And seeing a fig tree afar off,.... By the wayside, at some distance from him:having leaves; very large and spreading, which made a great show, as if there might be fruit on it:he came; unto it; either he went out of his way to it, or having seen it before him a good way off, at length came up to itif haply he might find any thing thereon; that is, any fruit; for he saw at a distance, there were leaves upon it; and which was the more remarkable, since it was the time of the fig tree just putting forth its tender branches, leaves, and fruit:and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; no fruit at all upon it, contrary to his expectation as man, and the promising appearance the tree made:for the time of figs was not [yet]; or, "for it was not the time of figs"; for the word "yet", is not in the text: and the words seem rather to be a reason, why Christ should not have expected fruit on it, than that he should: but the sense is, either because the time of gathering figs was not come; and since therefore they were not gathered, he might the rather hope to find some on it; or because it was not a kind season for figs, a good fig year; and this tree appearing in such a flourishing condition, might raise his expectation of finding fruit, yet he found none but leaves only; because it was so bad a season for figs, that even the most promising trees had none upon them: or this, tree being of an uncommon sort, though Christ expected to find no fruit on other trees, because the time of common: figs was not come, yet he might hope to, find some on this.
Bible Commentary
Mark 11:13
Mark 11:13
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain
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Mark 11 — OverviewMark 11 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleWe are now come to the Passion-Week, the week in which Christ died, and
the great occurrences of that week. I. Christ's riding in triumph into
Jerusalem, ver. 1-11. II. His cursing the barren fig-tree, ver. 12-14.…Mark 11 — OverviewMark 11 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeMark 11:1, Christ rides with triumph into Jerusalem; Mark 11:12, curses the fruitless fig-tree; Mark 11:15, purges the temple; Mark 11:20, exhorts his disciples to stedfastness of faith, and to forgive their enemies;…Mark 11:12-26Mark 11:12-26 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleHere is, I. Christ's cursing the fruitless fig-tree. He had a
convenient resting-place at Bethany, and therefore thither he went at
resting-time; but his work lay at Jerusalem, and thither therefore he
returned…Mark 11:13Mark 11:13 · Treasury of Scripture Knowledgeseeing: Matthew 21:19; Luke 13:6-9
a fig tree: The fig-tree, συκεη: strong:G4808, is a genus of the polygamia triζcia: class of plants, seldom rising above twelve feet, but sending off from the bottom many spreading…