Mark 11:13 The Fig Tree Withered
Mar 11:13 And 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.
Jesus was in Bethany and He was hungry. He saw a fig tree with leaves. When He went nearer, He found no figs on the tree; there were only leaves. Mark says because “for the time of figs was not yet” (v.13b). Jesus said: “No man eat fruit from thee henceforward for ever” (v.14). When they passed by the tree the next day, they saw the fig tree was completely dried up and dead (v.20).
The question in most people’s mind is this: “Why did Jesus curse the fig tree when it was not the time for fruit?” Some would consider it to be too harsh, a bit extreme, and unreasonable. But, is it?
It is generally circulated that the fruit of the fig tree generally appears before the leaves. Therefore, when Jesus and His disciples saw from a distance that the tree had leaves, they would have expected it to also have fruit on it.
Mark records that “the time of figs was not yet.” What does it mean?
Does it mean it’s not the fruit-bearing season? Well, if it is, it would make our Saviour a very unreasonable person. However, we know He is not. It would be scary if He is because He could also demand from us things that we are unable to do. From the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-40, we know He is a reasonable person, expecting from each servant only the same talents He had given them. He did not expect the servant who was given one talent to perform the same amount of work as the one who was given five talents.
Christ in this instance was hungry but not angry. Therefore, it is more reasonable to believe that “the time of figs was not yet” refers to the time of harvesting. Farmers do not harvest at the first sight of the fruits; they wait for the fruits to fully ripen.
The tree that had leaves but no fruit is a symbol of Israel. In Luke 13:6-9. Jesus spoke a Parable of a Barren Fig Tree. The owner of the vineyard said to the dresser: “Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?” Christ was alluding to His three years ministry among the Jews which bore no fruit. The entire fruitless Jewish nation was cut down in AD70 by the Romans.
In spite of its lofty pretensions, the fig tree bore no fruit. It looked good but it was all show. Such “hypocrisy” was unacceptable to Jesus. What is the lesson for us?
Paul speaks of some who were pretentious like the fig tree: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:5).
Paul is referring to some Christians who will make a show of being religious. They pretend to be wholly devoted to God when the truth of the matter is, they don’t believe in God. Do you think those “church leaders” and “pastors” who were convicted of raping their female worshippers, stealing money, fornication, drug addiction, and other immoral crimes, believe in God?
What about us? Are we truly godly or only appear as one? Are we holy or just appear holy? We can deceive men but not God. All false pretences are hypocrisy. Jesus addressed the topic of hypocrisy in Matthew 23:27-28: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”
We can give the world an appearance of having the fruit of the Spirit when we are no different from it. In Judgment Day, our Lord will say: “Woe unto you.” We have been warned.
Jesus was in Bethany and He was hungry. He saw a fig tree with leaves. When He went nearer, He found no figs on the tree; there were only leaves. Mark says because “for the time of figs was not yet” (v.13b). Jesus said: “No man eat fruit from thee henceforward for ever” (v.14). When they passed by the tree the next day, they saw the fig tree was completely dried up and dead (v.20).
The question in most people’s mind is this: “Why did Jesus curse the fig tree when it was not the time for fruit?” Some would consider it to be too harsh, a bit extreme, and unreasonable. But, is it?
It is generally circulated that the fruit of the fig tree generally appears before the leaves. Therefore, when Jesus and His disciples saw from a distance that the tree had leaves, they would have expected it to also have fruit on it.
Mark records that “the time of figs was not yet.” What does it mean?
Does it mean it’s not the fruit-bearing season? Well, if it is, it would make our Saviour a very unreasonable person. However, we know He is not. It would be scary if He is because He could also demand from us things that we are unable to do. From the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-40, we know He is a reasonable person, expecting from each servant only the same talents He had given them. He did not expect the servant who was given one talent to perform the same amount of work as the one who was given five talents.
Christ in this instance was hungry but not angry. Therefore, it is more reasonable to believe that “the time of figs was not yet” refers to the time of harvesting. Farmers do not harvest at the first sight of the fruits; they wait for the fruits to fully ripen.
The tree that had leaves but no fruit is a symbol of Israel. In Luke 13:6-9. Jesus spoke a Parable of a Barren Fig Tree. The owner of the vineyard said to the dresser: “Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?” Christ was alluding to His three years ministry among the Jews which bore no fruit. The entire fruitless Jewish nation was cut down in AD70 by the Romans.
In spite of its lofty pretensions, the fig tree bore no fruit. It looked good but it was all show. Such “hypocrisy” was unacceptable to Jesus. What is the lesson for us?
Paul speaks of some who were pretentious like the fig tree: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:5).
Paul is referring to some Christians who will make a show of being religious. They pretend to be wholly devoted to God when the truth of the matter is, they don’t believe in God. Do you think those “church leaders” and “pastors” who were convicted of raping their female worshippers, stealing money, fornication, drug addiction, and other immoral crimes, believe in God?
What about us? Are we truly godly or only appear as one? Are we holy or just appear holy? We can deceive men but not God. All false pretences are hypocrisy. Jesus addressed the topic of hypocrisy in Matthew 23:27-28: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”
We can give the world an appearance of having the fruit of the Spirit when we are no different from it. In Judgment Day, our Lord will say: “Woe unto you.” We have been warned.
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