Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 21].
misery, the Hebrew means. But the home of Martha and Mary and
Lazarus there was a house of solace and comfort to Jesus during
this week of destiny. He {lodged there} (\•ulisth• ekei\) whether
at the Bethany home or out in the open air. It was a time of
crisis for all.
21:18 {He hungered} (\epeinasen\). Ingressive aorist indicative,
became hungry, felt hungry (Moffatt). Possibly Jesus spent the
night out of doors and so had no breakfast.
21:19 {A fig tree} (\suk•n mian\). "A single fig tree" (Margin of
Rev. Version). But \heis\ was often used = \tis\ or like our
indefinite article. See Mt 8:10; 26:69. The Greek has strictly
no indefinite article as the Latin has no definite article. {Let
there be no fruit from thee henceforward for ever} (\ou m•keti
sou karpos gen•tai eis ton ai•na\). Strictly speaking this is a
prediction, not a prohibition or wish as in Mr 11:14 (optative
\phagoi\). "On you no fruit shall ever grow again" (Weymouth).
The double negative \ou m•\ with the aorist subjunctive (or
future indicative) is the strongest kind of negative prediction.
It sometimes amounts to a prohibition like \ou\ and the future
indicative (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 926f.). The early figs
start in spring before the leaves and develop after the leaves.
The main fig crop was early autumn (Mr 11:14). There should
have been figs on the tree with the crop of leaves. It was a
vivid object lesson. Matthew does not distinguish between the two
mornings as Mark does (Mr 11:13,20), but says "immediately"
(\parachr•ma\) twice (21:19,20). This word is really \para to
chr•ma\ like our "on the spot" (Thayer). It occurs in the papyri
in monetary transactions for immediate cash payment.
21:21 {Doubt not} (\m• diakrith•te\). First aorist passive
subjunctive, second-class condition. To be divided in mind, to
waver, to doubt, the opposite of "faith" (\pistin\), trust,
confidence. {What is done to the fig tree} (\to t•s suk•s\). The
Greek means "the matter of the fig tree," as if a slight matter
in comparison with {this mountain} (\t•i orei tout•i\). Removing
a mountain is a bigger task than blighting a fig tree. "The
cursing of the fig-tree has always been regarded as of symbolic
import, the tree being in Christ's mind an emblem of the Jewish
people, with a great show of religion and no fruit of real
godliness. This hypothesis is very credible" (Bruce). Plummer
follows Zahn in referring it to the Holy City. Certainly "this
mountain" is a parable and one already reported in Mt 17:20
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