Mark 11:12-14 (NIV)
12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 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. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
Matthew 21:18-19 (NIV)
18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 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.
Now, why did Jesus curse the Fig tree?
On reading the above verses for the first few times many years ago my immediate thought at the time was that it was so unlike Jesus, so out of character! Jesus being petulant! Surely not? Cursing a tree just because he was hungry and it had no fruit!
In fact petulance had nothing to do with it and Jesus wasn’t stepping out of character. The answer to why the tree was cursed lies in one having some knowledge of the fig tree and its growth and fruit bearing patterns. Jesus, being who He is, knew all about the growth patterns of fig trees.
There is a very reasonable explanation why Jesus cursed the fig tree even though it wasn’t the season for figs. Jesus as with all His parables was using a physical event that the farming community new all about and turned it into a spiritual event that would teach the crowds something about the Kingdom of God. Jesus also knew that this teaching would teach all his disciples throughout the ages.
Just before the fig producing season, fig trees produce little knobs which are edible but do not taste as good as the proper fig but do provide nourishment. The farmers would allow the poorer members of the community and travellers to eat this pre-fruit as a free service to the community!
In Mark’s version of The Fig Tree, he states in Mk 11:13 ‘The time of the fig is not yet.’ It was just before Passover and about six weeks before the fully formed fig is due to appear. When the fig leaves appear at about the end of March, they are accompanied by a crop of small knobs, called taqsh (tuh-kw aa-sh) in Aramaic, a sort of forerunner of the real figs.
These taqsh are eaten by the poor and travellers passing by when hungry. The taqsh drop off before the real fig is formed if they are not eaten. But if the leaves appear unaccompanied by taqsh, it is a sure sign that the tree would never bear fruit. So it was evident to our Lord, when He turned aside to see if there were any of these taqsh on the fig-tree that the absence of the taqsh meant that there would be no figs when the time of figs came. For all its fair foliage, it was a fruitless and a hopeless tree and of no use to anybody.
Luke 13:6-9 (NIV)
6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years 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?’
8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
Now, dear Readers, let’s examine the four verses above (Luke 13:6-9). My first question is, “What was the fig tree doing in the vineyard?”
This was not an uncommon sight in those days and even in the Middle East today. A Fig tree has the same kind of root system as a grape vine. So, a farmer of the day would plant a fig tree where he wanted to start a vineyard before he planted his grape vines, if the fig tree grew well, the farmer would know that the field was ok to start planting grape vines as the soil was good.
The problem with the fig tree that Jesus cursed was that although it looked healthy and had leaves it wasn’t bearing any taqsh, and a fig tree that does not bear tagsh would not bear any figs either, so it was no good, it was only good for uprooting and putting on the fire! You see, the fig tree that Jesus cursed had all the appearances of being a good fruit bearing tree, it looked healthy because it had great looking leaves etc.
But……………..it would never bear fruit even though the gardener or the farmer had tended it for a number of years and had fed it fertiliser! It looked good but it was useless, it would serve no purpose in its life!
Consequently, the next day the tree had withered and died!
Mark 11:20-21 (KJV)
20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
What can we learn from this today?
Very often we as Christians bluff ourselves and others that we are the real Christian deal. We have all the outward appearance of being a great fruit bearing tree – but behind our leaves (masks) we are barren and useless.
We can fool most of the people most of the time – but we can never fool God. We cannot hide anything about ourselves from God!
Galatians 6:7-8 (NIV)
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Psalm 139:7-12 (NIV)
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
Jesus is the vine and the Father is the gardener.
John 15:1-8
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Let’s examine the eight verses from John 15:1-8 above keeping in mind the cursed fig tree and that the setting is a vineyard. Jesus is there with his disciples and other followers.
In verse 1 Jesus tells us that he is the true vine, and that God the Father is the gardener – God is the one tends us and provides for us, but only if we are in the true vine, Jesus His Son, only if we are a branch connected to (in) Jesus by the Holy Spirit. This means that only if we are born again, have repented from our old life of sin, and have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour.
In verse two He tells us two very important things that should blow your socks off!
- God cuts off every branch in Jesus that bears no fruit!
- Every branch that does bear fruit, God prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. Sometimes this pruning can be a painful process depending on how much we resist Him!
In verse 6 Jesus tells us that if we do not remain in him and do not bear fruit, like the fig tree, we will be cut out and thrown into the fire to be burned.
In verse 7 Jesus tells us that if we remain in Him and in His words (The Bible) our prayers will be answered!
And of course, as I have mentioned before, in verse 8 Jesus tells us that it is to the Father’s glory that we bear much fruit, and this will prove us to be Jesus’ true disciples! Awesome!
God has predestined each one of us to do good works in the Spirit. He expects us to bear much good fruit. If we are not a good fruit bearing disciple and collective Church, we run the risk of being cut off and thrown into the fire! (John 15:6)
Ephesians 2:8-10 (AMP)
8 For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; 9 not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation]. 10 For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].
As a born again Christian what kind of fruit are you bearing if any?
How do I bear good fruit?
Well, to me it stands to reason that the best and perhaps only place for a Christian to start bearing fruit after becoming born again is with the fruit of the Spirit! If we do this, it will be impossible for us to go wrong! Live by the Spirit always!
Galatians 5:22-26 (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
In everything that God tells you to do and in all your dealings with people, do everything in love, without grumbling and apply the fruit of the Spirit in all your ways!
1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV)
Do everything in love.
Now take the example of the barren fig tree and examine yourself as a Christian.
Are you bearing fruit? Are you producing good fruit, bad fruit or no fruit at all?
Mt 7:20 says, “Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them.”
A fruit tree that bears no fruit is just as bad as a fruit tree that bears bad fruit.
Mt 7:19 says. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
It will be very good for you my dear reader to study Mt 7:15-23 and question yourself and your Christian walk in all honesty. We can’t bluff God and He will not be mocked!
Mt 7:21 says, “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
If you have any hidden and unconfessed sin in your life, now is the time to ask God to deal with you!
Make no mistake we have entered the times when He will cleanse His Church – no sin can enter heaven.
Eph 5: 26, 27 says, “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
2 Pe 3:13 & 14 says, “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”
This is what the Lord said to the Church in Philadelphia:
Rev 3:16
So because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit and help me to live my life in accordance with your will. Lord, help me to bear much fruit that I may bring glory to your name and help build up and edify others. Lord, let me not become a barren fig tree Christian. Amen
To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!
Jesus the Name above all names!
Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!
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