It is with confusion we read, that Jesus cursed the fig tree which had no fruits, though it was not the season. Often dwelling on this passage, wondering what was the fault of the tree, to incur such wrath, from the Lord of compassion, and on finding no understanding or feasible interpretation, letting it go.
After the episode with the tree, Jesus enters the temple, and we read about another display of unprecedented rage, from the Lord of mercy, which we find perplexing. Once again, with no plausible explanation, other than possible ire at the defilement of His Father’s home, we quell our doubts uncertainly .
We continue however to puzzle, over these unexplained incidents. Then it is I came by a message today , that cast some light on the subject. Fig trees first bear edible nodules in the spring, indicative of fruits that come in the summer. The tree in question had only exuberant leaves and no nodules, which meant there would be no figs later .
The fig tree is likened to the Israelites , namely the Pharisees, who like the tree have grown in stature, covered with leaves but yielding no fruits . The Pharisees ,strutted around with pride, wearing their knowledge of the scriptures as their label of salvation, their ticket to resurrection and eternity, which they said was inaccessible to the uneducated.
They preened about their superiority and cared not for those less privileged, nor for the gentiles, who had no access to the Word of God . The outer courtyard of the temple, was as near as the gentiles could get to the Holy of Holies, to the dwelling place of God . This was further removed from them, by the merchants and the money changers, who filled it up with animals for sacrifice and other merchandise.
This caused Jesus’s rage, an anger aroused by the exclusion of the very people, the poor, the sinners and the gentiles, the very people He had come to save and gather unto Himself, resulting in a reaction so uncharacteristic. On the way from the temple, the disciples noticed the fig tree had dried up, thus was the prophecy of Jeremiah 8:13 fulfilled – There will be no figs on the tree and their leaves will wither. What I have given them will be taken from them.”
Let us then, unlike the Pharisees, not whitewash our exterior, holding ourselves high, by the learning of scripture, and not practising it, but share our knowledge of the good news, with all and each other, with those less deserving, so that we do not come under the curse of the fig tree .
Mary Jacob 