On His way into Jerusalem, Jesus curses a fig tree with leaves but no fruit, and it withers at once (Matthew 21:18-22) — a picture of Israel and the temple: outward religion without real devotion to God. When the chief priests and elders question His authority, Jesus turns it back on them by asking about John the Baptist, exposing their refusal to submit to truth even when it's right before them (Matthew 21:23-27). The passage leaves us with two questions: is our faith genuine fruit or just leaves, and will we submit to Jesus' authority?