The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 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. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. – Mark 11:12-14
God Hates Figs
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About Shaun — Shaun Groves is a communicator who’s known by a lot of titles: Singer/songwriter. Speaker. Blogger. Husband. Daddy. Friend. He feels and thinks deeply and laughs easily. And he’s helping Christians discover what they were saved for, and being a voice for children around the world, desperate to be saved from poverty.
How does Shaun feel about figs?
This is why I don’t read the Bible to my fig tree. It can’t read, it’ll never know.
The problem was that Jesus never had a Fig Newton.
May to make me look twice.
{For the record, fresh figs straight off the vine are divine. That’s why Jesus got all angrified about not finding any.}
My grandma had a fig tree. Best fruit ever.
Yeah, what a weird passage.
I’ve often heard it used as a companion piece to 2 Timothy 4:2: “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” (Though I don’t think my Hermeneutics professor in college would agree with that association.)
I guess the fig tree had never been encouraged to seek excellence in all things…
God loves fruit. We are all capable of bearing fruit and can produce fruit through our good works.
One of my friends and I made a comic book of the Gospel of Mark. For that part we showed Jesus shaking His finger at a fig tree and the disciples whispering to each other, “He’s talking to figs again.”
Katie
So why did Jesus curse the fig tree? Figs were not in season. Is that the fig trees fault?
I can’t find a very satisfying answer for that myself, Ron. If you do, let me know.
I think he was using it to set up the teaching opportunity we see later in the chapter. I think it’s a more modern tendency to personify plants and animals.
We shouldn’t feel bad for all the fish the disciples caught in Luke 5, should we? Those fish were innocently swimming along until Jesus decided to kill them to illustrate his point.
To Jesus the message was most important. Creation around him was a canvas for him to use as illustration.
Hmm. Two thoughts. A little study reveals that a fig trees figs and the green leaves should appear about the same time. So maybe Jesus was giving us a hint about appearing to have your act together … and yet really you are just faking it. (Tree had leaves but no figs.) But I personally don’t buy that theory because Mark very clearly says that the figs were not in season. So … Boo-yah to the bible scholars who came up with that one.
My personal opinion is that this was a “pre-reference” (I hereby claim copy rights to the word “pre-reference) to 2 Timothy 4: 2 when we are told to be ready to preach the word “in season and out.” This tree was out of season and not producing fruit. As Christ followers we are to preach the word regardless of the season. So Jesus blasted the tree to teach the lesson.
Or not. Anybody got Hank Hannegraffs email address?
Yep, had to look at the title twice. Well played.
I don’t know that I ever had that many figs to begin with, but I saw this documentary once about some insect or arachnid that lays its eggs inside of figs. Now I will certainly never eat one again. I’m glad Jesus agrees with me!
Yet if He really wanted figs, He could have commanded them to grow and I’m sure the Fig Tree would have been obedient!
But then, perhaps He really wasn’t in the mood for Figs. I’m not either. Ever.
But perhaps the true purpose was to teach Peter about faith in verses 20-26.
Sarah, I agree. Why would Jesus want to curse a tree? Bizarre! But to teach a lesson to his future ‘rock’ makes sense. How I wish I could have been a fly on the – er – tree, that day
Did you forward the photo to Fred Phelps? I’m sure he won’t find it at all funny, but I did!
Incidentally, the play on words in the title always makes me raise an eyebrow, because a ‘fag’ in the UK, where I live, means a cigarette.
So, wait am I supposed to never eat figs again? but fig newtons rock!
Poor figs!
Confusing passage. All I can do is scratch my head, thank the Lord for grace and mercy, and go have a fig newton!
The title here really cracked me up. We have a certainly “fig” hating church coming to protest our church in two weeks, so this was quite timely. Thanks for the laugh!
Have you ever paid for a service, but the service provided did not meet expectations? Like buying a TV but it won’t turn on, for example. Now imagine creating that TV (perfectly) and it didn’t come on, didn’t serve it’s purpose…that would be similar to Jesus and the fig tree.
Although…if I were arguing with myself (which I do often)…Wouldn’t Jesus know the fig tree didn’t have fruit on it before He approached it? Couldn’t He MAKE the figs appear? Why did He even need a tree?
It is an odd little story.
What should i do with my “figgy pudding” at Christmas?
Respectfully, what is your point and what are you looking for by posting this?
I love the title photo, it made me laugh. But I was really hoping you’d have some explanation about this odd little fig story, I have always wondered about it!
ROFL i cant stop laughing!
I have often pondered this very passage!
I think the passage, like so many in the Bible, can have several meanings. I like the comment above about being ready at all times, and so I guess my thought kind of dovetails off of that one: perhaps He is telling us to bear fruit even when it doesn’t seem possible–to “hang in there” for the season is coming when the fruit will be obvious, although right now the outlook may be bleak.
I am thinking of the most important role of the stay-at-home Mom who asks herself, “Why do I continue wiping noses and doing laundry and making meals–what possible difference can it make? How can THIS be serving the Kingdom of God?” Well, if we persevere, the blessings will come in their time. If we give up, then we are as the fig tree–cursed.