Fig Tuesday
Reflections on Holy Week
Holy Week: Holy Tuesday, or as some call it, Fig Tuesday.
“In the morning, as Jesus was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but leaves. And he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’” -Matthew 21:18-19
Jesus then proceeds to teach and prophesy in the temple. His words expose the corrupt ways of the religious leaders who had become greedy, glory-seeking, and man-pleasing. Rather than listen and examine their hearts, they remain blinded by their fear of man and fear of losing control. This fear causes them to miss an opportunity for further revelation from Jesus (verses 23-27).
Fear does that still today.
Jesus alludes back to the fig tree, a prophetic symbol of what can happen when religious leaders lose sight of their purpose, when he says to them in verse 21:43, “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.”
Chapter 23 records some of his harshest warnings to these religious elites. May we all read it slowly and prayerfully, especially those of us who are leaders. And may we allow the Holy Spirit to use it to change us where we need it. Read it on your own, for yourself. I have done so and have included my observations below.
Prayer before reading:
Where the Pharisees hardened their hearts and refused to listen, Lord may we by your grace have soft hearts and ears to hear. Make the warnings in Matthew 23 come alive to us, help us to see what your Spirit is saying. We can’t do it without you.
Things Jesus points out in Matthew 23 about the faith-community leaders of his day that are corrupt (may we examine our hearts):
They didn’t practice what they preached. They focused more on their instructions and teachings to the people than their personal practice and spiritual formation. (v. 2-3)
They had different standards for themselves than the metrics they used to judge others. Subconsciously they made allowances and gave great grace to themselves while sharply rebuking others for even minute matters. (v. 4)
When they did do good, it was motivated by a desire to be seen, esteemed, and applauded by man. (v. 5)
They gave much time and attention to sprucing up their outward appearance while neglecting the true character that God alone can fully see. (v. 5)
They loved and were motivated by honor, praise, and position. They craved human respect and regard above God’s approval, and relished in special titles that would set them apart from their brothers. (v. 6-10)
They were zealous for converts but didn’t disciple them rightly in the upside-down ways of the kingdom of God. Instead, they trained them in the wisdom of man, building and securing their own mini-kingdoms that weren’t much different from the world. (v. 13-15)
They put more emphasis on the gifts of man than the power and presence of the Spirit. (v. 16-17)
They prioritized words and outward deeds more than the motives of the heart, which made those acts and sacrifices sacred. (v. 18-19)
They cherry-picked God’s commands, doing religiously what was convenient to them, and neglecting that which was harder and required more. (v. 23-24)
Actions in the secret place didn’t match what was done in full sight. In private they gave way to self-indulgence and the lust for more, but instead of being honest with their failures, put on a big front of righteousness to the community. (v. 25-28)
They did not self-examine. They assumed they were in the right. They let their position as leaders deceive them into believing God was with them. (v. 29-33)
They would quickly persecute those they saw as “less than”, especially those they could not control or lord over, even when those individuals were telling the truth and following God. (v. 34-36)
May we be careful not to see these warnings as simply fitting for “those Pharisees,” demonizing and “othering” them as if we are above it all. In doing so, we already have become like them. May these warnings from our Lord convict our own hearts more than they cause us to think about someone else who might need to read them. I have written and feel compelled to share this post, but have taken it in deeply for myself with the guidance of the Lord. I pray you do the same, letting him put his finger on any places that need attention, and sitting with it for a while.
Songs for reflection: