Tree with the frank recognition that it is the least attractive It is well to begin any consideration of this story of the barren fig What kind of story is this? What does it tell us about this god-man? Here is the entry in The Interpreters’ Bible: A hungry Jesus has killed a fig tree because it had no fruit in a season when it could not have fruit. And then it is used by Jesus as an example in a parable about the Endtime. Then we see it withered and dead as a result of Jesus’ curse. I tell you this: the present generation will live to see it all.'”įirst we see the fig tree in leaf. In the same way, when you see all this happening, you may know that the end is near, at the very door. When its tender shoots appear and are breaking into leaf, you know that summer is near. Peter says, “Rabbi, look, the fig-tree which you cursed has withered,” and indeed we are told, “the fig-tree had withered from the roots up.” Still later, on the Mount of Olives, Jesus uses the fig tree in a lesson to his disciples about the Endtime that is coming. Early the next morning Jesus and the disciples are walking back toward Bethany when they pass by the fig tree. He then teaches the crowd about the proper use of the temple. Jesus is angered by the lack of figs and curses the tree: “`May no one ever again eat fruit from you!’ And his disciples were listening.” The group proceeds to Jerusalem where Jesus goes into the temple and, still angry, drives out the money changers, upsets their tables, turns over the seats of the pigeon sellers, and cleans out all commercial activities in the temple. He tells of a time when Jesus and the disciples are walking from Bethany to Jerusalem. Jesus feels hungry and “noticing in the distance a fig-tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it.” Since it is not the season for figs, there are none on the tree. Mark has a marvellous story about Jesus and a fig tree.
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