. Anyway, I think the point was that the disciples were to have fruit through faith. With trust in Jesus, they could stand up to the mightiest rulers and have power of life and death. Their faith was an awesome responsibility. Their belief in Jesus gave them access to great power. The nation of Israel was dead in its lack of faith but these men were alive and powerful through their faith.