Friday, December 12, 2016

Question:  Why did Jesus curse the fig tree?

This question is a specific follow-up to the broader question of Jesus’ anger which we addressed in yesterday’s post. The incident of the fig tree is recorded in both Matthew and Mark. One of the strange things about Mark’s account is that he indicates that it wasn’t the season for figs anyway.

On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.  (Mark 11:12-14)

The obvious questions seem to be why would Jesus get so angry at a poor little tree for not having figs, when it wasn’t the season for figs anyway?

Like all Scripture, the key to understanding this passage comes from understanding the context in which it happened.  First, in looking at the general chronological setting of the passage, we see that it happened during the week before His crucifixion. Jesus had entered Jerusalem a day earlier amid the praise and worship of the Jewish people who were looking to Him as the King/Messiah who was going to deliver them from Roman occupation.  

The fruit of the fig tree generally appears before the leaves, and, because the fruit is green it blends in with the leaves right up until it is almost ripe. Therefore, when Jesus and His disciples saw from a distance that the tree had leaves, they would have expected it to also have fruit on it even though it was earlier in the season than what would be normal for a fig tree to be bearing fruit.  Each tree would often produce two to three crops of figs each season. There would be an early crop in the spring followed by one or two later crops.  This also helps explain why Jesus and His disciples would be looking for fruit on the fig tree even if it was not in the main growing season. 

The presence of a fruitful fig tree was considered to be a symbol of blessing and prosperity for the nation of Israel. Likewise, the absence or death of a fig tree would symbolize judgment and rejection. Symbolically, the fig tree represented the spiritual deadness of Israel, who while very religious outwardly with all the sacrifices and ceremonies, were spiritually barren because of their sins. 

It is also important to note that both Matthew & Mark tell us that this incident happened right around the same time as Jesus cleansing the Temple in Jerusalem.  By cleansing the Temple and cursing the fig tree, causing it to whither and die, Jesus was pronouncing His coming judgment of Israel and demonstrating His power to carry it out!

The lesson of the fig tree for us is pretty simple really, fig trees are for figs - our lives are for Christ!  We plant apple trees because we want apples, peach trees because we want peaches, orange trees because we want oranges, and fig trees because we want figs. What good is a Christian life if it bears no fruit? God expects that those who have a relationship with Him will “bear much fruit”.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.   - Galatians 5:22-23

Pastor Jeff Frazier