Passion Week - Holy Tuesday

 

As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:20-25 ESV).

 

Tuesday of Passion Week is often simply called “Holy Tuesday. If the most accepted dates are correct, it is March 31^st, 33 AD. The disciples point to the withered fig tree that Jesus had cursed the day before. Jesus gives his disciples a simple lesson from it: Have faith in God. In particular, he says, if they have faith without doubting they can throw even the mountains into the sea. Perhaps if this was post Pentecost the disciples would have understood this saying better. Jesus was not teaching them they would possess some mystical power to curse fig trees or crumble mountains. There is something much bigger at stake than this. And, he closes the teaching with a lesson about forgiveness (v. 25). Jesus is teaching them that the greater miracles are built on their relationship to Him. Further, he is reminding them that this relationship will begin with forgiveness as well as continue with it. In short, failing to forgive looms as a bigger obstacle to answered prayer than a mountain. The disciples will soon face great challenges to their faith and their ability to forgive.

 

As they approach the Holy City, the events from the day before could not have been far from their minds. As Jesus enters the Temple Mount, crowds gather to hear him teach (Luke 21:38), and the chief priests, scribes, and elders waste no time in making their move. They will try to lay four traps to catch him in some unforgiveable heresy: first, they question His authority (cf. Mark 11:28); second, they question His loyalty (cf. Mark 12:13-17); third, they question Him about a controversial question about marriage in heaven (cf. Mark 12:18-27); and, fourth, they question Him about the commandments (cf. Mark 12:28-34). He turns the tables on them launching a lengthy, scathing critique of the scribes and Pharisees, pronouncing seven woes of judgment upon these “hypocrites” and “blind guides” (cf. Mark 12:38–40). If there was any doubt as to Jesus’ intentions, agenda, or goals, they are removed completely now. He has no desire to ally himself with the current leadership. He has come to overthrow their authority. There’s no way both sides can survive the escalating conflict.

 

With another tension-filled day behind them, Jesus and the disciples begin to head back to Bethany. They stop on the Mount of Olives to rest, giving them a wonderful view of

Jerusalem as the sun begins to set behind it in the west. The disciples marvel at the size and the grandeur of these impressive buildings, but Jesus tells them that a day is soon coming when not a single stone will be left upon another. He goes on to explain that his followers will experience increasing persecution and tribulation, leading up to the final Day of Judgment. Their task is to remain vigilant and persist in faith. Tuesday is now done. But Friday is coming. This is not the flannel-board Jesus some of us learned as children. This is the real, historical Jesus: fully in control as he responds with grace and truth to traps on all sides. He knows what he is doing. And he knows what is coming. Every word and every step is for the fame of his Father’s name and the salvation of those willing to pick up their cross and die with him. Our question today is the same as with those first disciples. Are we willing to have faith without doubting? The answer must be yes.