Christ’s Cursing the Fig Tree

A reader asks several questions about Christ's cursing the fig tree: "And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away" (Matt. 21:19).

(1) What is there in the fact that it was a fig tree? The fig tree has two harvests: May-June and August- October. Jesus was in Jerusalem for Passover which occurred about April. Thus as Mark says, "the time of figs was not" (11:13), so ordinarily you would not expect figs. However, the fig tree is remarkable in that it brings forth fruit either at the same time or even before it bears leaves. In other words, a fig tree with leaves should have fruit no matter what the season. This was why Christ came to this fig tree expecting fruit: He saw "a fig tree afar off having leaves" (13).

(2) Does the fig tree symbolize Israel? Yes. First, the fig tree elsewhere represents Israel (Luke 13:6-9; cf. Hos. 9:10). Second, the context speaks of judgment upon Israel (e.g., Matt. 21:12-13, 33-46).

Israel was like this fig tree in that it promised fruit by its leaves—its religious endeavors and ceremonies. It said by its many sacrifices, broad phylacteries and intense study of the law, "I have fruit for God! All the other nations have no fruit but I have!"

Israel was also like this fig tree in that it actually had no fruit. Jesus Christ came to the nation of Israel, as he did to this fig tree, looking for fruit and found none. His verdict upon Israel was that it was a "wicked and adulterous generation" (Matt. 16:4).

Thus in this passage Israel is presented not merely as a nation which didn't produce fruit, but as a nation which didn't produce fruit and yet was proclaiming loudly that it did have fruit! It was her proud boasts and her hypocrisy which made her sin the greater and cried out for judgment.

Thus Christ's cursing the fig tree was not a display of childish petulance but an expression of His righteous indignation. His pronouncement, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever," was a word of curse and wrath and death upon the tree/Israel ending her role as the nation of God "for ever" because of her sin, pride and hypocrisy. At no time in the future will Israel be restored to her special nation status with God and certainly not in some future earthly millennium. This severe word is in keeping with Christ's other judgments upon apostate Israel (e.g., Matt. 2l:43-44; 23:38).

This Word applies especially to congregations and denominations today which boast of their fruit--their many converts, their religious zeal, etc.--but all the while they lack true faith in the biblical gospel.  There are lots of leaves--religious trappings--but no fruit. Christ is dishonored by such churches and even removes their candlestick for their apostasy (cf. Rev. 2:5). Let us evaluate churches rightly, for not every church which has leaves also has fruit. And let us individually and in our families and churches look to the crucified Christ from whom our fruit is found (Hos. 14:8).