. The fig tree story is one of my favorites. While it seems looking on the surface of it that Jesus is just hangry… there is always something a little deeper going on. In the Jewish scriptures, the people of Israel are sometimes represented as figs on a fig tree (Hosea 9:10, Jeremiah 24), or a fig tree that bears no fruit (Jeremiah 8:13). In Micah 4:4, the age of the messiah is pictured as one in which each man would sit under his fig tree without fear. But let’s go back to the creation story and subsequent fall for a moment.
The choice is made to choose other than that which is God. Adam and Eve are naked and their eyes are opened and they covered themselves with… get this… fig leaves sown together (Genesis 3:7). Knowing what we know about Jesus, specifically what he revealed about himself on the cross, I submit that Jesus curses the very shame that was a sign of our disobedience. It is the only thing Jesus curses and the story of creation is the story of the logos of God (Jesus) creating. Jesus curses the shame of the fall. This is true, beautiful, and good and fits the scripture narrative.
Fast forward to the temple, and we see Jesus lose it. “My house is a house of prayer and you have turned it into a place of thieves!” He flips a table and drives animals and folks out with a whip. Once again, Israel has placed an assumption on God. That he would be okay with this. That the sacrifices were needed and necessary. While the religious leaders were the ones who added fence laws that made being a good Jew nearly impossible. They assumed a lot about who God was and what he wanted. Even though their prophets have shared that Yahweh desired different things. Yet, they stray and he still chases and loves them. We see Jesus, God in the flesh, reject this notion that people should be kept from coming to him. Their assumption of what is okay drove people from his presence.
We do this. We make a whole lot of assumptions about who God is. What he desires. How to get to a place of his care and blessing. We assume a lot. I sat with a guy recently who assumed the calamity of his life in recent days was a direct punishment for things he did. That the suffering that he was experiencing was determined for him. He assumed this character of God in his own life. To be honest, it broke my heart. Because that isn’t the story of scripture. Christ cursed our shame and assumption from the garden. He flipped the tables of those who assumed in his day. He died a thief’s death, which is what no one assumed was possible for the messiah.
The creator of the universe broke all assumptions when he went to the cross. He broke assumptions of himself when he cursed the very symbol of our shame in the fall. He broke assumptions when he flipped tables and drove those folks out to let people in. It is hard work to rid oneself of assumptions that have built up over time. We all have biases. However, the true, beautiful, and good of Christ is assumption free and speaks to the revealing of the character of God in the crucifixion. So curse the shame you bear and flip the tables of your assumptions of Christ. He wants you to come in.
painting-Anthea Craigmyle - Christ and the money changers

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