Why Did Jesus Curse the Fig Tree – The Fascinating Answer!
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Most of us know the story of the Jesus cursing the fig tree in the Gospel of Mark. There are some great lessons from the cursed fig tree that we can extract and apply in our own lives. But first we have to ask the question, ‘Why did Jesus curse the fig tree?’ Why did He cause this tree to never produce fruit again simply because it had no figs?
The answer is both fascinating and thought-provoking! So let’s dig into this Bible study on the fig tree and Jesus!
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Updated from 11/25/2019
During His ministry, Jesus performed MANY miracles, such as curing the sick, casting out demons, calming storms and raising the dead.
Miracles are events that occur outside the realm of natural law, and I would say these qualify as miracles without a doubt. The miracles of Jesus may change your life, and it all begins with faith.
While many of Jesus’ miracles, such as healing the sick or raising the dead, were acts of compassion, the cursing of the fig tree serves as a powerful symbolic act. It illustrates a profound spiritual lesson about the dangers of hypocrisy and the importance of genuine faith.
Why Did Jesus Curse the Fig Tree? – A Bit Extreme?
Often in life, we look at something with expectation only to find it is not what we thought it was. I actually wrote a whole article on this topic because it IS so prevalent.
Some things can be deceiving when we see them.
I am reminded of the first time I visited my sister in Florida. I was a New York City kid so I didn’t do a lot of riding in cars at that point so when I went down to visit her at 12 years old, I was introduced to heat mirages on the road.
I was amazed at this “pool of water” up ahead that disappeared suddenly as we came upon it.
Deception can take many forms, and many things appear to be genuine when looked at from a distance.
In a remarkable passage in the Gospels, Jesus addresses this disparity in a somewhat confusing way: the cursing of the fig tree.
Mark 11:12-14:
When reading about this story, these verses sometimes leave people confused! I mean, after all, it appears Jesus curses the fig tree simply because He was hungry and it had no fruit to give Him even though it says it wasn’t even the season for figs! Seems a bit extreme at first glance, doesn’t it, especially seeing that it wasn’t even the season for them? But only at first glance!
Let’s examine this a bit further and see what lessons from the cursed fig tree Jesus is trying to teach us.
Why Did Jesus Curse the Fig Tree? – Understanding Fig Trees in Israel
Fig trees typically produce two types of fruit. The first, known as “breba” figs, grow on the previous year’s branches and usually appear in early spring, around Passover. These early figs are not the main crop but are edible and often seen as an indication of the tree’s health. The main harvest occurs later in the summer, from June to August.
So Jesus, in verse 12, sees the fig tree at a distance and he spots that it has its leaves. In fig trees, the leaves and early breba figs typically appear around the same time. Seeing a fig tree with leaves but no fruit was unusual and indicated that something was wrong.
Jesus’ expectation of finding fruit, even though it was not yet the season for the main harvest, was based on this understanding of how fig trees grow. The presence of leaves suggested that there should be at least some early figs, but this tree was barren. This lack of fruit despite the appearance of health is what prompted Jesus to curse the tree, symbolizing a judgment against outward appearances that lack true spiritual substance.
While understanding the agricultural context of fig trees sheds light on the literal reasons for Jesus’ actions, the fig tree also holds a profound symbolic meaning within Jewish tradition, representing deeper spiritual truths.
The Fig Tree as a Symbol in Jewish Tradition
The fig tree is a powerful symbol in Jewish tradition, often representing Israel’s spiritual state. This symbolism is deeply rooted in the Scriptures of the Tanakh (Old Testament). As the prophet Hosea vividly describes, Israel’s early promise is likened to ‘early fruit on a fig tree’:
Throughout the Bible, fig trees represent prosperity and peace when they are fruitful, but they also symbolize spiritual barrenness and divine judgment when barren (Jeremiah 24:1-10, Micah 7:1). Fig trees, one of the seven species mentioned in the Tanakh as special products of the land (Deuteronomy 8:8), were seen as a sign of God’s blessing when they bore fruit.
In this context, Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree was not just about the lack of literal fruit but was a powerful symbolic statement about the spiritual condition of Israel at the time—outwardly vibrant and religious, yet inwardly barren and failing to bear the spiritual fruit God desired.
The fig tree, with its lush leaves but lack of fruit, serves as a stark warning against hypocrisy—appearing outwardly righteous but lacking true spiritual substance. Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree serves as a timeless reminder for all believers to cultivate genuine spiritual fruit and align their outward actions with an authentic, inward faith.
The Timing of the Cursing of the Fig Tree in Jesus’ Ministry
The timing of this event in Jesus’ ministry is also significant. Both Matthew and Mark place the cursing of the fig tree within the context of Jesus’ final days before His crucifixion. In Mark’s Gospel, the episode occurs just before Jesus cleanses the Temple, creating a strong link between the two actions. The Temple, like the fig tree, appeared vibrant and full of life but was spiritually barren due to corruption and hypocrisy.
Dr. Vered Hillel explains that this parallel emphasizes a theme of judgment against superficial religiosity that fails to produce genuine spiritual fruit. According to her article ‘A Post-Supersessionist Reading of the Temple and Torah in Mark’s Gospel: The Parable of the Vineyard’, Jesus’ actions are not just about immediate judgment but also relate to the “already but not yet” concept.
This idea suggests that God’s Kingdom is both present and still to come. Jesus’ actions, like cursing the fig tree or cleansing the Temple, demonstrate that God’s judgment and kingdom are already starting to happen (the “already”), but they also point to a future time when God’s kingdom will be fully realized and everything will be made right (the “not yet”).
For example, when Jesus curses the fig tree, it’s a sign of judgment against those who appear religious on the outside but lack true faith. This action serves as a warning that judgment has begun, while also looking forward to a future time when God will fully judge the world.
Jesus’ actions in the Temple and with the fig tree are deeply connected to His role as a reformer who called Israel back to the true intent of the Torah.
By cursing the fig tree and cleansing the Temple, Jesus demonstrated His alignment with the prophetic tradition, calling for a return to authentic worship and genuine faithfulness to God’s commands. Jesus’ actions align with a perspective that acknowledges God’s plan, which involves both current changes and future hopes.
By making the tree wither, Jesus is warning these leaders that their lack of true faith and good deeds will lead to consequences. However, this isn’t about rejecting all of Israel or its people. Instead, it’s a call for the Temple leaders to change their ways and return to genuine faithfulness.
3 Lessons From the Cursed Fig Tree
From this account, we can extract several profound lessons that are just as relevant today as they were in Jesus’ time. Here are three key takeaways from the story of the cursed fig tree: understanding the dangers of false appearances, recognizing the perils of hypocrisy, and embracing a truly fruitful life.
Lesson 1: The Call to Repentance and Renewal
The fig tree narrative also calls for repentance and renewal. Jesus used the fig tree to warn of the consequences of spiritual barrenness. Today, this encourages us to examine areas in our lives where we may have grown spiritually complacent or stagnant.
We should take steps to renew our commitment to God, such as setting aside regular time for prayer, studying Scripture, and actively participating in a faith community. This renewal might also involve letting go of bad habits or negative influences that hinder our spiritual growth and seeking God’s guidance for a fresh start.
By applying this lesson, we can cultivate a more authentic, fruitful, and spiritually vibrant life that aligns with the teachings of Jesus.
Lesson 2: Biblical Hypocrisy
There are many times in scripture where Jesus addressed the topic of hypocrisy. He witnessed it so often and this tree was a vivid depiction of it!
One of these is Matthew 23:27-28:
Just as the fig tree had leaves that suggested fruit but was barren, so too did the Temple leadership appear outwardly righteous while lacking true spiritual integrity. They were more concerned with maintaining appearances than cultivating a genuine relationship with God. We should always be more concerned with the condition of our heart than we are how we appear to others.
The parable of Jesus and the fig tree makes a point to tell us it was not the season for figs. So this tree gave the false appearance of being more advanced, more fruitful, than those around it. It appeared to have figs when all others around it did not! It made itself out to be something it wasn’t.
Today, this challenges us to reflect on whether we are practicing what we preach. Are we focusing more on outward appearances than on our inner spiritual life?
To avoid hypocrisy, we should strive for honesty in our spiritual walk, ensuring that our actions align with our beliefs. This might involve confessing and repenting from sins, seeking accountability from trusted friends or leaders, and being transparent about our struggles in our faith communities.
Lesson 3: Living a Fruitful Life
Just as the fig tree was expected to bear fruit, we are called to bear spiritual fruit in our lives. This means actively living out our faith by demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Ask yourself: Is my life producing the kind of fruit that reflects a true relationship with God? To apply this, we can make a conscious effort to engage in actions that reflect these fruits, such as volunteering, forgiving others, and practicing kindness in our daily interactions.
This is a cautionary example for us from Jesus Himself. We must be careful we don’t give the world an appearance of having the fruit of the Spirit, of living a fruitful life, but, upon closer examination, we are no different than the world.
We can give off the appearance of having a fruitful life but, when people look more closely, there is nothing but leaves!
We must be careful we don't give the world an appearance of having the fruit of the Spirit but, upon closer examination, we are no different than the world. Share on XExamples of Fruitfulness in the Bible
John 15:1-11 says:
The key to the fruitfulness in the Bible? Abide in Him!
What Does It Mean to Abide?
The Greek word for “abide” is menō. It means (according to Strong’s Concordance):
to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy):—abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (Strong)
The key here is to dwell in Him and His Word. When we dwell in Him and in His Word and in prayer we will produce more fruit because we draw from the source!
And as we continue to bear fruit, He will prune is so that we bear even more!
Like a tree draws its nourishment from the root, we draw our spiritual nourishment from Him and then, like the tree, we bring forth good fruit!
Pruning in the Bible
And, as a good gardener, God prunes us—removing guilt, shame, old habits, and ways of thinking that hinder our growth. This spiritual pruning allows new growth, strengthens our connection to Him, and enables us to flourish in faith.
How Does God Prune Us?
God removes our guilt, our shame. He removes our old habits, our old ways of doing things and heals our emotional wounds. He replaces the old recordings that we play over and over again in our minds, things people spoke over us, with what HE says about us.
He does this through His Word! As we study His Word, he prunes us! We grow in Him and allow Him to remove those dead things from our life through His grace and His mercy!
As pruning a tree makes it grow more full and vibrant, producing more and better fruit, we too will grow in Him and produce more fruit!
And as we allow this pruning and allow that new fruit to grow in abundance, we never have to be concerned with only displaying leaves!
My Final Thoughts
The story of Jesus cursing the fig tree is rich with symbolism and meaning. It calls us to cultivate authentic faith, avoid hypocrisy, and live a life that bears genuine spiritual fruit. By reflecting on these lessons and understanding the broader biblical context, we can align our actions with God’s will and ensure that our outward expressions of faith are matched by a sincere and vibrant spiritual life.
Just as the fig tree was meant to bear fruit, so are we called to live lives that reflect the fullness of God’s love and truth. Are you bearing fruit in your spiritual journey, or merely displaying leaves? Reflect on this as you consider how to live a more authentic and fruitful life.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to deepen your faith! Download your FREE ‘Be Encouraged – 21 Day Devotional’ below and start your journey to a more vibrant and fruitful spiritual life today!
NIV – Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
CJB – Taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H. Stern. Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, 6120 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029. www.messianicjewish.net.
Tree of Life (TLV) – Scripture taken from the Holy Scriptures, Tree of Life Version*. Copyright © 2014,2016 by the Tree of Life Bible Society. Used by permission of the Tree of Life Bible Society.
Hillel, Vered. A Post-Supersessionist Reading of the Temple and Torah in Mark’s Gospel: The Parable of the Vineyard.” Religions, vol. 14, no. 487, 2023
Too funny – this just popped up on Pinterest when I just read that story last night! Thanks for the great insight!!
Oh that IS funny! I love when things like that happen!!
Diane, thank you for sharing these fresh insights on a familiar-but-baffling passage.
Thank you Lois! I am glad you enjoyed it! There are certainly other parallels out there but this was just one possibility!
I am late finding this post. I agree 100% with all that has been said, and would like to add one additional insight that I discovered while studying this Holy Week. This instantaneous withering away of the Fig Tree was also a way of showing His disciples that Jesus had power over death. He had on previous occasions shown that he could restore life, but this was the first time that He displayed His full power over death. Interesting how just a few short days later He would show this authority once again on the cross when He willingly “gave up the ghost.”
Thank you for sharing that Joseph! Yes there are a couple of different things He was trying to teach His disciples in this interaction and you touched on one of them…it is also believed He is demonstrating a prolepsis regarding the coming destruction of the 2nd Temple. It is quite an interesting topic of study! Thank you for your insights!
Thank you so much for your enlightenment on this fig tree that Jesus cursed. God bless you
I am so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much!
My name is Syrenthia Averett in Los Angeles, California. I really enjoyed the teaching on the cursing of the fig tree. Thank God for you. I teach the word and I have gone through that pruning. I am bearing more fruit. Sister how do I get the free copy of the FREE 7 Day Devotional on the 7 Sayings of Yeshua on the Cross as your gift to me! Is it a hard copy? I am new to your teachings. But, I would like to read more. Keep on teaching. And thank you for helping me to grow even more. God Bless and have a great day.
Thank you so much for your encouragement! I am so glad you enjoyed the articles. You can get the devotional here https://worth-beyond-rubies.ck.page/d2b02336ac
Thank you again!!
WOW! What a huge weight that has been lifted off. Thank you for the insight you shared, much appreciated! I’m so grateful!
I am so glad you enjoyed it!!