Relevancy of Jesus’ Cursing the Fig Tree

By Bakampa Brian Baryaguma

bakampasenior@gmail.com; www.huntedthinker.blogspot.ug

The Bible, in the book of Mark 11:12-14, gives an account of Jesus cursing a fig tree. The story goes that, Jesus and his disciples were coming back from Bethany. Jesus was feeling hungry and when he saw a fig tree covered with leaves at a distance, he went to see if there were any figs on it. Unfortunately, he found only leaves, because it wasn’t the right time for figs. Thereupon, he cursed it saying that, “No one shall ever eat figs from you again!”

The first impression that would come to the ordinary reader is that this was very unfair. Personally, I thought so, wondering how Jesus could have been so cruel to the innocent tree simply because it didn’t have what he wanted.

However, I have since learnt from Joyce Meyer that under normal circumstances, a fig tree with leaves, is supposed to have figs on it. In fact, Jesus himself explains this in Mark 13:28 when he says that “Let the fig tree teach you a lesson. When its branches become green and tender and it starts putting out leaves, you know that summer is near.”

It is during summer that fig trees bear fruits and according to Christian historians, this was summer time. There was absolutely no reason why the fig tree didn’t have any figs. In short, it was barren and therefore useless. Like salt that has lost its saltiness, this fig tree was worthless; only fit enough to be thrown out for people to trample on it. Read Matthew 5:13.

To Christians, the fig tree account is of great relevancy because it provides a yardstick upon which our Christianity is measured. The test is how useful you are to humanity.

It is important to find out whether anything useful is borne of us; or are we like the unfruitful fig tree in Luke 13:6-9 which was to be cut down for failure to bear figs thereby using up the soil for nothing.

For example, ask yourself whether you have put a smile on anyone’s face today. It is medically proved that smiling increases a person’s life expectancy. Therefore, by doing little favours to our neighbours, we are thereby making the world a better place for them to live and this is one of God’s purpose for us on earth; the other of course being to worship him unceasingly.

Good Christians are obliged to reach out to the needy in all spheres of life. For instance, we are called upon to help the poor, and not just those that are poor in terms of material possessions, but the poor in spirit as well. We ought to be vital and useful ambassadors of Christ by spreading the gospel both far and near.

In so doing, we should emulate the psalmist’s prayer in Psalms 67:1 that, “God, be merciful to us and bless us; look on us with kindness….” The will of God is important here because all is done not by human power or might but by the grace of the Almighty.

Of crucial importance too, is the need for us to live positively and cheerfully; for the simple reason that before one can purport to give love and happiness to others, he/she must be happy in the first place. Remember that good cannot come out of bad. Just Like light and darkness, the two are contradictory opposites.

From the fig tree story, we learn that the kingdom of God is result oriented. It is precisely for this reason that in Luke 6:44, our Lord teaches that “Every tree is known by the fruit it bears….” As Christians, we ought to evaluate and asses ourselves to find out how much fruits we have yielded for the Lord.