Mark 11:20-26

Judgment against the fruitless tree explained Mark 11:20-26: Within about twenty-four hours the fig tree had dried up from the roots. Peter seemed to have been the person that was so impressed with what had happened. He said, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered." (Mark 11:21) The Lord did not curse the fig tree in the sense of using profanity against it. He simply made a pronouncement against the tree that it would never bear fruit again. Jesus wanted the apostles to understand that a lack of faithful obedience had brought Israel to this fruitless condition. How surprised the apostles must have been when Jesus said to them, "Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."

Jesus was not just talking about moving "a mountain," but He said "this mountain." Later all would understand the meaning of the fig tree when they observed the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple on that mountain. Jesus was not giving the apostles or anyone else the power to perform massive and nonsensical miracles. However, Jesus did want the great power of a believer's prayer to be understood. "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." (Mark 11:24) He again stressed the importance of a forgiving spirit if we are to be forgiven and have our prayers answered. If God punished Israel for her fruitlessness how could we expect Him to overlook fruitlessness in our day?