As Jesus and the disciples make their way to Jerusalem, a very curious incident occurs. On leaving Bethany, a village near Jerusalem, Jesus feels hungry. Seeing a fig tree in leaf some distance away, he goes to see if he can find any fruit on it, but finds nothing, for it is not the season for figs. He addresses the fig tree: 'May no one ever eat fruit from you again,' and the disciples hear him say this (Mk. 11.-12-14).

Symbolism
To curse a fig tree because it has no fruit - and as Mark adds, it is not even the season for figs - seems a rather irrational way of behaving. However, if we see the scene in symbolic Old Testament terms - rather than literally - we may begin to understand what Jesus is getting at. The barren fig tree represents all those who are incapable of bearing fruit because they refuse to listen to Jesus, especially the chief priests and scribes who now enter the picture.

Jesus and the disciples finally reach Jerusalem. Jesus goes into the Temple and begins driving out those who are buying and selling there; he upsets the tables of the moneychangers and the chairs of those who are selling pigeons (Mk.11:15-19).

He says, quoting the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, 'Does not scripture say: my house shall be called a house of prayer for all the peoples? But you have turned it into a robbers' den'. When the chief priests and scribes hear about what Jesus has done they try to find some way of getting rid of him but are afraid because of his popularity.
The people trading in the Temple were doing so in the Court of the Gentiles and not in the Holy Place where sacrifices were offered. They were selling sacrificial victims and other necessities for the Temple cult. The moneychangers gave out Jewish coins in exchange for the pilgrims' Greek or Roman money. Dove sellers provided the proper sacrifices for women.

Exploitation
Jesus' concern was the abuse of money and trade. There is evidence that there was a roaring trade in sacrificial animals in the courtyard of the Temple. The traders were able to take advantage of the demand for clean animals for sacrifice by charging excessively high prices.

Many pilgrim Jews would have come to the Temple with foreign currency and were charged exorbitant exchange rates. This is what made Jesus angry. He saw the traders as exploiting people's devotion and piety, serving money instead of God.

It seems that the chief priests, who administered the Temple, condoned, perhaps even benefited from such trade. Jesus' challenge to the authorities, not to mention his popularity with the crowds, meant that he was now someone who could no longer be ignored. The authorities would have to decide what to do about him.

Power of faith
The next morning, outside the city, Jesus and the disciples pass the fig tree again (Mk. 11:20- 25). Peter points out that it is now withered to its roots. The withered tree is a symbol, not only of the decay that has been evidenced by greed taking hold in the Temple, but also of the old order that is passing away.

Nonetheless, Jesus insists, `Have faith in God. I tell you solemnly, if anyone says to this mountain, "Get up and throw yourself into the sea", with no hesitation in his heart but believing that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. I tell you therefore: everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will be yours.'

Moving mountains is a metaphor used by the rabbis for doing something of great difficulty. Faith, for Jesus, is an almighty power, a power that can achieve the impossible, like moving mountains.

Authority
When Jesus and his disciples later return to the Temple, the chief priests, scribes and elders question him. 'What authority have you for acting like this? Or who gave you authority to do these things?' They are referring to what he had done in the Temple. They are trying to trap him into saying publicly that his authority comes from God so that they can accuse him of blasphemy. But he is up to their tricks.

He throws a question back at them, asking whether John the Baptist's baptism came from heaven or not. They argue among themselves. If they say from heaven, then Jesus will ask them why they refused to believe the Baptist. If they say John's authority was merely from man, they will have the people to fear because they believe that John was a real prophet.

They say, 'We do not know.' Jesus replies, 'Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this' (Mk. 11:27-33). While avoiding the trap the chief priests put to him, and embarrassing them by his response, it is clear that Jesus is in fact claiming that his authority comes from God.

Jesus now tells them a parable (Mk 12:1-12). The parable is an allegory directed at the chief priests, scribes and elders. A man (God) plants a vineyard (Israel); he fences it round, digs out a trough for the winepress and builds a tower; then he leases it to tenants (Israel's leaders) and goes abroad. When the time comes, he sends various servants to collect his share of the produce from the vineyard. However the tenants thrash, beat and kill the servants (God's messengers, the prophets).

The owner has a beloved son (Jesus) whom he sends last of all, and he says to himself, 'They will respect my son'. But the tenants seize and kill the son and throw him out of the vineyard. Now what will the owner do? Jesus asks. He will come and make an end of the tenants and give the vineyard to others.

The Pharisees' trap
The chief priests, scribes and elders get the message loud and clear but they are afraid of the crowds, so, for the moment, they leave him alone and go away, though not for long. They send some Pharisees and Herodians to trap him by asking him whether it is permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not (Mk. 12:1, 3-17). Since Herod owes his political power to Rome, a negative answer would get Jesus into trouble with the Romans authorities. If he responds positively, he will be accused of collaboration with the Roman occupiers.

However, he turns on the Pharisees and Herodians. He asks them for a denarius, a coin containing Caesar's image. 'Whose head is this? Whose narneT he asks. 'Caesar's,' they reply. Jesus replies, 'Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar - and to God what belongs to God'. Mark adds that Jesus' answer took them completely by surprise.

Challenge
In effect, Jesus answers the Pharisees' and Herodians' question positively. But he avoids the trap set for him because taxes had to be paid in Roman coinage. Hence paying taxes is only giving back to the emperor what rightly belongs to him. By adding 'Give back to God what belongs to God', Jesus challenges them to meet their obligations to God as conscientiously as they meet their obligations to the State. No wonder the authorities want to do away with Jesus.