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Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 6:17 pm
by Stop Wooton' Around
Okay, I was reading my devotions and I came across this portion of scripture:

Mark 11:12-14
On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 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.* And he said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again."
Now this is from the ESV, and I am wondering why Jesus cursed the tree. I guess I could draw some references to our lives in hour we need to produce fruit and not just leaves, which would make since if the tree was in season; however, it was not fig season. It's like getting apples from Tom Riley's farm in the Spring instead of the Fall.

What do you think of this portion of scripture? I know what Jesus does always has a purpose, I guess myself being a human is struggling to find the purpose.

*As I continued reading I found that Jesus uses the tree in an illustration, but I still don't get why he had to curse the tree to make his point about having faith in God.

Re: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 7:59 pm
by Christian A.
I read a commentator once who said that the key is that the fig tree was "in leaf." Although this would have been early for fig season, it was still possible that a fig tree could have produced some fruit. And when Jesus saw the leaves from the distance, that was a sign that there should have been figs ready. So He was anticipating fruit because of outward indicators, but He found none. That's why He cursed it.

It's the same way with professing Christians. Some may give outward indications that they are saved, but when you dig deeper, oftentimes you can tell that there's no real fruit; the outside was just a cover-up for the deadness inside. I think that's the point Jesus was trying to get at. He wants us to be either hot or cold--bearing true fruit or bearing no fruit at all--but not lukewarm, somewhere in the middle.

Re: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 9:14 pm
by EvangelineWalker
This story never really made sense to me before, but that is a good explanation, Christian.

My philosophy professor really liked this story the fig tree for some reason. He was a former atheist who had converted to Judaism.

Re: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 11:46 pm
by Kait
Jesus was hangry and the tree didn't have any food. Obviously the solution is to curse it. :noway:

Re: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 6:35 am
by Liz_Horton
Kait wrote:Jesus was hangry and the tree didn't have any food. Obviously the solution is to curse it. :noway:
That is my argument as well. I cursed a vending machine the other day for not giving me my snack, same idea.

Re: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 7:22 pm
by jasonjannajerryjohn
Because the fig tree was gay. Obviously. Jesus hated dem gays.

For the serious answer, because it didn't actually happen and was written as a metaphor for Christians who don't show fruit as Christian said.

Re: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:19 pm
by Christian A.
Haha, I was waiting for you to show up. :P But hey, at least you agree with my interpretation! \:D/

Re: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 3:41 am
by jasonjannajerryjohn
Hey, I'm all for practicing what you preach and such. If you're going to believe something, you better practice it. That's why I respect anti-abortion people who adopt. Because a lack of abortions means more children in orphanages means more need for adoption. And thus if you're going to be anti-abortion, you need to practice what you preach and adopt children. It's like if you believe that eating meat is wrong because you don't want to harm animals, you can't be out there getting a steak.

Re: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 4:26 am
by Christian A.
I think there would be more anti-abortion people who adopt if it weren't so stinking expensive to adopt a kid. I know my family would be ready and willing to take on more kids if we had the financial ability. But, in one sense, you have a point. If we are so adamantly against killing babies, whatever cost that brings to the mother, we should be willing to adopt them at whatever cost that brings to us. I'll have to think about that.

Re: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 7:37 am
by jasonjannajerryjohn
Yeah, that is true, it is expensive. Kids are not cheap, you have to feed them and clothe them and spend time with them. You'll probably end up paying for amenities for them like cell phones and computers and video games.

Re: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 8:02 am
by EvangelineWalker
It also costs upfront to adopt a child. Can be $1000 from foster care, $10,000 for private adoption plus attorney fees. Then there are the background checks. A person or family can be denied just because it doesn't 'look' like they'd have enough money to raise a kid with the right 'quality of life'. My parents would have adopted except for this. And guess what? Despite financial difficulty, they have raised 3 girls and put them through college. Another one wouldn't have broke the bank. God has always come through for us.

There are other ways to 'practice what you preach' without adopting a child. For instance, helping a single mother watch her little girl while she is at work so she can afford to take care of her while the dad refuses to pay child support and is constantly in trouble with the law. (this is also a personal family story)

Re: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 10:24 am
by jelly
Image

Re: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 1:57 pm
by darcie
In response to Jelly's post:
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Re: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree...why?

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 8:21 pm
by Christian A.
EvangelineWalker wrote:It also costs upfront to adopt a child. Can be $1000 from foster care, $10,000 for private adoption plus attorney fees. Then there are the background checks. A person or family can be denied just because it doesn't 'look' like they'd have enough money to raise a kid with the right 'quality of life'.
^ This is what I was talking about, jjjj. Not the obvious expenses that automatically come with raising humans.