Question on Gospel reading 5/28/2010

[oksoitworked]

The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry.
Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf,
he went over to see if he could find anything on it.
When he reached it he found nothing but leaves;
it was not the time for figs.
And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!”
And his disciples heard it.

• Mk.11:11-26

I’m curious as to why Jesus would rebuke the fig tree. Clearly it was not the fig trees fault it didn’t have figs because it was not the season for them. It doesn’t seem fair to hold the fig tree up to expectations which it cannot even hope to meet. The motif of “bearing fruit” applies to human beings so it seems to me that the same rebuke can be used upon people who have not borne fruit even though they may not be capable of doing so.

 

[JohnDamian]

Jesus ir represented cursing a tree which withers; it is not in the character of our Lord to curse an actual tree, but it would make more sense if viewed as a representation of Israel, the OT uses the symbol of the Vine and the Fig tree in this connection - and the next Chapter begins with a parable of Israel as a Vineyard.

It seems wise to interpret the origin of the cursing of the fig tree more in the light of the parable in the Gospel of Luke 13:6-9.

The curse of the barren tree is the Messiahs curse, Israel is barren of fath and works that should have been there – She was cursed even though it is not the season for her figs; because God expected her in view of her favor to be an example of piety and morality - instead she shows just bare leaves.

 

[piejesu]

Well, I was struck by this verse also, maybe more than I have ever been, having read it dozens of times. I’m wondering if the answer might be something really simple, like, maybe Jesus was just having a bad day? Of course some might be offended by such a suggestion, but remember He was fully human as well as fully divine. Maybe this little anecdote is telling us that it is not a sin to be a little miffed now and then. Better to take your anger out on a tree than a fellow human being.

 

[oksoitworked]

The curse of the barren tree is the Messiahs curse, Israel is barren of fath and works that should have been there – She was cursed even though it is not the season for her figs; because God expected her in view of her favor to be an example of piety and morality - instead she shows just bare leaves.

Why should the faith / works have been there when it was not the season for them? If it was the season for figs and the figs were not there then it would make more sense. It is not unexpected for the bare leaves to be there because it is out of season, how can you blame the fig tree for not having figs?
Wikipedia:

Two crops of figs are potentially produced each year.[5] The first or breba crop develops in the spring on last year’s shoot growth. In contrast, the main fig crop develops on the current year’s shoot growth and ripens in the late summer or fall. The main crop is generally superior in both quantity and quality than the breba crop. However, some cultivars produce good breba crops (e.g., Black Mission, Croisic, and Ventura).

Maybe the “fruit” is referring to is the first crop and the “season” is the season for the second crop? So it was not the season (late summer / fall) for the main fig crop but even so, the breba crop was not even present during the spring when it should have been so that was why it was lacking fruit as stated in scripture. The main fig crop represents the fruits of the Catholic Church (the new Israel) and the breba crop, upon which the main fig crop develops, is the fruits of Israel and that is what is lacking. LoL!!!

 

[Nita]

Some commentary from the Haydock Bible:

Mark 11, Ver. 13. He came, if perhaps, &c. Christ knew there was no fruit upon it, and that it was not the season, or a season for figs. See Matthew xxi. 19, what instruction he designed to give his disciples by what he said and did to the fig-tree. (Witham) — Jesus Christ here curses the barren tree, on account of his disciples, who were present; for as he every where gave instances of his most beneficent will, it was proper he should also give them proofs of his justice and severity. Hence his principal motive for cursing the fig-tree was, not on account of any hunger he then experienced; for it is not probable that Christ should experience so great hunger, and at so early an hour, as these words seem to indicate. (Ven. Bede)
haydock1859.tripod.com/id58.html

Matthew 21, Ver. 18………… He had often exercised his power to do good, but now for the first time shews himself able to punish. Thus he testifies to the apostles and to the Jews themselves, that he could with a word have made his crucifiers wither away, and therefore that he willingly bore the extremity of the sufferings he should in a few days have to undergo. (St. Chrysostom, hom. lxviii.)
haydock1859.tripod.com/id39.html