WHY DID JESUS CURSE TH FIG TREE?

 

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

 

WHY DID JESUS CURSE TH FIG TREE?

 

Matt 21:17-22

17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

 

           Leaving Bethany and the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, Jesus finds an unproductive fig tree and curses it. His actions seem peevish, harsh, and selfish. We know there must have been some deeper reason for what Jesus did.

 

           The fig tree represents Israel [Jeremiah 8:13; Hosea 9:10,16; and Luke 13:6-9]. The tree had leaves but no fruit. Mark tells us that it was not the season for fruit “for the time of figs was not yet.” Mark 11:13. Israel had a show of spiritual life [leaves] but no real fruit.

 

Just as this tree had leaves but no fruit, so Israel had a show of religion but no practical experience of faith resulting in godly living. Jesus was not angry at the tree. Rather, He used this tree to teach several lessons to His disciples (Warren Wiersbe).  In Luke 13:6-9 the gardener is given time to work with the tree but it did not respond. It was just taking up space.

 

I think another lesson is that while the rocks stood ready to praise Jesus, the fig tree stood unprepared to satisfy the hunger of the Lord. One eagerly said yes and the other stubbornly said no. The tree cursed itself.

 

Dear Lord, let me respond to your requests and serve you with gladness. AMEN