Why did Jesus curse the fig tree?

[TonyChanYT]

Let's look at the broader context from a story-telling point of view. Let's try to watch it like a movie, scene by scene.

Scene 1: Mark opens chapter 11 with the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. He rides on a colt. Mark 11:

9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
10“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

It is a great day. People are expectant of great things to happen in Jerusalem. There is an anticipation, perhaps even of supernatural displays.

Scene 2:

11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything,

He scouts the territory. He plans for his attack.

but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Okay, the day ends with the calm before the storm. Excitement is being built up.

Scene 3:

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 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. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

It seems strange to us that Jesus curses the fig tree for nothing. He does it to demonstrate his power, as we will see later. God can do whatever he sees fit. It is his sovereign right. The anticipation of the readers continues.

Scene 4: Now the storm comes:

15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.’”

That's too violent for the temple authorities. They plan to kill Jesus.

18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

The 2nd day ends with violence but without any miracle. That comes next.

Scene 5:

20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”

This is the only example of a negative miracle performed by Jesus. This is to demonstrate his power. Jesus could have cursed the temple authorities.

Scene 6:

27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders came to him.

The confrontation continues from yesterday:

28“By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”

Will Jesus reply with a curse?

No, Jesus has demonstrated his miraculous power to curse the fig tree. Now, he would not curse the high priests and others. Jesus is rather patient with them.

29 Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!”
31 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ . . . ” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)
33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

No violence on this day. Jesus did not curse them as he did to the fig tree.

Why did Jesus curse the fig tree?

From the story-telling point of view, the act of cursing is symbolic of God's sovereign power over his creation. Jesus begins this sequence of scenes by cursing the fig tree, a destructive miracle. Is he going to continue this destructive action later? No, Jesus suppresses this power while he interacts with the temple authorities. It is a foretaste of what will happen later.

After the resurrection and ascension, Acts 12:

21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22 And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

God demonstrated his sovereign power on this one.

When Jesus returns, he will clean up the mess on earth. Cursing the fig tree was only a small foretaste demonstration.

 

[Randy Kluth]

God demonstrated his sovereign power on this one.

When Jesus returns, he will clean up the mess on earth. Cursing the fig tree was only a small foretaste demonstration.

Well, cursing the fig tree was certainly a demonstration of divine power operating through Jesus. It was part of Jesus' general message that he had come as Messiah to suffer 1st, and only afterwards, to bring in God's Kingdom.

The Jews would reject him as Messiah, and the pagans were already opposed to laws that would prohibit their corrupt behavior. So Jesus came into a hostile world to suffer the abuses of both Jew and Gentile, and to die, before bringing in God's Kingdom.

Jesus demonstrated with the fig tree that God was looking for fruitfulness. God had given Man in the beginning a big orchard of fruit, with a prohibition placed only on a single tree. So God wanted fruit for Man, as demonstrated by Jesus' concern that a fruit tree was not bearing fruit.

Jesus could've healed the tree. Instead he judged it, just as God does not heal hardened Jews, but only repentant Jews. Seditious Jews God kills.

So Jesus was predicted by a mini-drama that God was going to judge Israel for failing to produce fruit. Jesus had come to enable the repentant in Israel to bear fruit. But the majority would fall back and double down on their rebellion against God. And they would suffer for it.

In 70 AD, almost a generation later, Israel would fall to the Romans. Israel was the fig tree that failed to produce fruit, as a nation, and would be either killed or sent away into Diaspora. The few who remained faithful to Jesus have had to stand in for Israel during the time of their failure until God is ready to restore the nation once again.

 

[Truthnightmare]

Why did Adam and Eve cover there private areas with fig leaves…

Why is the final generation the generation of the fig tree…

Why is this written…
One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.

3 Then said the Lord unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.

 

[Randy Kluth]

Why did Adam and Eve cover there private areas with fig leaves…

They were looking for a temporary covering for their new Sin Nature until their guilt could be dealt with.

Why is the final generation the generation of the fig tree…

Why does the "fig tree" represent the "final generation" for you? Jesus said that *his own generation* would see the Spring blossoming of a metaphorical "fig tree," indicating that though Israel saw in him the imminent approach of the Kingdom they would instead turn away and see signs of imminent judgment.

The "leafing" of the "fig tree," therefore, referred to the "birth pain" signs of Jesus' own generation, in which Messiahs were counterfeited, Israel turned to evil and brought on signs of their imminent judgment, Israel turned away from love to hostility and to the persecution of Jesus' disciples, and there would be seen famines, earthquakes, and the signs of impending military disasters. All *those things,* and not Jesus' Coming, would be fulfilled in Jesus' very generation.

Why is this written…
One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.

Israel sometimes produced good fruit, and at other times, produced bad fruit. Nations rise and fall. Israel was no different. They started with a high standard, and immediately began to fall away from it. Ultimately, the whole nation turned completely away, with the exception of a small, faithful remnant.

None of this means God can't judge the nation and prepare it for restoration. God's word is true. He keeps His promises.

3 Then said the Lord unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.

Yes, the recalcitrant in Israel will be cut off completely. The repentant will be restored. And the faithful will lead the way. This has been true of all nations called of God, whether Israel or the many Christian nations in history.