47: The Fruitless Fig Tree

Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves because of their shame.¹ Fig leaves are mentioned thousands of years later in the story of Jesus’ encounter with a fruitless fig tree following His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. I believe this example can teach us much about man’s efforts and self-righteousness. The account from Mark 11 first focuses on Jesus’s entry into the city upon the back of a young colt as a welcoming crowd waved palm branches and shouted “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” unaware that He was making His way to the cross. As the day grew late, He went out to Bethany to rest with His disciples. The next morning when Jesus and the disciples had come out from Bethany He was hungry, and He encountered the fig tree without fruit on it. He walked up to it, rebuked it, and cursed it.

Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it. (Mark 11:12-14)²

I can remember reading that story in the past and feeling sorry for the poor fig tree! Now I have a different understanding. Actually Jesus cursing the fig tree was a symbolic act. If we use the “law of first mention” of Bible interpretation to find out the roots and meaning of this symbolic act, we’ll see that fig leaves are first seen in the Garden of Eden in the first act of self-righteousness – Adam and Eve trying to cover their sin and shame. So Jesus was teaching His disciples about His view of self-righteousness in this story. He was cursing self-righteousness when He cursed the fig tree. He was saying in essence, “Never go back to the system of the law and self-righteousness again! Don’t anyone ever eat from this deception ever again.” I think it’s interesting that “in response” to the tree’s fruitlessness, Jesus cursed the tree. The lesson: Jesus is the answer to fruitless efforts to make ourselves righteous!

The next day we see that this tree had shriveled up from the roots and died.

“Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (Mark 11:21-24)

If we remove the fig tree, then we can remove the mountain! Can you see what this passage is saying? If we remove all attempts to make ourselves righteous before God and trust that we are righteous through Christ, then our conscience will be free from guilt and unworthiness. If we believed we are worthy, we would have no hesitation receiving anything from God. Getting rid of self-righteousness is the key to living a miraculous faith-filled life.

(from pages 93-95 of Unveiling Jesus)

Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!

Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.

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¹Genesis 3:7
²All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®.  Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.  Used by permission.”