Why did Christ curse the fig tree?
Christ did not curse anything throughout his life as a human on earth
except the fig tree. He did not curse those who struck or swore at him or
even those who crucified him, but he said, "Father, forgive them for
they know not what they do". So why did he curse the fig tree,
when it was not the season for figs? So what made the patient, calm, and
loving Christ curse the tree?
A lot of scholars explain this and say, "Because the tree had too
many leaves but no fruit", they say it is like the believer who
has no good deeds and works to his credit, that is, he is cursed also.
But the scripture says, "No one who believes in Christ will be
put to shame." The book did not say whoever believes in Christ
and has a lot or little amount of good deeds will not be put to shame.
And we would like to remind you that, the criminal who was crucified beside
Christ had no good deeds needed for his salvation, in fact he had nothing
but his believe in Christ and he said, "Remember me when you come
into your Kingdom". And Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you
today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23 –42).
So what was the actual reason for the curse? First let us see when the
curse took place and why:
It happened the day after Palm-Sunday when Christ had entered Jerusalem and
went into the temple and drove out all those who sold or bought in the temple
and over turned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who
sold pigeons. And after he had cursed the tree he said to the scribes and the
Pharisees:
Matthew (23 – 33):
You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?
34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you
will kill and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues and
persecute from town to town,
35 that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the
blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zachariah the son of Barachiah, whom
you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.
36 Truly, I say to you, all this will come upon this generation.
37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning
those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children
together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!
38 Behold, your house is forsaken and desolate.
39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, "Blessed
is he who come in the name of the Lord".
After this Christ went to the temple with his disciples and talked with
them about the signs of the end of the world. Later on came the time of his
redemption and crucifixion on the cross.
So now that we know the chronological order of occurrence of the events,
we will try to see how the cursing came about:
Matthew (21 – 17):
And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.
18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city (Jerusalem), he was hungry.
19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside he went to it, and found nothing on
it but leaves only. And he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from
you again!" And the tree withered at once.
And in: Mark (11 –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.
15 .. 20 As they passed in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away
to its roots.
Christ has cursed the fig tree only to fulfill and make a previous
prophecy come true. As in:
Micah (7 – 1):
Woe is me! For I have become as when the summer fruit has been gathered, as
when the vintage has been gleaned: there is no cluster to eat, no
first-ripe fig which my soul desires.
2 The godly man has perished from the earth, and there is none upright (good)
among men; they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts his brother
with a net.
3 Their hands are upon what is evil, to do it diligently; the prince and
the judge ask a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul;
thus they weave it together.
4 The best of them is like a brier, the most upright of them a thorn
hedge. The day of their watchman, of their punishment is at hand.
5 Put no trust in a neighbour, have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors
of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom;
6 for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against
her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man
enemies are the men of his own house.
7 But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my
salvation; my God will hear me.
8 Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I
fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a
light to me.
9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him,
until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me
forth to the light; I shall behold his deliverance.
10 Then my enemy will see, and shame will cover her who said, to me
"Where is the Lord your God?" My eyes will gloat
over her; now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets.
The Lord said a lot of things when he cursed the fig tree, but none of
his disciples or those who believed in him afterwards understood the message,
he said, "The best of men is like a brier, they all lie in wait
for blood, and each hunts his brother with a word, the strong has spoiled
the earth, there is no security and confidence in a friend, children do not
respect their parents, and a man first enemies are the men of his own
house . ( This is the state and condition of mankind at Christ
first and second coming also), the judge asks a bribe. Christ says,
"You will judge me unfairly and my enemy will rejoice over me
(Jerusalem) saying, "Where is the Lord your God?"
Let us see if Elijah comes to save him, but after death I shall rise again.
But you Jerusalem shame will cover you, and you will be trodden
down like the mire of the streets, till the times of the Gentiles
are fulfilled, till God forgives the rest of his inheritance and have mercy
over them, so all nations will see this and be ashamed of their power and
fear the Lord their God.
Now let us see what Christ expected of them:
Psalms (22 – 1):
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me,
from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no
rest.
3 …. 6 But I am a worm, and no man; scorned by men, and despised by the
people.
7 All who see me mock at me, they make mouths at me, they wag their heads;
8 "He committed his cause to the Lord; let him deliver him, let him rescue
him, for he delights in him!
9 … 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is none to help.
12 Many bulls encompass me, strong bulls of Bassan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are of joint; my heart is
like wax, it is melted within my breast;
15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws;
you do lay me in the dust of death.
16 Yea, dogs are round about me; a company of evildoers encircled me;
they have pierced my hands and feet,
17 I can count all my bones, they stare and gloat over me;
18 they divided my garments among them, and for my raiment they cast lots.
19 But you, O Lord, be not far off! O you are my help, hasten to my aid!
20 … 22 I will tell of your name to my brethren; in the midst of the
congregation I will praise you:
23… 26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall
praise the Lord! May your hearts live for ever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all
the families of the nations shall worship before him.
28 For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.
29 …30 Posterity shall serve him; men shall tell of the Lord to the coming
generation,
31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, that he has
wrought it.
So Christ has cursed the tree only to say to the people (Jews), "You
are like this tree, you are good for nothing, that is why your roots will dry
out and you will be pulled out of this land, you will be a curse between all
nations. But the nations of the world will remember and return to the Lord
because the wheat grain that had fallen on the ground (Christ) will bring
about a lot of fruits, and a new nation will be born and spreads the good news (the bible)
of the goodness of the Lord, because I am laying the foundation of this
nation myself and from me it shall grow in fullness.
And now let us see what actually happened:
Matthew (27 – 38):
Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the
left.
39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads
40 and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and build it in three
days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.
"
41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him,
saying,
42 "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel;
let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.
43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him;
for he said, "I am the Son of God".
44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli,
la’ma sabach-tha’ni?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?"
In 70 AD. The Roman commander Titus sieged the city of Jerusalem
and destroyed the temple, and took the golden lamp-stand and the
golden bread table, thereafter the Jews fled from Jerusalem and
the land of Palestine and were dispersed all over the face of the earth and
in between every nation (because they did not understand and know that
this was the time of their watchman, that of their punishment was at hand).
The Gentiles trodden over Jerusalem for about two thousand years, and the
good news (the bible) of salvation has reached almost all the earth. And now
a days the Jews are coming back to the land of Palestine and Jerusalem,
so remember the fig tree example:
Matthew (24 – 32):
"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branches
become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.
33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near at the gates.
34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all
these things take place.
So know that: The Kingdom of God is close by, and that the end is at hand,
and that, it is about time that God will show mercy over the Jews, that they
may believe in Christ, who came and was denied, rejected and crucified by
them. That is, "Their rejection was for the reconciliation of the world,
and their acceptance shall mean, life from the dead?"
And after the great tribulation from which all the believers in the true
Christ will suffer, we reach the resurrection of the dead. So stand and raise
your heads for your salvation is at hand, and Christ is coming back in his
glory to judge the Living first, then the dead
second. And to give eternal life to all who believe
in him and his salvation.
Abid Al-Ahad Dauod
22 / 8 / 1999
