On Palm Sunday Jesus came into Jerusalem, a humble King, lowly and riding upon a colt. Now he comes into the temple and what does he find? Rank hypocrisy. This is not a random scene about an unhelpful tree and unhealthy church but a potent sign of coming judgment. Unique to Mark, the cursing and withering of the fig tree sandwiches the cleansing of the temple because it symbolizes what will happen. Jesus confronts sin and foreshadows the consequences of his time, but he also teaches us how to deal with corruption in and outside of us with strength and joy.