“Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.”
Mark 11:13, NASB
Perplexing isn’t it? I personally have had a certain amount of ambiguity with this passage. I have questions that I’ve swept under the rug. Why did that poor tree get cursed? It wasn’t the trees fault, after all. And didn’t Jesus realize this? So why go through the theatrics?
I don’t know if this is the case with anyone else.
I hesitate to ask around. But recently have come to a better place about this entire event. The traditional view is that it comes immediately after “the cleansing of the temple” and that explains a lot. The fig tree is always emblematic of Israel. (The Old Testament is well populated with these references.) The disciple Mark adroitly organized his Gospel in order to connect both events.
I assure you, Jesus has no issues or vendettas against trees. 😁
But He does take an issue with things that claim fruit, but really have nothing. There’s nothing but leaves. I’ve been told that the figs do grow, almost as fast as leaves. The lush greenness is the prime indicator of the succulent fruit. At least, in theory, it has the potential.
Luke 12:7-9,
“Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
The beautiful leaves declare its fruitfulness. This tree was loaded, but had nothing to show but leaves. Within God’s plan for Israel was for fruit. Enough to feed the nations that would stream to Jerusalem. Instead, it was worthless. There was nothing to be had. Loads of leaves, and the promise of an incredible harvest, but zilch, zero, nothing.
Hypocrisy is a deadening experience, with a definite sterility.
Israel was finding this out, and Jesus is now declaring it to the nation. A corrupt temple, and a fruitless tree; this were all indicators of hypocrisy and showiness. The luxuriant leaves loaded the tree, but ‘where’s the fruit?!’
Sometimes we declare that we are fruitful, on the mere basis of our lovely leaves.
At times maybe even green? Leaves are pretty much all we can do. And we do it quite well. But the fruit is from the Holy Spirit, (Galatians 5:22.)
Israel failed God. They became religious and neglected mercy, and justice. Humility and graciousness. The widow and the orphan were not part of their personal equation. They produced leaves by the wheelbarrow load, but were missing out on the authenticity to what was true, and what really mattered.
Pharisees will do this all the time.
They turn into hypocrites who do not possess what they profess. A hypocrite values true godliness, but he personally falls short of all those things he admires. But he will never, ever admit it to anyone. And even we who struggle so, must continually admit that we stumble and falter as we try to follow.
The terrible temptation of this time is to look good without being good.
It’s the awful curse of legalistic religion, and it runs rampant in our nation today, even in our government. The Lord absolutely detests it. God help us understand, and repent from what He shows us.
Personally, I may be a ‘screwy’ excuse of being a disciple, but I have decided I don’t want to deceive people anymore.
God, help me.
“This year, or this month, or, more likely, this very day, we have failed to practice ourselves the kind of behavior we expect from other people.”
C.S. Lewis
Broken Believers 