Holy Week DevotionalSýnishorn

In our passage today, we see some of the most fascinating and perplexing events in Jesus life, particularly as it relates to the temple itself. These passages make much more sense in light of the last words that God spoke to his people through the prophet Malachi, roughly 400 years before Jesus was born. Malachi powerfully described the Lord’s return in glory and power, but he warned that his coming would bring both salvation and judgment: “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple... But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire" (Mal. 3:1-2 ESV). 

The coming of the Lord into the world would naturally result in both salvation and judgment because God is interested in genuine righteousness, not merely the appearance of it. But as Calvin says, “[W]e are all naturally inclined to hypocrisy, an empty appearance of righteousness quite satisfies us instead of the truth... what is a little less dirty is received by us as very pure.” In the last days of Christ’s life, he would pronounce judgment upon the temple itself for this very reason.

The episode with the fig tree—a strange passage if ever there was one—can only be understood in light of this context of salvation and judgment. While Jesus was hungry, this event was not about needing a snack. Figs were often used as symbols of Israel (see Hosea 9, Jeremiah 24) and Jesus curses the fig tree as a representation of the temple because he found it barren and faithless, not producing any fruits of righteousness. Jesus curses the fig tree saying, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” (Matt. 21:19 ESV) and it immediately withered.

Our passage today is only the beginning of a series of parables and lectures by Jesus over the next few chapters where he describes “this generation” and what would happen as a result of the sins they had committed. This culminates with Christ’s mournful decree that the very temple itself was doomed for destruction: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate” (Matt. 23:37-38 ESV). It was exactly as Malachi described, “the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple,” and the all-consuming fire had come in the flesh only to find that Israel had become no better than the land of Egypt or Babylon. Yet Jesus does not pronounce judgment with glee, but in lament as a mother wanting to gather her children.

However, the temple of stone was only a sign of the true temple that God alone could build, which was his plan from the beginning. The good news is that Jesus does not only baptize with fires of judgment, but also with the Holy Spirit! While many rejected Christ, the little ones of the world cry out “Hosanna Son of David!” Jesus gathers all who call upon him in humility and faith, making each of us into a temple of the Holy Spirit. In this new work, we are no longer bound in slavery to sinful hypocrisy, but are “being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16) and “conformed to the image of [God’s] Son” (Rom. 8:28). Jesus takes repentant hypocrites and makes us to be reflections of his mercy throughout the entire world!

This Holy Week, may you experience the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit in your life, which will lead to repentance. May you know the steadfast love and mercy of Christ which is lavished upon all who call upon him!