I’ve never really cared much for figs. I guess when they come in the form of a Newton, they seem to be tolerable, but in any other situation, I think I’d rather eat a prune. To be completely honest with you, if not for the story in the Gospels, I wouldn’t even have been able to tell you that they grew on trees. They’re silly little fruits that most people prefer to eat all dried up and shriveled. That should tell you all you need to know. 

But there it is, right in the middle of Holy Week, a story about Jesus and a tree that grows figs. At first blush, when you read it, you’re tempted to ask; 

“What did that tree ever do to you?” 

Jesus walks up, sees a tree without any fruit, and decides to tell it off. Like He gives the tree a literal verbal smackdown. It went a little like this; 

Mark 11:12–14 (ESV) – On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 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. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it. 

It is in this instance that I say; “thank you God for Bibles with study notes.” You see, people a LOT smarter than me, wrote some things that helped me understand this tree situation a whole lot better. 

Apparently, fig trees grow fruit and leaves around the same time. So when Jesus saw the tree in full leaf (I think that’s how you say that), He came to it, expecting to find fruit to quench His hunger. Still not a reason to scream at a tree, but we’re getting closer. 

Now it’s also important that you know that, throughout the Old Testament, fig trees are used as a metaphor for the nation of Israel, and its standing before God (I must have missed that day in class). So armed with that knowledge, it becomes much more understandable, that Jesus wasn’t actually mad at the tree, but rather what it represented. 

He was on His way to the temple, which needed to be cleansed. Cleansed of hype men and hypocrisy. Cleansed from those who had turned it from a place designed to worship their Heavenly Father, into a veritable den of liars and thieves. This helps us get to the place where Jesus, in His mind, sees the tree as a representation of the fruitless lives of the Jewish people who were supposed to follow God. Their lack of faith, represents the fruitlessness of their lives, and through metaphor, this tree. 

It’s for that reason Jesus curses it. As He pronounces judgement on it, He pronounces judgment on them. When He says it will produce fruit no more – He is declaring their faith is without works, and it is dead. Suddenly the tree no longer seems the victim in this story. 

There’s one more thing that I learned about figs that I feel is important. Did you know they are tear shaped?! Neither did I. But in the context of this story, that feels rather important. The fruit of the tree Jesus uses to proclaim His judgment of the nation of Israel, and really all of us, bears fruit in the same shape as the tears we cry. The tears, I imagine, He cried.

Israel is a mess. The temple is an abomination. And the people who should love Him the most, are betraying Him at every turn. Tear shaped fruit seems like an obvious choice, now doesn’t it?