Why Does Jesus Curse the Fig Tree?

One of the proofs of Jesus’ divinity and His role as the Messiah is His miraculous authority over the natural world. When tempted in the wilderness, Satan points out that Jesus has the power to turn stones to bread. In a great storm, Jesus commands the winds to calm, and they obey.

One of the most interesting displays of His power over nature is found recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Jesus approaches a fig tree, which does not have any fruit, so He declares that it will never bear fruit again. Later, the disciples discover it withered, and Jesus teaches them about faith and prayer. It can be difficult to see the connection, but close inspection reveals the fig tree to be symbolic of both the nation of Israel and the personal relationship between an individual and God.

The fig tree bore leaves too early in the season, but could not, or would not, bear fruit in kind. This is much like how Israel would go through periods of fruitlessness, and much like believers go through seasons of fruitlessness in their spiritual lives.

What Happens in This Story?

The narrative of the fig tree is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark; both accounts record the same sequence of events. Jesus and his disciples are around Jerusalem - these events take place in the days leading up to the crucifixion - and the Lord sees a fig tree full of leaves, despite it being too early in the season for trees of that species to be that green. He inspects it and sees that despite it being full of greenery, there are no figs. He curses the fig tree. Later in the day, the disciples see that same tree withered. Jesus encourages them:

“Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:22b-25).

Its location in the Matthew narrative reveals this incident took place after the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, now called Palm Sunday. A close reading of Matthew and Mark together reveals the cursing of the tree happened before the cleansing of the temple, and Jesus gave his lesson to the disciples after that event.

Why Does Jesus Curse the Fig Tree?

When Jesus claimed authority to clear out the Temple of exploiters, cleansing it and declaring it a den of thieves, He was, in part, declaring His legitimate claim to judge. When He declared, “you have made [my Father’s house] a den of robbers” (Mark 11:17b), He was making a declaration about the state of their hearts. They desired money, perhaps prestige, and not to glorify God.

Only God has the ability and the authority to discern man’s heart and judge him rightly. “All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord” (Proverbs 16:2). When Jesus saw a fig tree that was full of leaves, despite it being too early in the year for it to be so, He examined if it was bearing figs early as well. It was not, so it was out of step with its purpose, and Jesus judged it accordingly by cursing it.

Part of why it is important to understand why Matthew and Mark highlighted this incident is because of the significance of the cleansing of the temple. When Jesus arrived at the Temple in Jerusalem, he found it full of people exploiting one another, treating the Temple like it was a glorified marketplace, and with a lack of due reverence. It was not doing what it was supposed to do or fulfilling its appropriate, God-ordained role. This one moment of cleansing did not change what was going on in the temple, but it was an act of righteous judgment, which would be finally fulfilled in 72 A.D. during the sack of the city by the Roman Empire. Jesus claimed authority over the Temple as the High Priest, but asserted that it was no longer fulfilling its purpose, which was to be a place for God and people to be reconciled. With His death, Jesus made this reconciliation permanent, and the temple would wither away with no purpose under the weight of a mighty empire. The fig tree symbolized this moment in Israel’s history, as well as its past.

Fruitfulness is often used as a metaphor for spiritual growth in the Bible. During certain periods of its history, the nation of Israel was fruitful, glorifying God and being obedient. At other times, Israel was not fruitful, worshipping other gods, neglecting the Lord, and indulging in sin. During these times, foreign empires conquer Israel, they would cry out to God again for redemption, and the Lord would forgive and restore. In many ways Israel was supposed to be a shining city on the hill, bringing the nations around it to the one true God, but because all people are sinners, the nation failed at this task.

Ultimately, Jesus’ sacrifice changed God’s relationship to man, and God’s Spirit indwells with people, rather than in the Holy of Holies. When the temple was no longer fruitful, Jesus ended its purpose.

Why Does the Fig Tree Wither and Die?

When something loses its purpose, it slowly decays, and becomes worthless. The fig tree withered and died in an expedited manner, demonstrating what happens to people or institutions who do not pursue fruitfulness. The Temple was no longer fruitful for the spiritual lives of the people, having become as much a political institution as a religious one during the reign of Herod.

Once Jesus made the sacrificial system obsolete – the temples would not allow Christ-followers to remain in the temple, and eventually participated in their persecution – it lost its purpose. People who live their lives for themselves or worldly gain rather than living for God and experiencing spiritual growth wither and die spiritually. And those who do not accept Christ will experience the second death of judgment and hell.

What Does This Story Mean for Us?

The fig tree was behaving like it was fruiting, but was not actually obeying the rhythms that most fig trees followed. It was putting out leaves too quickly, but not yielding nourishment. It was not fulfilling its purpose, but it was portraying a false image that it was – much like the Temple.

There are also people who live this way. Pharisees gave the impression of righteousness and morality, but their hearts were hardened by pride, and they were unable to recognize the Messiah. Many people today sit in church, write large tithe checks, volunteer, and do it out of pride but not out of a sincere love of God. They outwardly act like they love the Lord, but they are not bearing any spiritual fruit.

These fruits can be a good witness, bringing others to salvation, and fruits of the Spirit; “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). Without a sincere, loving relationship with the Lord built on repentance and forgiveness, a Christian is like the fig tree, outwardly acting like it is fruitful, but bearing nothing of substance.

Jesus encourages the disciples after they see the withered tree, and what He says is foundational to the Christian life in many ways. It is how to be fruitful, unlike the fig tree. It begins with faith, going to God with thanks and relying on Him for all needs, and asking for forgiveness for sins and being willing to forgive others. Being consistent in pursuing these elements of a relationship with God is the basis for a fruitful spiritual life where the Holy Spirit moves and changes the person to be more Christ-like.

The fig tree was not a moment of cruelty, but a reminder of God’s righteousness and authority to judge those who do not pursue a righteous life. While all have sinned and deserve to be judged like the fig tree, Jesus’ death and resurrection creates a straight and narrow path for redemption and a restored relationship with God for all who want one. To live a fruitful life, pursue obedience and a loving relationship with the Lord.

Sources

Amaral, Joe. Understanding Jesus Cultural Insights into the Words and Deeds of Jesus Christ. Nashville: Faith Words, 2011.

Balfour, John Hutton. The Plants of the Bible Trees and Shrubs. London: T. Nelson and Sons, 1857.

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Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer who uses her passion for God, reading, and writing to glorify God. She and her husband have lived all over the country serving their Lord and Savior in ministry. She has a blog on graceandgrowing.com.