Matthew 21:17-22: a reflection

17He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and camped there. 18Now in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry. 19Seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves. He said to it, “Let there be no fruit from you forever!” Immediately the fig tree withered away. 20When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree immediately wither away?” 21Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you told this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it would be done. 22All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

When Jesus finds a fig tree full of leaves but bearing no fruit, and it withers at his word, he gives a warning against the appearance of fruitfulness without the reality. Seeing a fig tree by the road, Jesus came to it, the account says, and found nothing on it but leaves. He said to it, let there be no fruit from you forever; and immediately the fig tree withered. The tree was covered with leaves, giving every appearance of health and fruitfulness; but when Jesus came to it hungry, looking for fruit, he found none, only leaves. Its leafy show promised fruit it did not have. And this fruitless tree, all appearance and no fruit, withered at Jesus' word. This shows the danger of the appearance of fruitfulness without real fruit. Beware the appearance of fruitfulness without real fruit. Leaves without fruit are a show that promises what it does not have. God looks for real fruit, not a mere appearance of it. Do not be content with the outward show of fruitfulness.

Notice what the fig tree had and lacked. It had leaves, plenty of them; from a distance, it looked healthy, flourishing, fruitful. Its leafy appearance promised fruit. But when Jesus came to it, hungry, looking for the fruit its leaves seemed to promise, he found none, only leaves. All its show of fruitfulness was just that, a show; there was no actual fruit beneath the leaves. And this tree, all appearance and no reality, withered at Jesus' word. This holds a searching warning for us. It is possible to have the appearance of fruitfulness without the reality: to look flourishing and fruitful, to have the outward show of a good and productive Christian life, the leaves of religious activity, reputation, appearance, while lacking the actual fruit, the real love, obedience, and godliness that God looks for. Like the fig tree, we can be all leaves and no fruit, an outward show that promises what is not there. But God, like Jesus coming to the tree, looks for real fruit, not a mere appearance of it; and the appearance without the reality does not satisfy him. We are called not to be content with the outward show of fruitfulness, the leaves, but to bear real fruit, the genuine reality beneath the appearance. We do well not to settle for the mere appearance of fruitfulness, but to bear real fruit, which God looks for. Do not settle for the appearance of fruitfulness without real fruit. Leaves without fruit are a show that promises what is not there. God looks for real fruit, not merely the outward show. Bear genuine fruit, not just the leaves of appearance.

That is worth taking to heart, for the appearance of fruitfulness without real fruit does not satisfy God, and we are called to bear real fruit, as the leafy but fruitless tree withered. We can have the leaves of appearance without the fruit of reality; but the tree that was all leaves and no fruit withered at Jesus' word. God looks for real fruit. Do not be content with the outward show of a fruitful life; bear the real fruit God looks for beneath the appearance. Do not settle for the mere appearance of fruitfulness, the leaves without the fruit, but bear the real fruit God looks for, as when Jesus found a fig tree full of leaves but bearing no fruit, and it withered at his word, he gave a warning against the appearance of fruitfulness without the reality, since he found nothing on it but leaves and said, let there be no fruit from you forever, and it immediately withered; for the tree was covered with leaves and gave every appearance of fruitfulness, but when Jesus came to it hungry looking for fruit he found none, only leaves, its leafy show promising fruit it did not have, and this fruitless tree, all appearance and no fruit, withered at his word, which holds a searching warning for us, since it is possible to have the appearance of fruitfulness without the reality, to look flourishing and have the outward show of a good Christian life, the leaves of religious activity, reputation, and appearance, while lacking the actual fruit of real love, obedience, and godliness that God looks for, so that like the fig tree we can be all leaves and no fruit, an outward show that promises what is not there, but God like Jesus coming to the tree looks for real fruit and not a mere appearance of it, the appearance without the reality not satisfying him, so that we are called not to be content with the outward show of fruitfulness but to bear real fruit, and we do well not to settle for the appearance but to bear the real fruit God looks for.

Lord Jesus, when you find a fig tree full of leaves but bearing no fruit, and it withers at your word, you give a warning against the appearance of fruitfulness without the reality. Seeing a fig tree by the road, you came to it, the account says, and found nothing on it but leaves. You said to it, let there be no fruit from you forever; and immediately the fig tree withered. The tree was covered with leaves, giving every appearance of health and fruitfulness; but when you came to it hungry, looking for fruit, you found none, only leaves. Its leafy show promised fruit it did not have. And this fruitless tree, all appearance and no fruit, withered at your word. Show me what the fig tree had and lacked. It had leaves, plenty of them; from a distance, it looked flourishing and fruitful. Its leafy appearance promised fruit. But when you came to it, hungry, looking for the fruit its leaves seemed to promise, you found none, only leaves. All its show of fruitfulness was just that, a show; there was no actual fruit beneath the leaves. And this tree, all appearance and no reality, withered at your word. This holds a searching warning for me. It is possible to have the appearance of fruitfulness without the reality: to look flourishing and fruitful, to have the outward show of a good Christian life, the leaves of religious activity, reputation, appearance, while lacking the actual fruit, the real love, obedience, and godliness that you look for. Like the fig tree, I can be all leaves and no fruit, an outward show that promises what is not there. But you, coming to the tree, look for real fruit, not a mere appearance of it; and the appearance without the reality does not satisfy you. Take that to my heart. Keep me from settling for the mere appearance of fruitfulness, the leaves without the fruit; help me bear the real fruit you look for, Lord, the genuine reality beneath the appearance, not content with the outward show of a fruitful life but bearing true fruit of love, obedience, and godliness.