Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 21:20
And when the disciples saw [it,] they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
20. they marvelled ] It was rather the power and wonder of the act than the deeper significance of it that moved the disciples. The miracle was to them an “act of power” ( ), or a “wonder” ( ), rather than a “sign” ( ). Yet Jesus follows the turn their thoughts take, and teaches that prayer and faith will remove mountains of difficulty, see ch. Mat 17:20.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 20. How soon is the fig tree withered away!] We often say to our neighbours, “How suddenly this man died! Who could have expected it so soon?” But who takes warning by these examples? What we say to-day of OTHERS, may be said to-morrow of OURSELVES. Be ye also ready! Lord, increase our faith!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And when the disciples saw it,…. The next day in the morning, as Mark says: they had, heard what Christ had said to it the day before, as the same evangelist observes; but did not take notice of the immediate withering of the tree; but the next morning, as they returned from Bethany, they saw it dried up from the roots:
they marvelled; not that Christ should curse it, but that it should wither away so soon, and upon his saying what he did; which was a considerable instance of his power and Godhead, all creatures, animate and inanimate, being at his command and disposal:
saying, how soon is the fig tree withered away? This was said by Peter, in the name of the rest, who recollecting what Jesus had said to it the day before, and observing how the event had answered his words so soon, addressed Christ after this manner: “master, behold the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away”; expressing his wonder at it, and ascribing, it to the power of Christ; of which this was an amazing proof and evidence.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Before you can say ‘come, ‘ and ‘go, ‘ And breathe twice; and cry ‘so so; ‘ Each one tripping on his toe Will be here. ”
Tempest, 4 1.
Compare ver. 20. “How did the fig – tree immediately wither away?” Rev.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
(20) And when the disciples saw it.Here again St. Marks narrative (Mar. 11:20-21) seems at once the fullest and the most precise. As he relates the facts, the disciples did not perceive that the fig-tree was withered away till they passed by on the following morning. Peter then remembered what had been said the day before, and, as the spokesman of the rest, drew his Masters attention to the fact. The immediate withering may have been inferred from its completeness when seen, or its beginning may have been noticed by some at the time.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Tuesday of Passion Week.
20. And when On Tuesday, the next morning after the cursing of the fig tree. They spent the night at Bethany, and were on their return to the city. They are struck with the suddenness of the fig tree’s withering, and Peter (Mar 11:21) calls our Lord’s attention to it.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, “How did the fig tree immediately wither away?”
The fact that its speedy withering was an unusual occurrence is brought out by the disciples’ question. They marvelled that the fig tree had already withered away. The rate at which it had withered clearly seemed to them unnatural.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The lesson of the dry tree:
v. 20. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig-tree withered away!
v. 21. Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig-tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, it shall be done.
v. 22. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. On Tuesday morning the attention of the disciples was drawn to the single fig-tree, standing there with its leaves all shriveled up, Mar 11:20. They expressed their surprise to Jesus, who then gave them a lesson drawn from this incident, similar to that of Mat 17:20. Faith in God is essential for the disciple of Christ, absolute trust in the almighty power of God, who has all creation in His hand. It must be a faith without the slightest doubt in the efficacy of prayer, with full reliance upon the omnipotence of God, upon God’s command and promise, chapter 17:20. To such a faith the matter of the fig-tree is a small matter, not really worth speaking about. To such a faith the removing of mountains, the rooting up of mountains, such as the Mount of Olives, is a thing of certainty. All difficulties, all perplexities, must yield before the conquering power of faith. And it is the faith in the merciful willingness of God that is the chief essential of the correct, the efficacious prayer. Christ ever and again emphasizes these two points: unwavering faith and importunate persistence.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
20 And when the disciples saw it , they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
Ver. 20. They marvelled, saying, &c. ] And well they might, for no conjurer, with all his skill, could have caused this fig tree so suddenly to wither, with a word speaking. For the fig tree is the most juicy of any tree, and bears the brunt of winter blasts. Yea, Plutarch tells us that there issueth from the fig tree such a strong and most vehement virtue, as that if a bull be tied unto it for some while he becomes tame and tractable, though he were never so fierce and fell before. No wonder therefore though the disciples wondered at so sudden an alteration.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 21:20 . , etc.: the disciples wondered at the immediate withering of the tree. Did they expect it to die, as a diseased tree, gradually?
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat 21:20-22
20Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?” 21And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’it will happen. 22And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Mat 21:21 “Truly” See note and Special Topic at Mat 5:18.
“if” This is a third class conditional sentence which meant potential future action.
“have faith and do not doubt” This theme is crucial (cf. Mat 17:20; Jas 1:6-8) because the new age of the Spirit is different from the current evil age. It is an age of faith/trust in God, His word, and His Son! This verse does not relate to the will of individual believers, but to the revealed will of God acted out in life. Israel failed the faith test! There were consequences to this failure! This event is theologically parallel to the cleansing of the temple earlier in the chapter.
“this mountain” This referred to the Mt. of Olives, which would have been in clear view.
“the sea” This referred to the Dead Sea, also visible from the Mt. of Olives. In the OT this action of lowering the mountains and raising the valleys was usually associated with the Gentiles having physical access to YHWH in Jerusalem. The context then should not be interpreted as advocating power miracles through faith but is idiomatic of spiritual access to God for the Gentiles which the Jewish leaders actions had stifled (i.e., court of Gentiles used primarily for merchant booths). This context must be seen as one of a series of rejection passages (Mat 21:12-17; Mat 21:28-46; Mat 22:1-14).
Mat 21:22 “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” Notice the unconditional promise linked to mankind’s conditional response. This was a quite common way to express biblical truth but it is difficult for western-oriented people, who like clear cut black and white statements, to deal with biblical, dialectical paradoxes. Answered prayer must be linked to God’s will and mankind’s faith (compare Mat 18:19; Joh 14:13-14; Joh 15:7; Joh 15:16; Joh 16:23; 1Jn 3:22; 1Jn 5:14-15 with Mat 7:7-8; Luk 11:5-13; Luk 18:1-14; Mar 11:23-24; and Jas 1:6-7; Jas 4:3).
The worst thing that God could do for faithless children is answer their selfish, materialistic requests. Those believers who seek the mind of Christ ask for things that please God and extend His kingdom. See Special Topic on Prayer at Mat 18:19.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
How soon, &c. Figure of speech Erotesis (in wonder). App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
How: Isa 40:6-8, Mar 11:20, Mar 11:21, Jam 1:10, Jam 1:11
Reciprocal: Dan 4:26 – the heavens Mat 7:19 – bringeth Luk 13:6 – fig tree
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1:20
This verse indicates that the disciples made their remark at the time when Jesus pronounced the curse upon the tree, but according to Mar 11:20-21 it was the next day. However, our verse does not disagree with that for it only says “when the disciples saw it,” meaning the complete withering away of the tree, and that could have been the next day. Hence we should understand the word presently in the preceding verse to have been used in a figurative or comparative sense.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
The disciples being filled with admiration at the sudden withering of the fig-tree, thereupon our Saviour exhorts them to have faith in God; that is, firmly to rely upon the power of God whereby he is able, upon the goodness of God whereby he is willing, to perform his promises to us.
Learn, 1. That faith is a necessary ingredient in prayer. Praying without faith, is like shooting without a bullet; it makes a noise, but doth no execution.
2. That whatsoever good thing God has made the matter of a promise, shall be given to good men, praying in faith. Whatsoever ye ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Yet, Note, That the faith here promised to root up mountains, must be restrained to that age of miracles, and to the persons to whom this was spoken, namely, the apostles and first propagators of the gospel; it being certain from experience, this is no ordinary and perpetual gift of Christians.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
CVII.
FINDING THE FIG-TREE WITHERED.
(Road from Bethany to Jerusalem, Tuesday, April 4, A. D. 30.)
aMATT. XXI. 20-22; bMARK XI. 19-25; cLUKE XXI. 37, 38.
c37 And every day he was teaching in the temple [he was there Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, but he seems to have spent Wednesday and Thursday in Bethany]; and every night {bevening} he went forth out out of the city. cand lodged in the mount that is called Olivet. [As Bethany was on the Mount of Olives, this statement leaves us free to suppose that he spent his nights there, but it is not likely that he retired to any one house or place continuously, for had he done so the rulers could easily have ascertained his whereabouts and arrested him.] 38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, to hear him. [The enthusiasm of the triumphal entry did not die out in a day: Jesus was still the center of observation.] b20 And as they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots. [It was completely withered–dead root and branch. We have observed before, Jam 4:2, Jam 4:3), or which it is unwise for us to seek ( 2Co 12:7-9), nor must we selfishly run counter to the will of God ( Luk 22:42, 1Jo 5:14, 1Jo 5:15), nor must we expect that God shall perform a miracle for us, for miracles have ceased–in short, we [584] must pray to God in full remembrance of the relationship between us, we must consider that he is the Ruler and we his subjects, and are not to think for one moment that by faith we can alter this eternal, unchangeable relation. The disciples whom Jesus addressed were very soon to enter upon a task which would seem to them as difficult as the removal of mountains. The license and immorality of paganism, and the bigotry and prejudice of Judaism, would seem insurmountable obstacles in their pathway to success. They needed to be assured that the power of faith was superior to all these adverse forces, and that the judgments of God could accomplish in a moment changes which apparently could not be wrought out in the tedious course of years. As we to-day look back upon this promise of Christ we can see that the mountains then standing have, indeed, been removed; and that which seemed vigorous and flourishing has been blasted in a day.] b25 And whensoever ye stand [a customary attitude– Luk 18:13] praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. [Forgiveness has already been enjoined (see pp. 253, 254). Here our Lord emphasizes the need of forgiveness because he had just performed a miracle of judgment, and he wished his disciples to understand that they must not exercise their miraculous gifts with a vengeful, unforgiving spirit. They must suffer evil and not retaliate with miracles of judgment.] [585]
[FFG 583-585]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
THE WITHERING OF THE FIG-TREE
Mat 21:20-22; Mar 11:20-26. And early in the morning, they, passing by, saw the fig-tree withered from its roots. The withering was so decisive that even the trunk of the tree dried up, as you see, from its roots, thus symbolizing the awful fate of the hypocrite, destined one day suddenly and decisively to wither away. Beware, lest the Lord come to you and find nothing but leaves? And Peter, remembering, says to Him, Master, see, the fig-tree which Thou didst anathematize is withered away.
And Jesus, responding, says to him, have the faith of God. There is a difference between faith in God and the faith of God, the latter being a perfect faith, admitting no admixture of doubt. In justification, we have faith in God; while entire sanctification, eliminating all doubt and every other phase of depravity, is characterized by the faith of God. Here, Jesus imputes wonderful efficiency to the faith of God.
For truly I say unto you, whosoever may say to this mountain, Be thou plucked up, and be thou east into the sea, and may not doubt in his heart, but believe that whatsoever he says is done, it shall be to him whatsoever he may say. They were then walking along on Mount Olivet, the highest in Southern Palestine, and here pointed out by the Savior in order to illustrate the miraculous availability of prayer, as it is His custom in all His ministry to illustrate spiritual things by temporal. Just as if great Mount Olivet were lifted up and plunged into the midst of the sea, so towering mountains of sin, responsive to the faith of God, are lifted clearly away and dropped down into the sea of forgetfulness.
Therefore I say unto you that all things, so many as you ask for, praying, believe that thou receive, and it shall be unto you. While prayer in the Divine order is the invariable antecedent to the blessings involved in the gracious economy, yet we must remember that we do not receive what we pray for, but what we believe for, faith being the measuring-line of our reception from God. Then what is the utility of prayer? It is to bring us up to believing ground. Hence prayer and filth are like the two oars of the boat which row us across the river. The genuine faith of God is very scarce upon the earth, and it is because there is not enough o genuine, importunate prayer. We must so pray into the Divine presence and get in touch with the Almighty that the Holy Ghost will inspire our prayers as well as our faith. In a mysterious way we must sink into God, utterly abandoned to His will for time and eternity, getting away from self and humanity where we can fall prostrate on the great and precious promises, and there abide at the feet of Jesus, so illuminated and inspired by the Holy Ghost that we can receive and appropriate His infallible promises, and get where we can ask Him for great and wonderful achievements in the spiritual kingdom without wavering or doubting, and thus, by importunate prayer and indefatigable faith, take the kingdom of heaven by violence. Matthew says, in this connection: Verily I say unto you, If you have faith and doubt not, you shall not only do that of the fig-tree, but you may say to this mountain, Be thou plucked up and cast into the sea, and it shall be done.
In the case of the fig-tree, the withering came instantly and complete.
Mat 11:25. And when you may stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; in order that your Father who is in the heavens may forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in the heavens forgive your trespasses. Thus, you see, an unforgiving spirit is an effectual barricade against prevailing prayer.
You must not only clear away all obstructions by forgiving everybody, but in total and eternal abandonment to God so sink away into His will, losing sight of everything else, that the Holy Spirit will be pleased to confer the omnipotent grace of prevailing prayer and faith, putting you where you can ask and believe that He doeth it. This is the wonderful secret of bringing heaven down to earth. Lord, help us all to learn it!
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Mark separated the cursing of the tree and the disciples’ discovery that it had withered by one day (Mar 11:13; Mar 11:20). Matthew simply combined both events into one story without saying anything that would make Mark’s account incompatible.
Jesus’ response has led some commentators to conclude that what He was teaching with the cursing of the fig tree was simply the importance of faith, not God’s judgment on Israel. [Note: E.g., Walvoord, Matthew: . . ., p. 159-60.] However this seems unlikely to me in view of the preceding context and the symbolism of the fig tree. It seems to me that Jesus was teaching both lessons. The disciples’ amazement that the fig tree had withered so quickly led Jesus to comment on that lesson but not on the other. He used the miracle to teach them a lesson on the power of believing prayer.
Jesus had exercised faith in God when He cursed the tree. God had rewarded Jesus’ trust by killing the tree. Jesus pointed out that trust in God can have amazing consequences. The hyperbolic figure of casting a mountain into the sea was one that Jesus had used before to illustrate the power of faith (Mat 17:20). There His point was that even a little faith can accomplish great feats. Here His point was that His disciples should believe God rather than disbelieve Him. The disciples had been observing many doubters in those who did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah in spite of the evidence that God had given them, and they themselves had struggled with doubt. Jesus was urging them to have full confidence in Him as the Messiah with the promise that that kind of faith can accomplish supernatural feats (cf. Act 3:6-7). [Note: See David DeGraaf, "Some Doubts about Doubt: The New Testament Use of Diakrino," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 48:8 (December 2005):733-55.]
". . . belief in the NT is never reduced to forcing oneself to ’believe’ what he does not really believe. Instead, it is related to genuine trust in God and obedience to and discernment of his will . . ." [Note: Carson, "Matthew," p. 446.]
Jesus may have been teaching a deeper lesson with His reference to the mountain cast into the sea. A mountain in the Bible sometimes stands for a kingdom (Psa 30:7; Isa 2:2; Isa 41:15; Jer 51:25; Dan 2:35; Dan 2:44; cf. Rev 8:8; Rev 16:20; Rev 17:9). The sea likewise has the metaphorical meaning of the Gentile nations (Deu 33:19; Psa 72:8; Psa 114:3; Psa 114:5; Isa 11:11; Isa 60:5). Perhaps with this illustration Jesus was anticipating the coming of His kingdom that would destroy Gentile world dominion (cf. Mat 6:10; Dan 2:44-45).
Mat 21:22 assumes what Jesus taught elsewhere about prayer, namely, that God will grant the petitions of His people when they are in harmony with His will (Mat 6:9-13; Mat 7:7-11; cf. Joh 14:13-14; Joh 15:16; Joh 16:23-24; 1Jn 5:14-15). His point was that when we pray we should believe that God can do anything we request and that He will do what is consistent with His will and what He has promised to do. [Note: See Thomas L. Constable, Talking to God: What the Bible Teaches about Prayer, pp. 170-76.]