The Barren Fig Tree Cursed (Mr 11:12-14).
12. And on the morrow--The Triumphal Entry being on the first day of
the week, this following day was Monday.
when they were come from Bethany--"in the morning"
(Mt 21:18).
he was hungry--How was that? Had he stolen forth from that dear roof
at Bethany to the "mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer
to God?"
(Lu 6:12);
or, "in the morning," as on a former occasion, "risen up a great while
before day, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed"
(Mr 1:35);
not breaking His fast thereafter, but bending His steps straight for
the city, that He might "work the works of Him that sent Him while it
was day?"
(Joh 9:4).
We know not, though one lingers upon and loves to trace out the every
movement of that life of wonders. One thing, however we are sure of--it
was real bodily hunger which He now sought to allay by the fruit
of this fig tree, "if haply He might find any thing thereon"; not a
mere scene for the purpose of teaching a lesson, as some early
heretics maintained, and some still seem virtually to hold.
JFB.
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