ACC ~ Matthew 21 v19

THE FIG TREE WITHERED

CHRYSOSTOM: It was not his will to exhibit his anger upon men. Rather upon the plant he furnished the proof of his might in taking vengeance. But when such things are done, whether to places, or to plants, or to brutes, do not be overly curious about the divine will. Do not say, “Was it just that the fig tree withered?” especially if it was not yet the time of figs. This sort of question is the utmost trifling. [1] Just behold the miracle and admire and glorify the worker of it. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 67.1. [2]

[1] Mark 11:13 points out that it was not yet time for the figs to be mature. Chrysostom notes the apparent contradiction with respect to the observation made in Matthew and resolves it by accusing the disciples of inconsistency in asking whether the fig tree had borne fruit out of season. In fact the episode, easy to interpret allegorically (see the following excerpts from Augustine and the Incomplete Work on Matthew), presents difficulties in the literal sense: Why would Jesus punish the tree if it were natural to have fruit out of season?

[2] PG 58:633-34; NPNF 1 10:410.

NOTHING BUT LEAVES

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: “And seeing a fig tree alongside the path, he approached it and found nothing on it except leaves.” The fig tree represents the synagogue, for the great many seeds dwelling within one rind of the fig tree is like the great many faithful men living in the one house of the synagogue, as it is written: “God who causes them to dwell single-mindedly in one house.” [1] Observe how the leaves of the fig tree are formed to resemble human hands. The greenness of its leaves is like the mere appearance of holiness among men who are full of religious words but lack the fruit of good works. The sentient tree then [is] the religious person who professes to be a man of God but fails to perform works of righteousness. [He] is like a leafy tree which bears no fruit, concerning whom the apostle prophesied: “In the last days there will be lovers of self, lusting after money, arrogant, prideful, disobedient to their elders, preferring their own will over the will of God, having the appearance of piety but denying its power.” [2] … The path along which the fig tree was discovered represents the world. Christ was unable to find any fruit among the Jews because they had been living alongside the world, which is to say that they had been living according to the world. The world is the common path along which everyone travels who has ever been born, as we indicated in our treatment of the parable of the sower. The faithful man, then, the sentient tree, will never be able to bear the fruits of righteousness if he lives in proximity to the world. HOMILY 39. [3]

[1] Cf. Ps 68:7 (67:7 LXX).

[2] 2 Tim 3:1-5.

[3] PG 56:844-45.

THE FAILURE TO PRODUCE FRUIT

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: It was not because Christ cursed it that the tree produced no fruit; instead, because the tree first produced no fruit, Christ cursed it to ensure that it would produce no leaves. Likewise, it wasn’t because God abandoned them that the Jews squandered his righteousness; rather, because they failed to produce the fruits of righteousness, God abandoned them to ensure that they would not have the appearance or reputation of righteousness. Just as it would have been better had there never been a tree at all than for there to have been a tree which produced no fruit according to its kind, so also would it have been better had there never been a man of God than for there to have been a man of God who did not live in accordance with God. If those who are not yours in the first place fail to obey you, you suffer nothing. You will suffer severely, however, if the one who belongs to you despises you and serves another instead. In this way, God’s wrath was not kindled nearly as much by the fact that people who were strangers to him openly served the devil as it was by the sight of his own possession doing the devil’s will. HOMILY 39. [1]

[1] PG 56:846.

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