Tuesday of Holy Week
Pastor, Bishop emerita Jāna Jēruma-Grīnberga
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The next day, when [Jesus and the disciples] went out from Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to it to find something, and when he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He addressed it, saying: “May no one ever again eat fruit from you!” And his disciples heard it. (Mark 11:12-14)
Early in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered to its very roots. And Peter, remembering, said to him: “Rabbi, look, the fig tree you cursed has withered.” Jesus answered them: “Have faith in God! (Mark 11:20-22)
It is Holy Week. That is what we call it in Latvia — elsewhere it is Holy Week, the Week of Mourning (Karwoche), and so on; and if we follow the events of this week in the Gospels — from the moment when Jesus, sitting on the back of a donkey, rides into Jerusalem on Palm or Pussy-willow Sunday until the cross on Good Friday — then we see that it is hard to describe it as ‘quiet.’ Jesus goes back and forth between Jerusalem and Bethany, in the temple he comes into conflict with the merchants and the temple authorities, he speaks with the people; and on one of these journeys, most likely on the Tuesday of Holy Week, this strange, baffling encounter with the fig tree takes place. It is not the season for figs; after all, it is spring. The fig tree is not at fault for having no fruit, and yet Jesus curses it. Is it really so simple that Jesus — the God-man who is on his way to a struggle with an existential, evil darkness — has longed to taste the sweet, juicy fruit of the fig one last time? And, seeing that the tree has only foliage, he flies into a fit of anger and condemns the tree to death, just as he himself is condemned to death on the cross?
Perhaps there is another explanation, too: in the Old Testament, the spiritual barrenness of Israel is compared several times to a barren vine, or to a fig tree.
I will pluck them,
so that they are no more,
says the Lord,
there are no grapes on the vine,
no figs on the fig tree,
the leaves have withered
and what I gave,
is gone!” (Book of Jeremiah 8:13)
Perhaps with his so sudden and sharp action Jesus is pointing out to the disciples how important it is to be spiritually fruitful? That a lush, green canopy of leaves, an outward splendor, is not enough if it does not bear tasty, sweet fruit that can also nourish and strengthen others? Jesus answers the disciples who accompany him on this way to Jerusalem and who point to the withered fig tree: “Have faith in God!”
Have faith, even though the coming days and weeks will be tragic, fateful, traumatic, and finally also overflowing with joy, and your emotions and faith will be tested to the breaking point. Have faith, even though you do not yet understand what exactly to believe and where it will lead you.
Have faith in such a way that your faith bears fruit tenfold, a hundredfold, and a thousandfold.
Have faith. Simply have faith in God, and have faith in me.
God the Creator,
God the Redeemer,
God the Protector,
grant me a believing, trusting, and steadfast heart,
that my faith may be strong and fruitful like the fig tree.
Give me strength to follow You
through doubt to clarity,
through darkness to light,
through death to life. Amen.
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Illustration: Arta Skuja. Fig Leaf, 2026
