Mark 11:12-21; Luke 13; 14; 15
We have now seen how this most singular miracle depicted the final probation of Jerusalem, the city of religious flesh under law. It brought forth no fruit to God, only sin, and therefore could only be accursed; and it is so judged that there can be no fruit on it forever.
We will ask you to look at another scripture to see how this is. “For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” (Gal. 3:10.) Does not this make the whole miracle clear? They, the one nation, the one fig-tree, were of the works of the law. Of this they made their boast—they did not continue in all things written in the law to do them. There was no fruit. Nothing but leaves. This is what man was in the flesh under law. Therefore according to what was written in the law, they could only be pronounced accursed*, If they looked back there was nothing but failure and sin. If they looked forward there should be no fruit for evermore, they were under the curse, withered up from the root. What a fact! The flesh would be tested no longer—as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse. And there was no escape but by redemption. Therefore the apostle says, speaking of the Jews, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.” How could this be done? Oh, hearken to. the awful answer, “being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” Gal. 3:13.
What a place did the holy One of God take, not only for the Jews who were under law, but “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.” For it is written, in another scripture,” For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Cor. 5:21.
We would now ask your attention to the remarkable order of this subject, in the Gospel of Luke. In chapter 13:6-9, we have the parable of the fig-tree, which helps us to understand the miracle, only in a much wider range than Jerusalem. Still it is God coming to man, seeking fruit, and finding none. For three years he had sought fruit and found none; then “cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?” It is let alone the fourth year, until all should be done to it that could be done. “And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that, thou shalt cut it down.” Thus has man been fully tested for four thousand years. Could more have been done for man to produce fruit in the flesh, if any good could be found in him, than had been done, especially in the last thousand years? From the days of David, men had the Psalms, Moses, the law and the prophets; and last of all the Eternal Son Himself came down from heaven; but He found no fruit. Thus the four thousand years of man’s probation were consummated. Man had been fully tried, and nothing-found but sin, and hatred to God. Man was proved guilty, and only guilty—under sin, under judgment. No fruit henceforth forever from the utterly withered fig-tree, withered to the very roots—under judgment, but its execution delayed.
Then in Luke 14, it is not God coming seeking fruit, but spreading a feast for man, when man had no fruit for God! The great supper of a complete and eternal salvation is spread. Is not this worthy of God? And he “sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready.” Will not the whole human race at once accept such unbounded, unconditional kindness as this—nothing required, all provided? Did they come? Not one. Have you, reader? Were you better than they? “They all with one consent began to make excuse.” What a revelation of the heart of man. No heart for the costly feast of God. Does this exhaust the rich display of the free favor of the infinite Provider? No. “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.” It was done; but this did not satisfy the heart of God. Again He says, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” Have you, dear reader, been compelled to taste, yea, to feast on the riches of His grace? Then you will understand if we go a step further.
He who came desiring fruit in chapter 13, is the infinite Provider in chapter 14. In chap. 15. He Himself becomes the Seeker of the lost. And remember that the lost one, after four thousand years, had no fruit, no savor for God. Leaves there were—plenty of profession. The very people who heard His words should have been, with all their privileges, the salt of the earth. Jesus said, “Salt is good; but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dung-hill, but men cast it out.” This is what sin has made man to be. Not worth throwing on the dung-hill. Oh, only fit for everlasting burning. “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.” Did they feel that the words of Jesus had revealed the true condition of their own sinful state? They were attracted to Him. Do you believe these words of Jesus—that not only is there in you, that is in your state by nature, no fruit, but that you cannot be made useful to produce fruit in others: fit for nothing but to be cast away as loathsome? If so, you will be attracted to Jesus, and hear His wondrous words. Of course, the religious pharisee will turn from all this with disgust and murmur now, as then. Now turn to chapter 15.
“What a revelation of God the Seeker. The Trinity is occupied in seeking the lost, so lost that he had no fruit, and no desire or appetite for the free-favor feast. Is it true of you? Have you an ear to hear? Are you that lost sheep, so utterly lost? Are you that fig-tree withered by sin to the roots? Have you thus judged yourself in the presence of infinite grace? Do you say, “I was not aware that I was so bad. I thought if I became religious there would be holiness, and fruit to God, and so at last I should be fit for heaven: at least I have hoped so. But if this is the teaching of the Lord Jesus, I must be greatly mistaken?” Dear friend, can there be a doubt that this is the teaching of the Lord? are they not His words? What we need is to have an ear to hear, and he whose ear is open, let him hear. Whether man knows it or not, this is his true state by nature, dead in trespasses and sins; withered from the roots. Tried in every way for four thousand years, and God found no fruit. And from that sinful withered nature, there shall be no fruit henceforth forever—“not fit for the land, nor yet for the dung-hill.”
And to such God spread the richest feast that was ever made in the universe—the glorious feast of His great and eternal salvation. And so vile was man, that he utterly despised it! And, reader, “thou art the man!” Thou hast made light of it. Didst thou never prefer a novel, a tale, the pleasures and sins of this world, to Christ, the salvation-feast of God? Ah, all the world stands guilty before God. And if all the world, then you, and I.
But, has God left us, as justly He might, to perish forever in our wanderings? Chapter 15 is the answer of infinite sovereign grace. Yes, what sovereign love, for the Son of God as the Shepherd, to come down from the glory He had with the Father, to seek that lost despiser! There he is, as far as he can get from God. No heart for God. Withered, no power to get back to God. Is your ear opened to hear Him? Is your eye opened, the eye of faith, to see Him? Then see Him come to seek and to save that which was lost. Do you believe Him? Then see how He sought you until he found you. Have you sinned? He sought you even there. He bare your sins in His own body on the tree. Were you withered from the roots, dead in sin as to your state? He was made sin for you. Did He not seek you until He found you? But all was on His part; you did not seek Him, you did not want Him. He sought you; He wanted you; and He laid you on His shoulders never to part with you, until He has you at home. And then will He not rejoice? All heaven will hear Him say, “Rejoice with me.”
Does this lead you to repentance? Is your mind now changed about yourself? Do you abhor yourself not only for what you have done, but because of what you are in your very sinful nature, a nature that can yield no fruit to God? If there be fruit, it must be in a new nature, yea, be the fruit of the Spirit dwelling in you. But still more, is your mind changed about God—that He is not the Requirer seeking fruit, but the Giver, in infinite love, seeking the lost? Can you now rest on the shoulder of Jesus? He will hold you fast. Oh, trust His infinite love and power.
And further, as the woman sought the lost piece of silver, so has the Holy Spirit come down from heaven to seek you; still God the Seeker, in sovereign grace seeking His lost ones. Has He found you? Has He revealed to you the value of redemption?
And still further, have you ever met the Father? Have you ever owned your sins to Him? He saw you a great way off! He is the Seeker, and the Receiver now—result of the work of the Shepherd that died for the lost sheep; result of the work of the Spirit’s light, or revelation of Christ the light, to the dark lost soul. Joy, joy, the Father embraces the lost son, once withered from the roots by sin in Satan’s, far country. He receives the beggar of the dunghill, to inherit the throne of princes. And now the Seeker is the Giver. But oh, is that best robe put upon you? Is the ring of everlasting love on you? Are the shoes, power and fitness for walk, on you? Is the Father’s house on high your happy home? Are you thus made fit for it? Glorious grace. Grace to the fruitless, grace to the withered up from the roots. Grace now, grace for evermore. C. S.