The Fig Tree

There is quite a bit going on in Mark 11.  Jesus enters Jerusalem on the colt, he shows his unhappiness at what has been done to the Temple by clearing it of those using it as a marketplace and he countered the challenge of  the leading priests and teachers at the time by asking them where John's authority came from, heaven or human?  Very action packed and yet I have to admit, the part of Mark 11 I seem to get hung up on is the fig tree.  

Jesus was hungry, saw the fig tree full of leaves and went over to find figs.  Not finding any, he cursed he tree.  That has always seemed a little on the harsh side to me.  When I read this passage in the NLT, it say "but there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit."  So why would Jesus even think the tree may have fruit on it?  This is one of those things that never quite made sense to me.  So this time I wanted to figure it out.  It was one of those "there has to be more to it than that" topics.

Apparently, on a fig tree, if there are leaves, there is supposed to be fruit.  Early in the season  there  is still fruit but it is not quite fig although still edible.  If there is no fruit at all at this time, there will be none.  This fig tree in Mark 11, had no fruit at all.  Jesus used this tree as a parable. There are a few different takes on this event, but the one that I found that speaks to me is from Joyce Meyers.  "if our lives revolve around the church but we have no fruit, we are not living our faith."   Something to think about.  What kind of fig tree do you want to be?  A productive one or a poser.   I guess what it really boils down to is that unlike the fig tree, we need to walk the talk.  Which sometimes is easier said than done, but definitely worth striving for.

Quote taken from "The Everyday Life Bible" commentary by Joyce Meyers.

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