Don't you think...?

Question

Jesus was a little hard on that fig tree? I mean, come on, it's not the fig tree's fault it didn't have any fruit. Poor tree....

Answer 1

It was a lesson. The tree was all leaves and no fruit like a supposed Christian who talked the talk but, did not walk the walk. (Gee I am so clever when I steal those little cliches huh? --- yech!)

Answer 2

The tree is being used as a symbol, not the object itself, of the judgment. If it had been the season for figs, then the tree would have itself borne certain responsibility, and its judgment would have applied as much to itself as to the nation, watering down the force of the symbolism. But Jesus is not interested in judging fig trees. The focus is, rather, on the nation, the temple, the Jewish leadership. Therefore, Mark makes plain that it was not the season for figs.

If the incident occurred in the period approaching Passover, the parenthetical statement in verse 13c is incontrovertible and suggests that Jesus had no expectation of finding edible figs. Events have meaning beyond their face value; they become significant as they are interpreted. The unexpected and incongruous character of Jesus’ action in looking for figs at a season when no fruit could be found would stimulate curiosity and point beyond the incident to its deeper significance.

Answer 3

Yes.