“‘Away with him,’ they yelled. ‘Away with him! Crucify him!’

‘What? Crucify your king?’ Pilate asked.

‘We have no king but Caesar,’ the leading priests shouted back.” (John 19:15 NLT)

 

In the hours after His arrest, Jesus faced several different trials before Jewish and Roman leaders. His accusers made false allegations against Him and twisted His words to make their accusations seem legitimate.

And through it all, Jesus remained silent. He refused to counter their claims or defend Himself against their lies. His silence was probably a welcome surprise to the people who had plotted against Him. Jesus had verbally sparred with the Jewish authorities several times during His ministry, and each time He exposed their hypocrisy and misunderstanding of God and His Word.

In fact, according to Matthew 22, a few days before Jesus was arrested, a group of Pharisees and a group of Sadducees tried to trap Jesus by asking Him some tricky theological questions. It didn’t go well for them. Jesus turned the tables and put them on the spot with questions of His own. The people who witnessed these encounters had one reaction. Verse 33 says, “When the crowds heard him, they were astounded at his teaching” (NLT).

The Pharisees and Sadducees who instigated the encounters had a different reaction. Verse 46 says, “No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions” (NLT).

Jesus’ silence during His trials was a strategic choice on His part. It worked to His enemies’ advantage, as He knew it would.

Remember, the crowds were on Jesus’ side at this point. He was still popular after His triumphant arrival on Palm Sunday. But with no pushback from Jesus’ side, His enemies were able to sway public opinion. They worked the crowds, spreading their lies and false accusations. They could point to Jesus and say, “He’s not even trying to deny the charges!”

Their efforts were successful. When the Roman governor Pilate presented Jesus to the crowd, the people shouted for His execution. It didn’t matter that neither the Jewish nor the Roman authorities had found any legitimate reason to execute Him. They were okay with Jesus’ blood being on their hands.

For Jesus, this was just another in a long line of rejections. He was rejected by His hometown of Nazareth (see Mark 6:1–6). He was rejected by a Samaritan village (see Luke 9:51–56). He was even rejected by His disciples (see John 6:60–66).

In being rejected, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 53:3: “He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care” (NLT).

We could marvel at the short-sightedness and hard-heartedness that caused the people outside Pilate’s residence to reject Jesus so cruelly. But let’s marvel instead at the amazing love that caused Jesus to give His life for those who were calling for His death so that they might live forever. And let’s remind ourselves that there are people who reject Him today who need to hear about His amazing love.

 

Reflection question: Why do people reject Jesus today?

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“The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any.” (Mark 14:55 NIV)

The prosecution of Jesus offers a case study in injustice, hypocrisy, and evil. After He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was taken to the house of Annas, a former high priest. Annas interrogated Him briefly and then sent Him to the house of Caiaphas, the current high priest.

Caiaphas had assembled the Sanhedrin, the ruling religious body in Israel, to hear testimony. He had hoped to include the testimonies of false witnesses who were willing to lie about Jesus, but none of them could get their stories straight.

Instead, he used testimony from two men who said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days’” (Matthew 26:61 NLT). The high priest demanded that Jesus tell them if He was the Messiah.

“Jesus replied, ‘You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven’” (verse 64 NLT). He gave His enemies all they needed to convict Him of blasphemy. It didn’t matter to them that He spoke the truth.

“‘Guilty!’ they shouted. ‘He deserves to die!’” (verse 66 NLT).

The Sanhedrin made its verdict official a short time later. But it didn’t have the authority to carry out the death sentence. Only Roman authorities could do that. So the Jewish leaders sent Jesus to the Roman governor, Pilate.

Pilate could find no reason to execute Him. When he learned that Jesus had started His ministry in Galilee, Pilate sent Him to Herod, the ruler of Galilee, who happened to be in Jerusalem at that time.

Herod asked a lot of questions, and then ridiculed and mocked Jesus, but could find no reason to pass judgment on Him. So he sent him back to Pilate.

Meanwhile, the Jewish leaders had organized a mob to demand that Jesus be crucified. Pilate tried to explain that he could find no guilt in Jesus. He had Jesus flogged to try to satisfy the mob’s bloodlust. But it didn’t work.

Through it all, Jesus used an unorthodox but highly effective legal strategy—effective, that is, if your aim is to be found guilty and put to death. He remained silent. Aside from a few sentences, He refused to engage His accusers or answer their charges, even though almost every part of His trial was illegal and unjust.

In doing so, He fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 53:7: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” (NIV).

In terms of human justice, Jesus’ trials were a farce. But He was interested in justice of another kind. Jesus did exactly what He needed to do to ensure that God’s justice was satisfied. Because of our sins, the only way for it to be satisfied was for an innocent person to endure God’s wrath. And He was the only innocent person.

Jesus was still in complete control. He had outsmarted and outmaneuvered the religious leaders at every turn in His ministry. He could have shamed His accusers and exposed the hypocrisy of His judges. And that’s why He remained silent. He was forcing their hand. He was giving them no choice but to crucify Him.

A key takeaway from this epic miscarriage of justice is that one day the Defendant will be the Judge. One day all of us will stand before the Lord to give an account of our lives. And our eternal fate will be determined by a single question: Who do you say He is?

Reflection question: How can we respond to people who try to discredit Jesus?

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“Then Jesus spoke to the leading priests, the captains of the Temple guard, and the elders who had come for him. ‘Am I some dangerous revolutionary,’ he asked, ‘that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me?’” (Luke 22:52 NLT)

The scene in Gethsemane when Jesus was arrested is chaotic and confusing in the Gospel account. Imagine how much more chaotic and confusing it was in person. Judas Iscariot, who knew Gethsemane well because of the time he’d spent with Jesus, led the arresting party. With him was an odd mix of characters: Roman soldiers, temple guards, Jewish officials, and assorted servants. Strange bedfellows, to say the least.

John 18:4 says, “Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them” (NLT). It must have been a little unsettling for Judas and his cohorts to plan Jesus’ surprise arrest, only to find that He was expecting them. That may explain why “they all drew back and fell to the ground” when He identified Himself (verse 6 NLT).

By taking control of the situation, Jesus aimed to avoid a violent confrontation. But Peter didn’t get the memo. He drew his sword and took a wild swing. He missed the armed soldiers and guards but managed to cut off the ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave.

Jesus healed the injured man and then helped Peter recognize who was really pulling the strings. “Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” (Matthew 26:53–54 NLT).

There’s our takeaway from this story. Despite the chaotic nature of the scene and despite the unpredictability of human nature, there was never a moment when the Lord wasn’t in control. When did Judas and his cronies show up? After Jesus had finished praying. They didn’t catch Him by surprise. They didn’t interrupt His conversation with His Father. They made their entrance when they were supposed to. They didn’t disrupt the plan that was unfolding; they were part of it. They played the roles God intended them to play.

The disciples didn’t see it that way—not in that moment, at least. Matthew wrote, “At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled” (Matthew 26:56 NLT). He should know; he was one of them. Jesus was abandoned in the garden by all His closest friends—except, of course, for the one who betrayed Him.

Yet, despite the optics of the situation, Jesus was still in control. And that’s important for us to remember today. Because if we face a situation that seems to be beyond the Lord’s control, we should look at it from a different perspective.

Reflection question: What’s an area of your life that you need to remind yourself is under the Lord’s complete control, even though it may not appear that way?

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“Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, ‘My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.’” (Matthew 26:42 NLT)

Jesus’ last stop before His arrest was the Garden of Gethsemane. The garden was located on a slope of the Mount of Olives, just across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. When the events of Jesus’ arrest took place, the garden was likely an olive grove surrounded by walls. Some scholars believe it was owned by a wealthy follower of Jesus who allowed Him and His disciples to use it when they were in Jerusalem.

Jesus likely chose this familiar spot because He felt the enormity of what was about to happen. The sins of every person who ever lived—and every person who ever will live—were about to be placed on Him. He was about to face God’s full wrath—alone. He was about to suffer as no one had ever suffered.

He needed a place to pray, to spend time with His heavenly Father before He endured His Father’s punishment. All the disciples except Judas Iscariot accompanied Him to Gethsemane (although Judas would show up soon enough). At some point, Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to go with Him to a remote part of the garden. He asked them to keep watch so that He wouldn’t be interrupted while He prayed. But even that simple request proved to be too difficult for them. Three times during His three-hour prayer session, Jesus returned to His trio of “watchers.” Three times He found them all asleep.

The Bible’s description of Jesus’ prayer time makes it clear that His suffering started long before He was tortured and crucified. Hebrews 5:7 says, “While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death” (NLT). Luke 22:44 says, “He was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood” (NLT).

Jesus begged His heavenly Father to take the cup of suffering from Him. He wanted to know if there was another way for God’s plan of salvation to be fulfilled.

God heard Jesus’ prayers. He sent an angel to comfort and strengthen Him (see Luke 22:43). And then He said no to His Son’s request. There was no other way. Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Him (see John 14:6).

His Father’s answer was all Jesus needed. “I want your will to be done, not mine,” He said (Luke 22:42 NLT). Submitting to God’s will renewed His strength and sense of purpose. That’s why, in the chaos that followed, Jesus was the calmest person in the garden. He knew He was doing God’s will.

Refreshed and ready for what lay ahead, Jesus woke His sleepy friends and went out to meet the men who had come to arrest and kill Him.

But in those hours in the garden, He revealed three life-changing truths about prayer. One, talking to God gives us the strength, courage, wisdom, and comfort we need to face any situation. Two, God sometimes says no because He has something else planned for us. Three, “Your will be done” is the perfect way to end every conversation with our heavenly Father.

Reflection question: What important truths about prayer do you see in the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane?

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“And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, ‘Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.’” (Matthew 26:27–28 NLT)

As the hour of Jesus’ arrest approached, we see God’s plan continuing to unfold with amazing precision. Jesus and His disciples needed a place to share the traditional Passover meal together. God arranged for them to encounter a man with just such a place (see Luke 22:10–13).

This Last Supper would be the last time these thirteen men, who had shared and experienced so much in their three years together, would ever be in the same room. And before their food had time to digest, the world as they knew it would be changed forever. Jesus used this final teachable moment to prepare them for what was to come.

Using the elements of the meal, He explained the sacrifice He was about to make. The bread represented His body, which was about to be nailed to a cross—that is, given in place of ours. The wine represented His blood. He said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you” (Luke 22:20 NLT). Jesus’ blood covers our sins and makes us righteous in God’s eyes.

The disciples may have been reminded of the words He spoke after He had fed five thousand men (plus thousands more women and children) with only five barley loaves and two fish:

“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. . . . I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh. . . . I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me” (John 6:35, 51, 53–57 NLT).

At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19 NLT). When we share Communion together today, that’s exactly what we’re doing: remembering the sacrifice Jesus made.

The disciples needed to understand that sacrifice because, sooner than they possibly could have imagined, they would be sharing the news of it with the world.

That privilege and responsibility didn’t end with them. Every follower of Christ must be a truth-teller. We must help others see the truth of Christ’s sacrifice—why it was necessary, what it accomplished, and what it means for us.

Reflection question: Aside from Communion, how do you commemorate the sacrifice of Jesus’ body and blood?

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“When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, ‘As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.’” (Matthew 26:1–2 NLT)

At the same time Jesus was breaking the news of His imminent death to His disciples, the leading priests and elders plotting His death were trying to work around a snag in their plans. Jesus was still popular with the Jewish people. (Their meeting was taking place only three days after Jesus’ triumphant arrival on Palm Sunday.)

Complicating things even further was the fact that Passover was one of the holiest celebrations on the Jewish calendar. Executing someone many people believed to be the Messiah during Passover was a good way to start a riot.

And a riot was the last thing the Jewish religious leaders wanted. Their goal was to maintain the status quo. The Romans were extremely tolerant of Jewish worship practices. Roman leaders understood that respecting the religious traditions and customs of conquered territories promoted stability in the empire. As long as things remained peaceful and orderly—and taxes were paid, of course—the Romans were content to let the Jewish priests and elders lead as they saw fit.

Jesus threatened not only the status quo with Rome but also the leadership of the priests and elders. Throughout His ministry, He challenged their authority and exposed their hypocrisy. As He neared the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus became bolder in His challenges. He was forcing their hand so that they had no choice but to kill Him.

Their task was made easier by the help of someone in Jesus’ inner circle. “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, ‘How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?’ And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus” (Matthew 26:14–16 NLT).

The Bible doesn’t say why Judas betrayed Jesus—only that “Satan entered into” him. What we do know is that Judas regretted his decision. When he heard that Jesus had been condemned to death, he hanged himself. The blood money he received was used to buy a potter’s field.

Judas’ betrayal may seem like the ultimate surprise plot twist—the blindside that no one saw coming. But there’s one problem with that interpretation: His betrayal was prophesied centuries before it happened.

David wrote, “Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me” (Psalm 41:9 NLT).

The prophet Zechariah wrote, “And I said to them, ‘If you like, give me my wages, whatever I am worth; but only if you want to.’ So they counted out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’—this magnificent sum at which they valued me! So I took the thirty coins and threw them to the potter in the Temple of the Lord” (Zechariah 11:12–13 NLT).

Everything that led to Jesus’ death on the cross was carefully orchestrated by God. It was all part of His perfect plan of salvation. And it was driven by His amazing love for us.

Reflection question: Why is it sometimes hard to see God’s plan at work?

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“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’” (Matthew 25:21 NLT)

After Jesus described the events surrounding His Second Coming, He ended His Olivet Discourse by sharing four parables with His disciples. The parables continue the themes of punishment and preparing for the Master’s return. But each one adds a new perspective to the discussion.

The first parable, found in Matthew 24:45–51, deals with a faithful servant who manages his master’s household wisely while his master is away. The faithful servant cares for and feeds his fellow servants. When the master returns, he rewards the faithful servant by entrusting him with greater responsibilities. An evil servant, on the other hand, beats his fellow servants, parties, and gets drunk while his master is away. When the master returns, he punishes the evil servant.

The wise servant was faithful because he trusted that his master would return. That’s why he took his responsibilities so seriously. The evil servant acted wickedly because he had some doubts about his master returning. He chose to follow his own agenda instead of his master’s.

The second parable, found in Matthew 25:1–13, involves ten bridesmaids who go to meet the bridegroom at midnight. Five wise bridesmaids made sure to take enough olive oil for their lamps; five foolish bridesmaids didn’t. The five foolish bridesmaids leave to buy oil. While they’re gone, the bridegroom comes and escorts the five wise bridesmaids to the wedding feast. The five foolish bridesmaids are locked out. The bridegroom is Jesus. The five wise bridesmaids are followers who are prepared for His return. The five foolish bridesmaids are those who are unprepared for His coming.

The third parable, found in Matthew 25:14–30, deals with a master who entrusts three servants with money while he’s away. Two of the servants invest the money entrusted to them so that they have a return to show their master when he comes back. They are rewarded for wisely using what their master gave them. The third servant buried the money entrusted to him because he was afraid of losing it. He is punished for his foolish use of his resources. The first two servants knew and trusted their master. The third servant did not.

The fourth parable, found in Matthew 25:31–46, is set after Jesus returns to judge the world. He will separate the sheep, the people who accepted Him as Savior and Lord, from the goats, the people who rejected Him. The sheep, whose lives were changed by Jesus, cared for those closest to His heart—the poor, the needy, the outcasts. The goats, whose lives were unchanged, ignored those people.

Two thousand years after Jesus shared these parables with His followers, their truths still resonate. We don’t know when Jesus will return. But we have important responsibilities to fulfill in the meantime. Let’s make the most of our time by growing in our faith, encouraging and supporting our fellow believers, and sharing Jesus’ message with the people who need to hear it.

Reflection question: What do you take away from the last four parables Jesus shared with His followers?

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“Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, ‘Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?’” (Matthew 24:3 NLT)

The Jerusalem temple was a magnificent structure, one the Jewish people were exceedingly proud of. Jesus’ disciples were no exception. As they left the temple, they pointed out its beauty and grandeur to Jesus. His reply must have shocked them.

“Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!” (Matthew 24:2 NLT). Imagine how shocked the disciples would have been if they’d known His prophecy would be fulfilled in less than forty years.

On the way back to Bethany, they stopped on a slope of the Mount of Olives. The disciples’ curiosity got the better of them. “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” (verse 3 NLT). Jesus’ reply, which is known as the Olivet Discourse, takes up the better part of two chapters of the Gospel of Matthew.

Jesus revealed God’s future plans for Israel—plans that are also discussed in Daniel 9:24–27 and Revelation 6:1–19:21. He described the seven-year Tribulation period that will follow the Rapture, as well as His own Second Coming, which will end the Tribulation.

The images are disturbing—war, famine, earthquakes, and persecution. False messiahs and false prophets will lead people astray. Sin will run rampant. Love will run cold. Through it all, though, the Good News of Christ will be preached throughout the world.

Matthew 24:21 offers a sobering summary of the Tribulation, especially the second half: “For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again” (NLT).

When the suffering reaches its crescendo, “All the peoples of the earth . . . will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (verse 30 NLT). The King will not be riding a donkey when He returns. He will not be meek. And He will not come in peace. He will come to conquer evil once and for all. He will come to usher in His kingdom. He will come to pronounce judgment on this sinful world.

And to those who would try to predict the day of His Second Coming based on the signs and events He described, Jesus offered this reality check: “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows” (verse 36 NLT).

Jesus wants us to understand that His will is not for us to try to figure out the dates of these end-time events. His will is for us to be ready when they do occur—and to make sure that others are ready, too.

Reflection question: How can you help prepare others, especially unbelievers, for Jesus’ return?

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“When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace.” (Mark 11:15–16 NLT)

On Palm Sunday, the people in Jerusalem mistakenly celebrated Jesus as the conquering Messiah, the King who would lead the Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire. On the following day, they got a glimpse of His true agenda.

After cursing the fig tree that produced no fruit, Jesus went to the temple in Jerusalem. His focus was on the spiritual, not the political. Rather than worship or teach, however, He turned His attention to the money changers and merchants in the outer court. According to the passage above from Mark 11, He cleaned house.

The question is, why?

The merchants, the people who sold animals for sacrifice, served an important purpose. The temple in Jerusalem was the center of worship for all Jewish people. People traveled great distances to attend festivals and offer required sacrifices there. Those sacrifices often involved animals such as birds, sheep, goats, and bulls. Those who didn’t raise animals themselves had to buy them somewhere. And transporting them all the way to Jerusalem was a complication many wished to avoid. So the merchants who sold animals near the Jerusalem temple provided a necessary service. Of course, they made a profit. But they weren’t necessarily gouging their customers. At least, not all of them were.

The money changers were equally important. Many people offered money as sacrifices. However, the region of Judea, where Jerusalem was located, was under the rule of the Romans. The people who lived in Judea used Roman currency. That posed a problem because Roman coins were stamped with images of Roman rulers. And Roman people worshiped their rulers as gods. So Jewish people considered their images a form of idolatry—and inappropriate for sacrifices to God.

What’s more, the Lord said to Moses in Exodus 30:13, “Each person who is counted must give a small piece of silver as a sacred offering to the Lord. (This payment is half a shekel, based on the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs)” (NLT). The money changers at the temple exchanged Roman currency for Jewish half-shekel coins.

The problem was that the merchants and money changers were infringing on worship at the temple. Their booths were originally positioned outside the temple complex. Over time, however, they moved into the outer courtyard of the temple, the area where Gentiles worshiped. The merchants and money changers were misappropriating worship space for business. That’s why Jesus drove them out.

In Psalm 69:9, David wrote, “Passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me” (NLT). Jesus showed His followers what passion for God’s house looks like.

Jesus prioritized worship. And He wants us to prioritize it as well. It stands to reason that He would react strongly to anyone or anything that makes it harder to worship God. We can embrace that same attitude by removing the obstacles that hinder our own personal worship.

Reflection question: How do you keep things from interfering with your worship of God?

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“The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. Then Jesus said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat your fruit again!’ And the disciples heard him say it.” (Mark 11:12–14 NLT)

Staying in Jerusalem during the Passover celebration was out of the question for Jesus, especially after His hero’s welcome on Palm Sunday. The crowds would have mobbed Him and interfered with the vital work of His final days. So He stayed in Bethany, which was less than two miles from Jerusalem. He likely stayed in the home of His friends, the siblings Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

On the day after His triumphant entry, Jesus returned to Jerusalem. On the way, He saw a fig tree that had leaves on it. Usually, fig leaves indicate that a tree has fruit. Jesus was hungry, so He approached the tree to pick a fig to eat. Instead, He discovered that the tree had no fruit.

“May no one ever eat your fruit again!” He said. Jesus cursed the tree because it bore no fruit.

This may seem out of character for Jesus, as though He lost His temper because He was fooled by vegetation. But this wasn’t the first-century equivalent of kicking a broken vending machine. Jesus wasn’t “hangry.” He was giving His followers a real-life parable—an unforgettable lesson on the importance of being fruitful.

The Old Testament prophets used the fig as a symbol of Israel. Micah 7:1–3 says, “How miserable I am! I feel like the fruit picker after the harvest who can find nothing to eat. Not a cluster of grapes or a single early fig can be found to satisfy my hunger. The godly people have all disappeared; not one honest person is left on the earth” (NLT).

The passage is referring to the spiritual condition of God’s people. They give the outward appearance of being holy and obedient, but they produce no fruit—no real evidence of their holiness and obedience. Appearances can be deceiving, but genuine fruit can’t be faked. If a fruit tree doesn’t produce fruit, it’s useless. Likewise, if God’s people don’t produce spiritual fruit, they are useless.

In cursing the fig tree, Jesus was denouncing Israel’s relationship with God and warning the people of Israel of the coming judgment. He was also sending a warning to people who claim to be Christians but show no evidence of a personal relationship with Him.

In John 15:8, He said, “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father” (NLT).

James was a little more blunt: “Faith is dead without good works” (James 2:26 nlt).

And the apostle Paul wrote, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22–23 NLT)

Those qualities please the Lord because they show that our faith is genuine and that our spiritual fruit can nourish others. If you nurture those qualities and allow them to blossom in your life, you’ll help others see just how life-changing a relationship with Christ can be.

Reflection question: What spiritual fruit has God produced in you?

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