#BibleStudy Signs and Wonders – Miracle # 12 – “The Withered Fig Tree” - Mark 11-12-25 – 04-10-2022 - DISCUSSION

 

Leanne and I spent the last two weeks with our grandchildren in Wisconsin. The questions in the yellow highlight are those for which I have no commentary.

What is the sequence of your impressions as Jesus curses the fig tree, He overturns tables in the Temple, the fig tree is dead to the roots?

Sum up the point of this passage.

What parallels can you see between the cursed fig tree and the Jewish religious leaders of that time?

Besides the fact that it’s sequential, why did Mark sandwich the temple cleansing between the fig tree’s demise?

What qualities of Jesus stand out to you in this passage?

Connect the withered fig tree to having faith in your prayers.

What conditions of effective prayer are found in vv22-25?

List one right application and one wrong application of the promises in vv22-25.

What would you have to change to bear more fruit for Jesus? What’s one step you can take to become more fruitful?

 

In what ways can you see the Pharisees covering their fruitlessness with flashy foliage?

Anger. Good or Bad? Explain.

What have you done to make Mission Church of the Nazarene a better church?

What amazing answer to prayer can you remember receiving? How much faith did that take?

 

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Here's what we covered on 4/10

List other miracles of Jesus, besides the fig tree, that were destructive.

• Noah's ark. Crossing the Red Sea. Saul/Paul's blindness. The plagues of Egypt. The walls of Jerico's collapse. Casting the deamons into pigs (destroyed the pigs!). The Resurrection of Christ.

What’s up with these “fig tree” verses? 

• Jerimiah 8:13. The tree was good, but only temporarily.
• Hosea 9:10. First fruit of the first season vs. bad fruit after that.
• Micah 7:1. The gathering timing is off, representing godly vs ungodly people.

How do these help validate that Jesus' fig tree incident was not a casual thought?

• It's a comment on the Jewish nation. They are in the same situation.
• It's a parable of justice and Jesus cleaning the Temple is an example for the disciples.

What’s uncommon about v14?

• It points out that all the disciples heard Jesus.

Why is the fact that it’s not “fig season” of significance?

• This is directed to the Jewish leadership and us as Christians as well: There is no off-season for production of fruit of the Spirit.
• Luke 13 also uses a fig tree.
• This is found with "faith moving mountains" in Matthew.
• It's not a judgment on the tree. The tree represents Jewish leadership.
• It's a training exercise for the disciples.
• The focus of this miracle is judgement.