A.(12) And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: (13) And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. (14) And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
B.(15) And they come to Jerusalem:
C. and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; (16) And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
D.(17) And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
C’. (18) And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
B’.(19) And when even was come, he went out of the city.
A’.(20) And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. (21) And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. (22) And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. (23) For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea;
and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.(24) Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
2A. 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any:
2B. that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
2A’. 26 But if ye do not forgive,
2B’. neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
I have always found the thing with the fig tree rather odd, but this chiasm seems to show that it is a parable of Israel’s failure.
There seems to be more parallelism:
1. anyone (11:3,5 vs 11:25)
2. stand/bystander (11:5 vs 11:25)
3. has need/have faith (11:3 vs 11:22)
4. gave permission/forgive (11:6 vs 11:25)
One implication is that, us forgiving as in 11:25 IS the glory of our Lord.