Why Did Jesus Curse the Fig Tree? It's Complicated

Short answer: No.

The fig tree cursing appears in the Book of Mark but has all the outward appearance of a vengeful, godly act that would fit more perfectly in the Old Testament. However, if you read on in the passage, you can begin to make the connection that Jesus isn't truly angry at the tree that produces fig leaves without any fruit.

Jesus sees the path of Israel's fruitfulness (or path toward enlightenment) and the ability of all the nations of the world to bear spiritual fruit in direct correlation with their ability to accept Jesus and follow his teachings.

If Israel is "God's vineyard," then the tree with luxuriant leaves is a metaphor for someone who gives the impression of righteousness but does not act nobly.

When Jesus tells the barren fig tree, "No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever" (Mark 11:14), he is really speaking to the chief priests and money changers of the temple complex who benefitted financially and were corrupted to choose wealth over charity during the Roman occupation.

Why Jesus Cursing the Fig Tree Is a Complicated Passage in the Bible

The prophetic act is a confusing passage for readers today, just as it was when disciples heard their religious leader's anger at a tree for being unable to bear fruit when it wasn't the season for figs.

For such a kind person to make a fig tree wither raises a question that deserves deeper investigation to get to the root of the issue.

The cursing of the fig tree stems from the fact that Jesus expects this early bloomer to produce fruit because its full-bodied foliage shows all the signs of fruitfulness. Jesus curses the fruitless tree, and the disciples notice that the fig tree withers immediately the next day.

Although this is not the typical happy miracle — like stopping a storm, turning water to wine or bringing a dead man back to life — it is a reminder (within the Christian faith) of the authority Jesus possesses to pass judgment on Earth. He is God's son and representative tasked with leading followers down the path of righteousness.

Jesus had previously fasted in the desert for 40 days and nights to thwart the devil's temptations and prove his worthiness of being the promised messiah. Therefore, seeking fruit trees and throwing a magical tantrum when he can't find the first ripe fig of the season is not the story's true meaning.

A tree bears fruit when it is rooted in good soil and receives an adequate amount of sunshine and rainfall. The object lesson works for people in a similar way: The obvious reference to chief priests and moneylenders in the following paragraphs points to these greedy institutions doing a disservice to what the soul desires.

Jesus responds to the corruption of the temple system with radical distaste and defiance because he sees the constant corruption of the Jewish nation and future followers.

The enacted parable of the fig tree is supposed to highlight how the systems in place are just as harmful for people seeking salvation and spiritual fruitfulness as it is for a fig tree planted in poor soil. Without the proper foundational principles and constant nurturing, both will wither and perish.