HOLY MONDAY
MARK 11:12-19
12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. 19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
(Verses 12-14)
The morning after Palm Sunday Jesus returns with his disciples to Jerusalem. On their way, Jesus cursed a fig tree because it had failed to bear fruit. This fig tree, with only fig leaves, represented something very important to the mission Jesus came to fulfill. Back in Genesis 3:7 when Adam and Eve disobeyed the Lord they realized their nakedness and fear set in. They sewed fig leaves together to cover that which they were now ashamed of. God finds them in the garden and when Adam said they were afraid because they were naked God responded with, “Who told you that?” At this moment in Genesis, the Gospel message is first mentioned when God tells the serpent that through woman will come The One who will crush the head of the serpent. When Jesus saw this fig tree full of leaves and no fruit, it was a reminder of the fear & shame that humanity was dealing with due to the lies of the enemy. When Jesus curses the tree it is a foreshadowing of Him cursing the curse. We know Galatians 3:13 tells us that anyone who hangs on a tree is cursed… but Jesus hung on a tree to curse the curse of sin & shame once and for all. This Monday morning was pointing to Good Friday when the curse would be Finished.
(Verses 15-19)
When Jesus arrived at the Temple in Jerusalem, he found the temple courts basically turned into a flea market. He started flipping tables, cracking a whip and clearing the Temple, saying, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” This again points to what would come after the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Fifty days later, at the feast of pentecost, He would send His Holy Spirit to fill believers and do spiritually to our temples(bodies) what He did in the physical temple. His Spirit is on the way to remove anything that would hinder us from being people of prayer in restored communion with God.
Take time to thank God for the redemption that this Holy Monday was setting up for us through Christ Alone.
Grace & Peace,
-Voyage Church