Jesus cursed!

A friend reached out with a question from Mark 11:12-14: "The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it."

https://bible.com/bible/111/mrk.11.12-14.NIV

If the Reason the fig tree didn't have fruits was that it was not it's season, why did Jesus curse it? 🤔 I'm i the only one who sometimes gets confused while reading the Bible? 🙆🏾‍♀️


Response...

Let's look at this text from a few different perspectives. There might be 3, or even 4 (because I’m not the final authority here 😅).


1. Jesus was hungry. The tree looked like it had something to offer, but when He got closer, it was all show and no substance—just leaves, no fruit. So, He was probably just disappointed. I mean, can you imagine getting all excited about food only to find out there’s nothing? 🙃 Sana sana bakuli inakaa kuwa na Chapo, then you find ni serviettes wameweka huko ndani! Really!? We however for the first time, see Jesus curse His creation out of frustration.


2. The timing/context matters. This was right after Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The fig tree becomes symbolic of the Jews who had also disappointed Him. He—the Messiah—had arrived, but they weren’t ready. Like the tree, they looked like they were spiritually alive (all leafy and religious), but there was no fruit—no real faith or recognition of who He was.


3. It’s a faith lesson. If you check out Matthew’s account, Jesus uses this moment to teach the disciples about faith. When they’re amazed at how quickly the tree withered, He starts talking about faith that can move mountains. So, in a way, the fig tree became a teaching prop.


4. What do you think? I’m curious to hear your thoughts. Scripture has layers, and the beauty is in how it speaks to us differently at different times. What do you see in this passage?



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