Seriously, this time: why did Jesus curse the fig tree?

I'm actually curious. Since it wasn't the season for figs, why did Jesus curse the poor tree to dry up from the roots? I know that he was angry at the time anyway, but isn't it a little mean to curse an innocent tree? Couldn't he have just... magicked some fig onto the tree for himself?





Mark 11:12-20 (KJV)





12And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:





13And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.





14And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.





And then a little later, after throwing over some tables of some gamblers (in a temple, not just for the sake of it)...





20And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.





Thanks for any answers, and good day everyone.

Seriously, this time: why did Jesus curse the fig tree?
If you read the two accounts of the fig tree, one has Jesus cursing the fig tree prior to entering the temple, while the other account has him leaving the temple. The temple is key to the story. The author's admission that figs were out of season is also important to it.





The fig tree represents the temple itself, and by extension, ancient Jerusalem. Jerusalem as the seat of power of Israel itself. Jesus approaches the fig tree (the temple) seeking fruit (acts of righteousness) and find none. He then curses the fig tree (the temple) to never produce fruit again. The tree withers and dies.





Shortly thereafter, Jerusalem was destroyed, along with the temple, and the temple has never been, and will never be rebuilt. Jesus said to the fig tree "never produce fruit again".





The story is a prophecy of the coming destruction of the temple. After the story of the fig tree, the gospel becomes more and more apocalyptic. The fig tree is used as a literary device,and the author states that figs were out of season to communicate that.
Reply:Because when God asks you to do something, you do it! God was quite capable of forcing the fig tree to produce fruit no matter what season it was. He could do miracles, remember? He should be able to just snap his fingers and the tree should produce fruit. So when he approached the tree and it didn't produce, He cursed it.


He also used this as a spiritual lesson for his disciples. If we don't "produce fruit" when the Lord comes a-callin', we're in trouble.
Reply:Because even though it was not the time of figs, Jesus knew that on this particular species of fig tree there grows little buds which later become the figs. These buds are really sweet and so were sometimes picked by people walking past. As there were no buds, this tree would never bear fruit. And so it was stealing nutrients from the soil but giving nothing in return. Thus Jesus cursed it.
Reply:He did it as a parable in order to prove a point. That is the Christ happened upon the tree suddenly and the tree wasnt prepared and was lacking fruit. In the same way we are to be fruitful and always be prepared for Christs unexpected return.
Reply:Israel is represented several times in the Bible as a "fig tree" because of her disobedience, the nation was scattered. If you see, the nation is coming together again.
Reply:The Savior's name is YAHOSHUA. The fig tree was advertising, but not producing. Just like the 'Jewish' nation. It was an acted parable. An object lesson to the Jews who were not producing fruit.
Reply:I suppose he was under a lot of stress at the time and he took out his anger on the poor fig tree.





I really don't have a concrete answer, though.
Reply:First off you picked and choose Scripture out of it's context. Try reading it word for word.
Reply:Maybe the Fig are the true fruit that God told Adam and Eve to not eat it than the Apple itself.
Reply:cuz he was having a bad day??
Reply:I'd say hasse_John's answer is the most accurate.
Reply:He can do it today. He can take care of us when we are not bearing the fruit
Reply:The fig tree represents a curiousity in the fruit tree world.


While it was not the season for the figs, the tree had none the less sprouted its leaves.





For fig trees, the fruit develops PRIOR to the tree leafing out. For the tree to have leafed out, it would have already had to have born fruit. The leaves develop after the fruit, and provide shade from the sun, after the fruit begins to grow.





The tree was screwed up; it leafed out first, thereby using it's natural strength to provide shade, instead of bearing fruit.
Reply:I agree with a couple of previous answers that mentioned the lesson Christ was teaching about being ready for His soon coming.





However, I believe He also intended to teach Israel a lesson (at that time) because He had come to them, and instead of being the nation they were intended to be-- to proclaim Christ as the Lord and Savior --they rejected Him. He already knew they would do this and no longer be God's chosen ppl after His death. Sure enough, the gospel went to the gentiles after Jesus ascended to Heaven.


________


Actually, I think the figs should have been on the tree at the time Christ found it and cursed it...but I'll double check that.
Reply:The fig tree stood as a symbol for the Jews themselves and the fact that they were not producing fruit.They were not producing fruit to God, the fruit of repentance. They did not acknowledge that Jesus was their Messiah, much as most Jews do not today.





One day, the Bible tells us, they will acknowledge Jesus as their saviour, and they will mourn because they will realise what was done to Jesus in their name.
Reply:You have to know some context about the nature of fig trees; if leaves appear but there aren't any figs on the tree, it means that there won't be any there.





Jesus' search for figs on the tree, then, was a hopeless one. Basically, he cursed the tree to be barren because it was already barren.





In my estimation, this passage is more a message about faith than it is about the actual tree. He says his curse within the hearing of his disciplies and, when they see his curse take shape, they're all amazed--it's a prime time for Jesus to point out the power of faith for them.





The tree is just a means for him to do so--as for the tree, it was probably already barren, considering it hadn't produced fruit yet. So, Jesus' curse wasn't really a curse; it's almost as if he'd said, "Let the Sahara desert dry up."
Reply:The figtree and the vinyard are metaphors for 2 Essene Missions in Rome run by the ruling Herods, the brothers Antipas and Archelaus who replaced Herod the Great after his death. There was no king on the throne during the life of Jesus, but 2 surviving sons of Herod the Gt. were allowed restricted rule over certain areas.





The images of the vinyard and the figtree were associated as images for Israel in the Old Testament. The mission headed by Antipas was known as the Vinyard because they drank wine, and the Party led by Archelaus was known as the figtree because they did not drink wine and were attached to the Egyptian Therapeaut as Healers. They were both Herodian missions, and in a parable, as Luke says, "A figtree was planted in the vinyard"





The figtree mission failed to prosper, hence the comments from Jesus.