Jesus Curses the Barren Fig Tree

Jesus Curses the Barren Fig Tree

In Matthew 21:18-22 we read: "Early in the morning, as He (Jesus) was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked. Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

In Mark 11:12-14, 19-25 we read: "The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it. When evening came, they went out of the city. In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!" "Have faith in G-d," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

Why did Jesus curse this barren fig tree, when figs weren't even in season?

Why would Jesus curse the fig tree when it wasn’t its fault that it was not even fig season? This incident happened in early April during the week before His crucifixion. Jesus just had His Triumphal Entry into 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 (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11). Normally toward the end of March the fig leaves begin to appear and in early April the foliage leafing is complete. At this time and sometimes even before, there appears quite a crop of small knobs, that can grow to the size of green almonds. These precursors of the true fig are called taqsh in Palestinian Arabic - and they can be eaten before they drop off. Their appearance is a promise of the fully formed appearance of the true fig some six weeks later. Since Jesus found "nothing but leaves" - leaves without any taqsh- He knew that "it was an absolutely useless, hopeless, fruitless fig tree" even though the time for true fruit had not yet come. But if the leaves appear without any taqsh, that is a sign that there will be no figs later. Jesus was not concerned about the fruitless tree but with unfruitful believers. Under the law of Moses, one sentenced to death for a capital crime was said to be “accursed of G-d” (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). In the Old testament, G-d often uses the fig tree as a symbol of national Israel:

"I will take away their harvest, declares the LORD. There will be no grapes on the vine. There will be no figs on the tree, AND THEIR LEAVES WILL WITHER. What I have given them will be taken from them.’" Jeremiah 8:13

"You may say, 'The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,' but this is what the LORD says about the king who sits on David's throne and all the people who remain in this city, your countrymen who did not go with you into exile- yes, this is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I will send the sword, famine and plague against them and I will make them like poor figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten. I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth and an object of cursing and horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. For they have not listened to my words,' declares the LORD, 'words that I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets. And you exiles have not listened either,' declares the LORD." Jeremiah 29:15-19

"When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, IT WAS LIKE SEEING THE EARLY FRUIT ON THE FIG TREE. But when they came to Baal Peor, they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved... Ephraim is blighted, their root is withered, they yield no fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay their cherished offspring." Hosea 9:10, 16

"What misery is mine! I am like one who gathers summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster of grapes to eat, none of the early figs that I crave. The godly have been swept from the land; not one upright man remains. All men lie in wait to shed blood; each hunts his brother with a net. Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire- they all conspire together. The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen has come, the day G-d visits you. Now is the time of their confusion." Micah 7:1-4

"All your fortresses are like fig trees with their first ripe fruit; when they are shaken, the figs fall into the mouth of the eater." Nahum 3:12

But, instead of finding the early figs which would have demonstrated that Israel was spiritually alive and capable of bearing the fruit which satisfies G-d, Jesus found the nation spiritually dead and barren. In light of Israel’s spiritual barrenness, G-d would cut down his fig tree, his very own vine, and burn it: "Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, "For three years (the length of Jesus ministry) now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?" "Sir," the man replied, "leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down."’" Luke 13:6-9 (It was now a half year later into the fourth year!)

"He then began to speak to them in parables: 'A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, "They will respect my son." But the tenants said to one another, "This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours." So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.’" Mark 12:1-9

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’" Matthew 23:37-39

"As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace-but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of G-d's coming to you.’" Luke 19:41-44

This was the true meaning behind Jesus’ cursing the fig tree, as a sign that G-d came looking for spiritual fruitfulness among his covenant people but saw none, and would therefore bring destruction upon them. There is quite a significance in the fact that the account of Jesus' cleansing of the temple in Mark's Gospel (Mark 11:15-19) is sandwiched between the two sections of Mark's Gospel dealing with the cursing of the barren fig tree (verses 12-14 and 20-25). Jesus saw at a distance the Jewish temple and its sacrificial activities looked fine. But on closer inspection it was found to be Babylon/buSINess without substance, full of hypocrisy, bearing no spiritual fruit, rotten ripe for judgment.

Fig trees were very common in Israel and throughout the Middle East. They grew a wide canopy of large leaves that gave welcome shade from the hot sun. Fig trees also bore a tasty fruit that could be gathered twice a year. So the fig tree became a symbol of peace and contentment, of G-d’s blessings. When the Lord describes the land He is going to give His people Israel, He says it’s a land of "vines and fig trees" (Deuteronomy 8:8). Solomon’s kingdom of peace is described in the book of Kings like this: "Judah and Israel dwelt safely, each man under his vine and his fig tree" (I Kings 4:25). When the prophet Micah describes the messianic age he says that people will "beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks…. Everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree" (Micah 4:3f; cf Is 2:2f). Similarly, when Zechariah prophesies of the coming of the Jesus and the peace He will bring, He says: "‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘everyone will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree’" (Zechariah 3:10). It’s clear: the fig tree is in the Old Testament a symbol of blessing, of peace, of contentment. So, the barren fig tree a symbol in the Old Testament of G-d’s curse, of disruption. In His covenant with Israel G-d had promised that if His people would disobey He would give disease and plague so that the trees of the field would not bear their fruit (Deuteronomy 28). In keeping with that promise, Jeremiah must say this: "‘I will surely consume them,’ says the Lord. ‘No grapes shall be on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade…’" (Jeremiah 8:13). Through Amos the Lord says, "I blasted you with blight and mildew. When your gardens increased, your vines, your fig trees, and your olive trees, the locust devoured them…" (Amos 4:9). The fruitless fig tree is the symbol of G-d's own curse.

With the cursing of the fig tree, Jesus was symbolically denouncing Israel as a nation and, in a sense, even denouncing unfruitful “Christians” (that is, people who profess to be Christian but have no evidence of any fruit). The presence of a fruitful fig tree was considered to be a symbol of blessing and prosperity for the nation of Israel. Likewise, the death of a fig tree would symbolize G-d's judgment and rejection. Symbolically, the barren fig tree represented the spiritual deadness of Israel, who appeared very religious outwardly with all the sacrifices and ceremonies, were spiritually barren because of their depravity, greed and sins. 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. It also teaches us religious appearance and observance are not enough to guarantee salvation, unless there is fruit of the Spirit evidenced in the life of the person. James would later echo this truth when he wrote that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). The lesson of the cursed barren fig tree is that we should bear spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), not just give an appearance of religiosity (denominational christianity). G-d judges fruitlessness, and expects that all those who have a relationship with Him will “bear much fruit” (John 15:5-8).

When Jesus was still in Galilee He’d told His disciples that He had to go to Jerusalem, and there He would be arrested, crucified, killed (Mark 8:31; 9:30f). Jesus then slowly made His way south from Galilee to come close to Jerusalem, so close that He could organize His royal entry into the city - astride the unbroken colt of a donkey! Jesus came into the holy city while the crowds spread their clothes and palm branches, crying out their Hosannas, and shouting blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. On His way to His crucifixion cross Jesus had triumphantly entered Jerusalem, the very city where the G-d's Holy Temple stands on Mt Zion, where the gospel of salvation was meant to be proclaimed. Jesus comes to that Holy Temple where G-d’s chosen people were meant to bring their sin offerings and their thank offerings - according to the specific instructions that G-d had given in the Old Testament, Jesus should have seen reverence, prayer and piety in the temple. Jesus should have seen multitudes of believers grateful for G-d’s blessings, and other people broken on account of their sins. Jesus should have seen hundreds of Levites and priests officiating at the sacrifices and explaining to the people each step of the ritual – that G-d’s justice demanded the sinner had to die on account of his sins - but, G-d in His gracious mercy let the sins be transferred from the sinner to the animal and the animal be killed instead! Jesus should have seen people and priests and Levites praising the Lord G-d Almighty! But what does Jesus actually see when He "looked around at all the things"? Jesus saw Babylon, a den of thieves, merchants hawking their wares, worshippers with money on their minds. In other words: instead of a Holy Temple, Jesus saw a buSINess…. The Holy temple of G-d had been desecrated and given over to the god Mammon.

The Lord Jesus Christ had labored in Israel for three and a half years, preaching, teaching, casting out devils and healing and working miracles in order to show that He was truly the promised Messiah, the fulfillment of the gospel that was to be proclaimed in the Holy Temple. But after three and a half years of labor - what does Jesus see? There is absolutely no fruit; Israel is barren! There is only religion, materialism, the god Mammon is now openly in charge of the Holy Temple itself! After cursing the barren fig tree, Jesus took His disciples into His Father's Holy Temple to show them truly how barren Israel really was. Vs 15: He "began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves." And that wasn’t all; for the remainder of the day "He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple" (vs 16). With His mighty hand and outstretched arm the Lord put a end to trading in the temple. That is: He removed the god Mammon from the temple of His Father. And why? With Mammon no longer the driving god of the temple, there was room again for the preaching of the Word of G-d. And that’s what Jesus did. Through His His mighty hand and outstretched arm Jesus got the attention of the crowds, and now made it His point to teach – says vs 17. The text of His sermon was Isaiah 56:7: "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations." But what’s the response of the people to hearing the Word of G-d? Is there an acknowledgement that G-d’s word has authority, that G-d would have the temple be characterized by prayer and not by business, by sacrifices and not by thievery? None of it. Vs 18: "the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him." That’s the official response of the temple leadership! Business before prayer, thievery before sacrifice! Jesus would dare show the religious "leaders" from Scripture that they ought to obey G-d? Crucify Him!

Do you now see dear one, how barren the Holy Temple was? It outwardly looked so Holy, so beautiful, so desirable, with its Holy promises of forgiveness and peace with G-d. But Jesus' closer look clearly revealed idolatry, greed, decay, barrenness, sterility. And Jesus' call to repentance produced only hardening of the "leaders" hearts. How very much did the temple and its leaders and its patrons deserve the judgment of G-d! "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again!" The very next morning there was clear confirmation that His father in heaven had heard Jesus’ prayer. For the fig tree is now all withered! In one night the almighty G-d of heaven and earth had so dried up a leafy, shady tree that next day there was no moisture left in it. This is truly G-d's judgment on Israel’s barrenness. So barren is the temple that it has no right of existence anymore. A fig tree in the Old Testament was a symbol of G-d's blessing, of peace, of abundance – and that was due both to the fruit it bore and to the shade it gave. With its focus on buSINess, the temple supplied no fruit, did not nourish any hungry or thirsty soul with the gospel of peace-with-G-d and forgiveness of sins. But it still looked attractive, and people could still be deceived to come and seek shade under its leaves – only to be drawn in to the worship of the god Mammon. So G-d destroys it altogether; so pure is His judgment. That’s the message of the withering of the tree; Israel and the temple shall whither altogether!!! That withering of the tree is G-d’s answer to Jesus’ prayer, and at the same time it was an announcement of doom for the temple and those who worshiped Mammon in the temple. Jesus understood that the temple could not last, and told His disciples so. Mark 13: when Jesus one day went out of the temple, His disciples commented on the splendors of the building. What Jesus said in reply? "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down" (13:2). That is: this temple would be destroyed, G-d’s house of prayer for all nations destroyed, withered, gone…. And it happened too. One mere generation after the Jews demanded the crucifixion of Jesus and rejected the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, the armies of Rome under Titus pulled the temple down to bits in the year 70 AD, and plowed up the temple mount. Obviously G-d keeps His Word! The promise inherent in the withered fig tree truly came to pass!

Please note that "His disciples heard" Jesus curse the tree. Indeed, Jesus wanted His disciples to hear His curse, for it provided the opportunity for Jesus to warn His disciples about being unfruitful. That is why, when Peter drew Jesus’ attention to the withered tree, Jesus (says vs 22) "answered and said to [the disciples], ‘Have faith in G-d.’" In other words: believe God’s promises, believe that He will do as He has said He would do. The Old Testament had said that G-d would curse disobedience, would curse covenant breaking amongst His people; well, in the temple is disobedience and covenant breaking, and so G-d’s curse must follow. "Have faith in G-d"; trust that He will do precisely what He said He would do. As the healthy fig tree symbolizes the peace G-d promised faithful Israel, so the withered barren fig tree symbolizes the curse G-d promised upon unfaithful Israel. In the Revelation, we are again warned about the harlot Babylon in Chapters 17 & 18 and told to specifically come out of her in Revelation 18:4. G-d is about to curse this religious mess again - do you believe Him dear one? Jesus draws out His instruction with a specific example. Vs 23: "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." Which mountain? Jesus does not speak about any mountain. He speaks about "this mountain", and that is none other than the mountain upon which the temple stands – Mt Zion. That barren fig tree had dried up to its roots as a symbol of what would happen –according to G-d’s Old Testament ordinances- would now happen to the barren temple; it would wither, perish, be destroyed – that’s G-d’s promise. And because it’s G-d’s promise, "whoever says to this mountain, Mt Zion, the temple, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ … will have whatever he says." And even as He says it, Jesus knows that the temple will harden itself in its unbelief and its apostasy. For these very scribes and chief priests who had rejected His preaching today, who continued to refuse to make G-d's temple into "a house of prayer" and insisted instead that it remain "a den of thieves", will shortly crown their blasphemous unbelief with the great evil of demanding the crucifixion of the Son of G-d. Even so, Jesus freely chose not to curse them but, to go to the cross to satisfy G-d’s righteous judgment and to even pay for their sin of demanding the death of the Savior that had been foreshadowed in all of their temple sacrifices. Here is the love of the Savior for the unworthy; instead of asking for the destruction of the ungodly, He continues on His way to the cross to try to save even them!

Jesus could have asked His Father to remove that mountain right away, as He’d asked HaShem to destroy that barren fig tree. He could have asked His father to send a legion of angels to destroy the temple leaders. But He doesn’t, because He intends to lay down His life for His sheep, to pay for our sins. Jesus further explains why He did not curse these religious "leaders" - "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." Jesus said: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."


Dear one we are all to grow the following fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives - love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23) Are you growing these fruits or are you only growing leaves and/or weeds? Do you forgive your enemies? Shalom!