Why did Jesus curse the fig tree?

Let's examine the broader context from a story-telling perspective. Let's try to watch it like a movie, scene by scene.

Scene 1: Mark opened chapter 11 with the triumphal approach of Jesus to Jerusalem. He rode on a colt. Mark 11:

9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
10“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

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It was a great day. People were expectant of great things to happen in Jerusalem. There was an anticipation, perhaps even of supernatural displays.

Scene 2:

11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything,

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Jesus scouted the territory, forming his strategic plan.

but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

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Okay, the day ended with the calm before the storm. Excitement was being built up.

Scene 3:

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 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. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

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It seems strange to us that Jesus cursed the fig tree for nothing. He did it to demonstrate his power as we would see later. God can do whatever he sees fit. It is his sovereign right. The readers' anticipation continues.

Scene 4: Now the storm came:

15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.’”

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That's too disruptive for the temple authorities. They planned to kill Jesus.

18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

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The 2nd day ended with violence but without any miracle. What would come next?

Scene 5:

20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”

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This was the only example of a negative miracle performed by Jesus. This was to demonstrate his power. Jesus could have cursed the temple authorities.

Scene 6:

27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders came to him.

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The confrontation continued from yesterday:

28 “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”

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Fig tree often represented Israel or God's people (Ho 9:10). Would Jesus curse these Jewish leaders like he curse the fig tree yesterday?

No, Jesus had already demonstrated his power to curse the fig tree. Now, he would not curse the high priests and others. Jesus was rather patient with them.

29 Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!”
31 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ . . . ” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)
33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

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No violence on this day. Jesus did not curse them as he did to the fig tree.

Why did Jesus curse the fig tree?

From the story-telling point of view, the act of cursing was symbolic of God's sovereign power over his creation. Jesus began this sequence of scenes by cursing the fig tree, a destructive miracle. Was he going to continue this destructive action later? No, Jesus suppressed this power while he interacted with the temple authorities. It was a foretaste of what would happen later. He cursed the fig tree as an example of a negative miracle that he could perform.

After the resurrection and ascension, Acts 12:

21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22 And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

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God demonstrated his sovereign power on this one.

When Jesus returns, he will clean up the mess on earth. Cursing the fig tree was only a small foretaste demonstration.

2025.1.13