Why did Jesus Christ tell us to learn the parable of the fig tree?

Question

Why was this so important to Him?

Good answers so far, but no one has even got close to the parable yet and what it means.

Answer 1

would know how close his return would be

Answer 2

The fig tree represents Israel and the Jews.

God had nurtured them for generations. Now that Jesus, the master, had finally come, the fig tree turned out to be barren. Israel would not accept Jesus, the promised Messiah.

Barren fig trees are of little use. Certainly a disappointment. Good only for burning.

God allowed the barren fig tree (Israel) to grow for another season (one biblical generation - 40 years) and gave it one last chance to bare fruit.

Forty years after Jesus' death on the cross, only a tiny amount of fruit could be found. Few Jews had become followers of Christ.

It was time to uproot the fig tree, burn it, and replace it with a tree that would bear fruit abundantly, in season and out.

God allowed the Romans to destroy Jerusalem and burn the Temple to the ground in the year 70 AD. The temple has never been rebuilt. A golden domed mosque stands on the site today.

The church which Jesus personally founded is the new tree of life, the replacement for the barren fig tree.

Through the power of God's grace, his church will bare abundant fruit, which is all those who profess their faith in Christ and are saved, in season and out, until the end of time.

Answer 3

A parable teaches us, if we can apply it in our own lives. One thing I can use this parable for is to test if a religion, a church, a leader is bringing forth fruit, or is useful only for the fire place.

Jesus expects those who follow him and use his name to be fruitful. Charitable works are examples. Strenghtening families, spreading the Gospel and building a better society also apply.

I can also use this parable to determine where I stand. Am I personally doing all I can?

Answer 4

THE WAY OF THE FIG TREE (Matt 21:18-22)

21:18-22 When Jesus was returning to the city early in the morning, he was hungry. When he saw a fig tree by the roadside, he went up to it, and found nothing but leaves. He said to it, "Let no fruit come from you any more for ever!" And immediately the fig tree withered away. When the disciples saw it, they were astonished. "How did the fig tree immediately wither away?" they said. Jesus answered them: "This is the truth I tell you--if you have faith, and, if you do not doubt, not only will you do what happened to the fig tree, but you will even say to this mountain: 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and it will happen. All that you ask in prayer, if you believe, you will receive."





Few honest readers of the Bible would deny that this is perhaps the most uncomfortably difficult passage in the New Testament. If it be taken with complete literalism, it shows Jesus in an action which is an acute shock to our whole conception of him. It must, therefore, be approached with a real desire to find out the truth which lies behind it and with the courage to think our way through it.

Mark also tells this story (Mk 11:12-14; Mk 11:20-21) but with one basic difference. In Matthew the withering of the fig tree takes place at once. (The King James Version has: "And presently the fig tree withered away." In Elizabethan English presently meant immediately, at that present moment. The Greek is parachrema (), which the Revised Standard Version translates at once, and which Moffatt translates instantly.) On the other hand, in Mark nothing happened to the tree immediately, and it is only next morning, when they are passing on the same road, that the disciples see that the tree has withered away. From the existence of these two versions of the story, it is quite clear that some development has taken place; and, since Mark's is the earliest gospel, it is equally clear that his version must be nearer to the actual historical facts.

It is necessary to understand the growing and fruit-bearing habits of fig trees. The fig tree was the favourite of all trees. The picture of the Promised Land was the picture of "a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees" (Deut 8:8). Pomegranates and figs were part of the treasures which the spies brought back to show the rich fertility of the land (Num 13:23). The picture of peace and prosperity which is common to every part of the old Testament is the picture of a time when every man will sit under his own vine and his own fig tree (1Ki 4:25; Mic 4:4; Zech 3:10). The picture of the wrath of God is the picture of a day when he would smite and destroy the fig trees (Ps 105:33; Jer 8:13; Hos 2:12). The fig tree is the very symbol of fertility and peace and prosperity.

The tree itself is a handsome tree; it can be three feet thick in its trunk. It grows to a height of from fifteen to twenty feet; and the spread of its thick branches can be twenty-five to thirty feet. It was, therefore, much valued for its shade. In Cyprus the cottages have their fig trees at the door, and Tristram tells how often he sheltered under them and found coolness on the hottest day. Very commonly the fig tree grows overshadowing wells so that there is shade and water in the one place. Often it was the shade of the fig tree which was a man's private room for meditation and prayer; and that is why Nathanael was amazed that Jesus had marked him under the fig tree (Jn 1:48).

But it is the fig tree's habit of fruit-bearing which is relevant here. The fig tree is unique in that it bears two full crops in the year. The first is borne on the old wood. Quite early in the year little green knobs appear at the end of the branches. They are called Paggim and they will one day be the figs. These fruit buds come in April but they are quite uneatable. Bit by bit the leaves and the flowers open out, and another unique thing about the fig is that it is in full fruit and full leaf and full flower all at the same time; that happens by June. No fig tree ever bore fruit in April; that is far too early. The process is then repeated with the new wood; and the second crop comes in September.

The strangest thing about this story is twofold. First, it tells of a fig tree in full leaf in April. Jesus was at Jerusalem for the Passover; the Passover fell on 15th April; and this incident happened a week before. The second thing is that Jesus looked for figs on a tree where no figs could possibly be; and Mark says, "For it was not the season for figs" (Mk 11:13).

The difficulty of this story is not so much a difficulty of possibility. It is a moral difficulty; and it is twofold. First, we see Jesus blasting a fig tree for not doing what it was not able to do. The tree could not have borne fruit in the second week of April, and yet we see Jesus destroying it for not doing that very thing. Second, we see Jesus using his miraculous powers for his own ends. That is precisely what in the temptations in the wilderness he determined never to do. He would not turn stones into bread to satisfy his own hunger. The plain truth is this--if we had read of anyone else blasting a fig tree for not bearing figs in April, we would have said it was the act of ill-tempered petulance, springing from personal disappointment. In Jesus that is inconceivable; therefore there must be some explanation. What is it?

Some have found an explanation on the following lines. In Luke there is the parable of the fig tree which failed to bear fruit. Twice the gardener pleaded for mercy for it; twice mercy and delay were granted; in the end it was still fruitless and was therefore destroyed (Lk 13:6-9). The curious thing is that Luke has the parable of the barren fig tree, but he has not this incident of the withering of the fig tree; Matthew and Mark have this incident of the withering of the fig tree, but they have not the parable of the barren fig tree. It looks very much as if the gospel writers felt that if they included the one they did not need to include the other. It is suggested that the parable of the barren fig tree has been misunderstood and been turned into an actual incident. Confusion has changed a story Jesus told into an action Jesus did. That is by no means impossible; but it seems to us that the real explanation must be sought elsewhere. And now we go on to seek it.

Answer 5

I agree Look Up Your Redemption Draws Nigh.Come quickly Lord Jesus
In Christ in Love,
TJ57

Answer 6

Clearly, here Jesus was teaching the importance of revenge.
Jesus was hungry.
The fig tree had no figs.
So Jesus kills the fig tree.

Answer 7

"Good answers so far, but no one has even got close to the parable yet and what it means."?

Why don't u tell us the answer you already believe, and well talk about that.

Answer 8

Jesus gave the fig tree every opportunity to produce fruit
it did not,therefore he cursed it. it then withered away. Likewise we are in our window of time to produce,bear witness unto him if we do not we like the fig tree will be cast out of his sight forever.

Answer 9

I have no doubt that my answer is not what you want to hear, but what it says to me is that power can be destructive in the hands of a tired and frustrated individual and if we believe in our own abilities there are many remarkable things we can do. Jesus was admitting that "magic" is available to anyone.

Answer 10

This deals with the ultimate return of Christ. There shall be signs in the world, such as will occur in the great tribulation.

Answer 11

Matthew 21:21Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

The fig tree is like any other fruit bearing tree. What good is the tree to anyone if it does not bear any fruit to eat? Jesus was hungry and when He saw that the fig tree that should have had fruit on it did not, He destroyed it.

We Christians are all like the branches of the tree of eternal life which is Jesus. We are to go outward into this world sharing God's word and when we lead a lost person to Jesus, that is considered bearing the fruit of the word of God. We are to share His word with anyone who is wanting to learn it and seeks Jesus for their salvation.. It is a spiritual food and water, not like the food and water that we phsyically eat and drink for our body.

IF we are not productive branches on the tree of life, (Jesus), then that branch on that tree which is useless to Jesus gets cut off and it dies. Our faith in Jesus and in ourselves as disciples of Him, is what allows us to spread the word of God to those who seek salvation. But Jesus does not have us to do it all by ourselves, for He is with us, guiding us always.

Our purpose in life is to prepare our souls for eternity. The branches of the fig tree represents the Christians, and the fruit represents those who we can lead to Jesus, and the cycle goes on and on, all the way to when Jesus takes His church, all the Christains back with Him in heaven when we are all raptured. Eternity is forever, and heaven is the most wonderful place to spend it. Jesus is the only way to get there.

If you have a tree in your yard and the branches are not producing fruit if it is a fruit bearing tree, you are to cut it down, for it is useless.

1Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.