Mark 11:21 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Behold the fig-tree, &c.— Our Lord had said, Mark 11:14. No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. This St. Peter, according to the Jewish manner of speaking concerning things that are barren, calls cursing the fig-tree; (see Hebrews 6:8.) and some ill-disposed readers, not apprehending the proper force of the words, are apt to form a very unbecoming notion of our adorable Lord from this action; but they do so without the least cause, since every thing that he said on this occasion was consistent with the most perfect decency, even in their sense of the word. Moreover, the transaction itself was emblematical and prophetic, prefiguring the speedy ruin of the Jewish nation, on account of its unfruitfulness, under greater advantages than any other people enjoyed at that day; and, like all the rest of his miracles, it was done with a gracious intention, namely, to alarm his countrymen, and induce them to repent. It is observable, that the destruction of the swine, and thisblasting of the fig-tree, are the only instances of punitive miracles in the whole course of our Saviour's ministry, notwithstanding they do not appear to have been injurious. The case of the swine we have already considered; and with respect to the fig-tree, St. Matthew informs us, Matthew 21:19 that it was in the way, that is, in the common road, and therefore, probably, no particular person's property; but if it was, being barren, the timber might be as serviceable to the owner as before. So that here was no real injury; but Jesus was pleased to make use of this innocent miracle for the valuable purposes above suggested, as well as to teach his disciples the efficacy of a strong and lively f