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The Cursed Fig Tree

Michael Puljic asks what Jesus had against it

On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he [Jesus] was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it …

As they passed by in the morning, they say the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Master, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered”. And Jesus answered “Have faith in God”

Mark 11:12–14, 20–21

I was asked, by a friend, what this meant. Having read through it, I said it was an exhortation to have faith. It was pointed out to me that the fig tree could not have been expected to bear fruit as it was not the season. After a few moments the following occurred to me, although it was probably not the reason why Jesus did what he did.

Jesus is God and the fruit tree refused to serve him by giving him figs to eat. In the eyes of the world, the fig tree was doing what it was supposed to do. In a similar way there are many people who in the eyes of the world are doing what they are supposed to be doing. However, they are not serving God. Because of this, there will be consequences for them in the next life. This is one of the great things about the Gospel, that it can teach us many different things from one exert. The words remain the same, but the teaching changes with the times, adapting itself to new situations. “The word of God is something alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12). “Jesus did not say ‘I am the dead bread’ but ‘I am the bread of life’”. (Fr. Stan Fortuna)

Michael Puljic.

Last modified: 25th November 2005