What about the cursing of the fig tree?

Ah, one of the most intriguing of Gospel stories, about which reams of paper will be given in theological cemeteries (oops, seminaries) at this time of year.

This is the last of the nature miracles in the Synoptic Gospels. Apparently this pericope floated about originally as a parable, and was later converted into a miracle-story. Luke has the parable– probably the original version of the episode– but not the miracle; Mark and Matthew have the miracle but not the parable.

For those of you not familiar with this story, it began:

‘A certain man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it, but found none. So he said to the vinedresser, “Look here! For the last three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down. Why should it go on using up soil?”‘ (LK 13:6-7)

In the oral tradition behind Mark, the man looking for the fruit became Jesus, and the order to cut it down became his curse upon the tree: ‘Noticing a fig-tree in leaf, he went [elthen] to see if he could find anything on it. But when he came there he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs. He said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you!”. . . Early next morning, as they passed by, they saw that the fig-tree had withered from the roots up’ (MK 11:13, 14, 20)”

Both Mark and Matthew treat the incident as a demonstration of the power of faith (Mk 11:20-24; Mt 2 1:20-22). Some interpreters suppose that Mark and Matthew saw here a symbolic reference to the Jewish nation’s failure to accept the gospel (cf. Mt 21:43). There is no hint of this in the narrative or its context. Many scholars believe that in the development of the tradition a parable had come to be misunderstood as a record, and robbed of its real meaning in the process (cf. Lk 13:6-9).

So: 1. Power of Jesus over nature

2. Power of faith

3. Judgment of people who rejuect the Messiah.

Take your pick.

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Shalom!

Rowland Croucher