Why did Jesus curse a fig tree?

Question

Kinda has a hissy fit there, no?

Matthew 21:18 (New International Version) -
Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, [Jesus] was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.

Answer 1

Really? I dont remember that story

Answer 2

In seminary somebody gave me a copy of "Hard Sayings of the Bible" by F.F. Bruce. While I think Bruce reaches a bit in some areas...his "fig tree" answer is pretty good:

Was it not unreasonable to curse the tree for being fruitless when, as Mark expressly says, "it was not the season for figs"? The problem is most satisfactorily cleared up in a discussion called "The Barren Fig Tree" published many years ago by W. M. Christie, a Church of Scotland minister in Palestine under the British mandatory regime. He pointed out first the time of year at which the incident is said to have occurred (if, as is probable, Jesus was crucified on April 6th, A.D. 30, the incident occurred during the first days of April). "Now," wrote Christie, "the facts connected with the fig tree are these. Toward the end of March the leaves begin to appear, and in about a week the foliage coating is complete. Coincident with [this], and sometimes even before, there appears quite a crop of small knobs, not the real figs, but a kind of early forerunner. They grown to the size of green almonds, in which condition they are eaten by peasants and others when hungry. When they come to their own indefinite maturity they drop off." These precursors of the true fig are called taqsh in Palestinian Arabic. Their appearance is a harbinger of the fully formed appearance of the true fig some six weeks later. So, as Mark says, the time for figs had not yet come. But if the leaves appear without any taqsh, that is a sign that there will be no figs. Since Jesus found "nothing but leaves" - leaves without any taqsh- he knew that "it was an absolutely hopeless, fruitless fig tree" and said as much.

Answer 3

The fig tree is a metaphor for Israel, which was nurtured by God for many "seasons" yet failed to bear any good fruit.

He let the apostles nurture Israel for one more season, after his crucifixion (one 40-year biblical generation) and when it still refused to bear fruit, it was summarily torn out by the roots, and burned.

This was the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, at the hands of the Romans in 70 AD.

Answer 4

Jesus curse a fig tree because he as a GOD seen the tree not bearing fruit. Meaning as creator and God, he always want for the best outcome of the thing he created.

Answer 5

Object lesson. He used the tree to show his followers how deceptive the Jewish nation was. They may have appeared good on the outside with their temple arrangement and priesthood, but on the inside they were as worthless as the fig tree that had premature leaves but produced no fruit.

Answer 6

Low blood sugar, maybe. I mean he hadn't eaten all day and people can get cranky when they haven't eaten. But that is a disturbing tale, as it seems out of character. He was about forgiveness, not punishment. The tale of course is a parable for what happens when people squander their lives and give nothing to others and simply take up space.

Answer 7

I hope it wasn't a fig newton tree ..i like fig newtons.

Answer 8

To display his power over creation like when he walked on water. Also to show that God has entrusted him with the power of eternal judgment.

Answer 9

I don't read the NIV...

moral lesson: Don't tick God off! His wrath is swift....Be fruitful or you too will wither.

Answer 10

He cannot Curse God you know, Holy Ones are unable to Curse the God, no matter who provoked once been, no matter how much people seem to possess, and no matter how much we seem to be wickedly powerful.