The Curse of the Fig Tree
I think we all remember the curse of the fig tree. It's a passage that sticks with you. Often though, we tend to skip right over the meat and jump straight into the dessert. As I reflect back to my own Bible studies with seasoned disciples, even they got this wrong!
This is how almost all Christians hear Jesus' explanation: "...whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."
Or the short version is "You can move mountains". We want that to be true! That puts the very power of God in our hands. The right way to approach this is to ask yourself: "Is God giving me this power to wield at my will?" Your correct response has to be: "Of course, not!".
There is so much wrong with the interpretation "You can move mountains". Notice the focus on "YOU". That should be the first clue. Why is this interpretation a real problem (and why we feel the need to nip it in the bud)? Someone believes in Jesus and prays and prays for something to happen and it doesn't? Instead of readdressing the meaning within the context of the passage, the faith of that person is damaged. That is the danger of teaching the wrong interpretation - the destruction of faith when it doesn't happen.
Notes to the Curse of the Fig Tree
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