The Cursing of the Fig Tree

There is a bizarre story that seems to be out of place in the hagiographical flow of the Gospels. In this story, Jesus curses and destroys a random fig tree on the side of the road. This story concludes with many rightfully scratching their heads, which generally paves the way for numerous different, and interesting interpretations.

Aside from Jesus being something akin to 'hangry', the most common explanation I have heard seeks to bolster the Replacement Theology perspective that Israel - ie: the Jewish people - have been formally rejected through this event¹. Not a fig tree, but the Olive tree generally represents the nation of Israel in various midrashim. The fig tree holds its own significance as we will see.

Let's dig into this story and see if we can make sense of it.

A Problem of Genre

An immediate barrier to understanding stems from unfamiliarity with the literary genre we are reading. As a first-century Jewish work, the New Testament seems less intent on being a journalistic play-by-play account of events and discussions.

Rather, it is filled with mysticism, apocalyptic overtones, Rabbinic pedagogy, and Midrashic² imagery from within the colloquial Jewish tradition. More often, the authors are known to weave a tapestry of homiletic teachings for the reader's spiritual development.

With these in mind, it seems the chronological order of this Gospel story seems less important. This is evidenced through Matthew and Mark's telling, which though contain the same components, differ in sequence.

What is relevant are the events and locations mentioned in proximity to this event and how they relate to the message.

Figs In the Bible

In the Bible, we're given a glimpse that "fig trees" represent something deeper when Adam and Eve reach for leaves from a nearby fig tree to cover themselves in Genesis 3:7. From here, the commentators begin their multi-century discussion about the significance of figs, some opinions connecting figs with the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

In Jeremiah, we see a Remez² (hinted) connection that figs are a kind of barometer of spiritual health. We are familiar, "a tree is known by its fruit", and similar statements as this metaphor is quite prolific and used consistently throughout Rabbinic literature, and the New Testament.

One basket contained very good figs, like first-ripened figs, and the other basket contained very bad figs, so bad that they could not be eaten.
- Jeremiah 24:2

In Joel (see 2:22), we're given the idea that figs will also indicate the season, in the literal and eschatological sense.

Figs in the Talmud

In the Talmud, we see many discussions about figs that utilize the above metaphors. In some opinions, figs and fig trees represent the Wisdom of the Torah. The Sages explain;

Why were matters of Torah compared to a fig tree? ...whenever a person searches it for figs to eat, he finds figs in it, as the figs on a tree do not ripen all at once, so that one can always find a recently ripened fig, so too, with matters of Torah. Whenever a person meditates upon them, he finds in them new meaning.
- Eruvin 54

Another source tells us:

Why is the Torah compared to a fig? Rather, all fruits contain something inedible: dates have pits, grapes have seeds, pomegranates have shells. However, a fig is completely good to eat. Similarly, the words of Torah do not have anything unfit in them.
- Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 2:2

These unique properties of fig trees make a perfect subject from which to build a midrash.