Home > Jesus is God in Mark's Gospel
This incident is also mentioned in Matthew 21:18–19. This is Jesus' only "miracle of destruction" in the Gospels. Scholars agree the fig tree episode in Mark is a symbolic prophetic act, not a random miracle. This event takes place over 2 days. Mark frames it using his classic “sandwich” (intercalation) technique:
Fig tree -The fig tree often represents the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. (See Judges 9:8–15; Isa. 3:14; 5:1–7; Jer. 12:10; Ezek. 17:2–10; 19:10–14). The religious leaders had a system that appears fruitful (leaves) but lacks the reality God requires. The tree had leaves (an outward appearance of life) bu no fruit. God expects genuine spiritual fruit—not just an appearance of religiousity—and demonstrates Jesus' authority, the necessity of faith, and the danger of neglecting spiritual growth. Jesus expected to see some evidence of small early fruit on the fig tree as it had bloomed early but he found nothing.
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.” And his disciples heard it.
Why did Jesus take out his anger on the poor fig tree? Why curse it when it wasn’t the right season for figs?
Mark 11:20–25:
As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
"May no one ever eat fruit from you again" - By the next morning, the tree is withered to its very roots.
In the Old Testament, the power to wither the earth or judge the "vine" of Israel belongs solely to God.
Joel 1:7:
It has laid waste my vine
and splintered my fig tree;
it has stripped off their bark and thrown it down;
their branches are made white.
Hosea 9:16:
Ephraim is stricken;
their root is dried up;
they shall bear no fruit.
Even though they give birth,
I will put their beloved children to death.
Jesus does not pray for the tree to wither; He decrees it by His own authority. This shows His identity as the Creator who has the right to judge His creation when it fails to bear fruit. He has not only the authority to forgive but the authority to judge as well. The cleansing of the Temple and judgment upon it is sandwiched between this the two parts of this event.