A Withered Fig Tree and the Plot to Kill Jesus

In the days following His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus continued to teach in the temple, with the religious leaders nearby. As Jesus noticed the barren fig tree and turned over tables in the temple, He compared the fruitlessness of the fig tree with the danger of practicing empty religion. Standing in a place where others could overhear Him, Jesus warned the disciples to beware of the religious leaders.

Jesus taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished” (Mark 12:38-40, NLT).

They dressed themselves up so they could look important. They loved being greeted in the marketplace because it made them feel important. They helped themselves to the best seats in the synagogue and at the feasts so everyone could see just how important they were.

They prayed long prayers so others would know how religious they were, and yet they took advantage of widows. In their quest to appear perfect, were they true to the faith they professed?

Jesus didn’t mince words. In passages like Luke 11:37-54, He called them hypocrites. Instead of loving and serving others, they made sure others served them. Jesus promised they would be punished.

Part of being authentic is self-awareness. We are more like the religious leaders than we would like to admit. We have that same tendency to try to appear holy by doing religious things, yet not allowing Jesus to change us to be like Him. And though very few of us would identify as hypocrites, we want others to think more highly of us. Sometimes we forget to care enough about what God thinks of us.

As you prepare for Easter, remember that Jesus loves you as you are. He’s not asking you to clean up your act before coming to Him. You can bring your real self to Him. He knows all about your thoughts and actions.

But Jesus also loves us so much that He doesn’t leave us in our sin and brokenness. His love for you includes the parts of you that hurt and the parts that aren’t yet what you wish they were. He offers forgiveness and hope to all those who come to Him in their sin — just as they are. Allow His grace to lay the firm foundation for your life. And as you follow Him, He promises to transform you to be like Him — giving you the ability to produce real fruit by radiating love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22).

Reflect and Respond

As you prepare for Easter, how can you turn your eyes toward Jesus?

How can you face Him honestly and care more about what He thinks of you than what others think about you?