Short Prayers 36: Jesus Curses The Fig Tree

Matthew 21: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once.

When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, ‘How did the fig tree wither at once?’

Jesus answered them, ‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea”, it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.’

Meditation on Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

Frankly, I’ve never understood this Bible passage. Why does Jesus take out his anger at being hungry on the poor fig tree? And why would we ask our faith to move a mountain? All this is quite puzzling.

Perhaps it could mean that the fig tree should be available to the will of God. But, Jesus’ will here seems so arbitrary. Too arbitrary to fit what we know about Jesus’ character.

Or, it could mean that there is power in prayer. The power to curse. The power to move mountains. But, if I had the power to move mountains, why would I waste it on an innocent fig tree?

So, I remain puzzled. If you can interpret this, please send me an email with your interpretation. [email protected]. Thanks.

HOLY WEEK PRAYER

Holy Spirit, open my mind and my heart to discern the Scriptures. Amen.

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Ted Peters is a Lutheran pastor and emeritus seminary professor. He is author of Short Prayers and The Cosmic Self. His one volume systematic theology is now in its 3^rd edition, God—The World’s Future (Fortress 2015). He has undertaken a thorough examination of the sin-and-grace dialectic in two works, Sin: Radical Evil in Soul and Society (Eerdmans 1994) and Sin Boldly! (Fortress 2015). Watch for his forthcoming, The Voice of Public Christian Theology (ATF 2022). See his website: TedsTimelyTake.com.