Why Did Jesus Curse The Fig tree? Tree Series Part 6 of 7

Mark 11:12-14 12"Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He {Jesus} was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree HAVING LEAVES, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for IT WAS NOT THE SEASON FOR FIGS. 14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it."

(Jesus curses the fig tree.)

Mark 11:20-21

"Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”

Like you, I've heard many messages and much speculation about what this story means and why Jesus would do such a thing to a poor tree.  I mean, it clearly says IT WAS NOT THE SEASON FOR FIGS. But as always, the Author, the Holy Spirit, has a message and an important lesson for us to learn.

Well, God says study so let's learn a little about fig trees.

In scripture it is not a symbol of the curse as you may have heard. In fact, figs, vines and pomegranates are the holy trio of fruits in the temple and in worship in the Old Testament. They are blessings.  They are actually a wonderful fruit and contain more seeds within each fig than any other fruit.  Thus, it's a symbol of fruitfulness as well as an excellent source of nutrition. But it was never the fruit that was a problem. It was the leaf and the tree.

The first time figs are mentioned in the garden of Eden after Adam and Eve fell. Their eyes were opened, they knew they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together.  Guess you could say the fig leaf was the very first branded clothing line!  Contrary to popular opinion, it probably was a fig, not an apple, that they ate. 

After eating from the forbidden tree, their eyes were opened and they knew they had sinned against God. Fig leaves were their attempt to cover their shame. God Himself, however, made them long-sleeved, neck-to ankle coats of skin called "kettoneth."

(For more on this topic, follow this link:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-coat-of-many-colors.html?m=1)

 

Fig leaves are a picture of man trying to save himself by own efforts.  In other words, self-righteousness.  Scripture says that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins.

Cain tried to do the same thing when he brought produce instead of a blood sacrifice, lIke his brother, Abel. He was saying, in effect, that he did not acknowledge he was a sinner; that the works of his hands, i.e. self-righteousness, would suffice. It did not.  It does not. That is why God rejected his offering.

So, obviously, God killed animals, probably rams, in order to make clothing for Adam and Eve.  In this way He provided a bloody covering for them. Yep; God offered the first blood sacrifice for sins and, of course, God's provision for us is always perfect, unlike our own.

So, that's where it all started:  In the garden.....and man has been sowing fig leaves together for himself ever since.

Getting back to our story, why was Jesus looking for figs on this tree if it was not the season for them?  Kinda makes you feel sorry for the fig.  But the fig tree has a very unusual characteristic. Before the leaves come out, it produces something called the "first ripe figs," which, Biblically speaking, is picture of the tithe. {Yes, tithing came long before the law}.  So, when it has leaves on it, one should expect them to find fruit on it.  Not so this tree.  For some reason, it had none.

What does all this mean?  The fig tree in the Bible always depicts Natural Israel.  (See Matthew 24:32)  Jesus had come to His people looking for, NO--expecting--to find fruit, i.e. a testimony of God's goodness, of HIs blessing, of the fruits that should be there as a result of serving God.

What He found instead were religious, outward appearances but no substance. You know, leaves but no fruit.  "See?!  I've got leaves!"  All they had produced was a lot of righteousness by works, not of faith.  A bluff, if you will.  He found hypocrisy.

By cursing the fig tree, He was not cursing the law but the hypocritical "system" of works without fruit that sprang out of the law.

According to Galatians 3 "the law is not of faith." You are either under law and your faith is suspended......or you are under Grace by faith.  Faith and performance are mutually exclusive; and, if you do not see performance as a cursed thing, you will be unable to flow in faith.
The unfortunate consequence of all this is that God cannot give you the "land" {His rest} which He has promised you and all the blessings that can only be had by grace. 

That's what Paul meant when he said that the son of the slave woman, Hagar, cannot be heir with the son of the free woman, Sarah.  Ishmael cannot inherit along with the Isaac, the son of promise; for "if those of the law become heirs, the promise is made of no effect." Galatians 3:12.

Everything God has for us can only be received by faith in Jesus' finished work. You cannot add to it with your striving, with your good works or your good family name.

They come ONLY by grace: UNearned, UNmerited, UNdeserved favor....and that, Church,  is why Jesus cursed the fig tree.