The Bible in 3D: Jesus Curses a Fig Tree (Mark 11:12-14)

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree

Heather Kiffe

TEI July 2025

1. Story Summary

2. What seems odd? a few…

a. Cursing the tree out of season (counter character)

b. Leaders want to kill Jesus – over-reaction?

c. Faith/prayer/forgiveness – mixed bag, connections?

d. Seems like Mark gets distracted

3. Mark uses sandwiches to clue the reader concerning important themes.

a. Starts with one event, interrupts, then returns

b. Two events are related and should be viewed together as they help interpret each

other

4. Jesus isn’t the beginning of the narrative

a. Start book series in middle, lose some context

b. What would the original audience hear or know?

i. Crucial. Need some help! – Look to OT and Hebraic sources

ii. Process of discovery

5. Fig Trees

a. OT – Symbolism: Israel’s faithfulness was reflected by the health of the fig tree

i. Positive

1. Living in peace and prosperity. Secure, God-given rest

2. Everyone under their own vine and fig tree (1 Kings 4:45; Micah 4:4;

Zech 3:10)

ii. Negative – withered fig tree

1. Sign of idolatry, discipline/redirection, (wake up) call to return to God

2. Jer 8:13 – no figs on tree. What I have given them will be taken from

them. (context of not returning)

3. Hosea 2:12 – I will ruin her vines and fig trees which she said were

pay from her lovers… 13 she went after her lovers but me she forgot.

(Leads her into the wilderness to woo her back and betroth)

4. Joel 1:7 – Locust ruins figs, v12 – dried up and withered (God calls

them to return, which leads to the return of fruitfulness)

5. Amos 4:9 – Many times I struck your gardens, locust devoured figs

and olive trees, yet you have not returned to me

b. Early figs – Songs 2:13, Hosea 9:10

i. Fig trees different from other trees

ii. As leaves emerge so do early figs, smaller, edible, not harvested

iii. Early figs fall and then regular season crop emerges

So, what does that say

or mean to you?

The Bible in 3D: Discovering Depth from an Original Perspective

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree

Heather Kiffe

TEI July 2025

iv. Early figs indicate the health of the later summer harvest. A lot/none,

etc. Sign or promise of what is to come.

6. OT quotes

a. Two important considerations – find more or weightier/the point

i. Context (what’s the water its swimming in?)

ii. What comes next? Fill in the blank game

iii. Extra: Many quotes aren’t word for word. Pay attention to the variation.

It’s for a reason.

b. My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations – Isaiah 56:7 (READ&v8)

i. Next: gathering others besides those already gathered (not a closed club!)

ii. Context: Beautiful passage of inclusion of the excluded (foreigner/eunuch)

c. You have made it into a den of robbers – Jer 7:11 (READ)

i. Next: but I have been watching!

ii. Context: Call to change ways, trusting in deceptive words

1. Don’t oppress, shed innocent blood, idolatry to your own harm, steal,

murder, adultery, perjury, offerings to other gods, then come here

and be safe

2. Afterwards – see destruction of Shiloh, not safe, call to obey, sent

servants, didn’t listen

3. Then goes into Ch 8 – no figs on tree, given will be taken

4. Robbers = destroyers, murderers – those who use force and violence.

Represents those who stand in direct opposition to God. Lawless. OT

Pattern = God sees, judges, removes

7. Second slice of bread: Tree withered and Jesus’ response

a. Have faith in God = BIG IDEA

i. Faith root is persuade, be persuaded. God’s divine persuasion

ii. Faith is always a gift from God. He reveals, we receive and stand on it.

iii. (Secular antiquity referred to a guarantee (Good Faith Estimate). Faith =

God’s warranty (HS)

b. Truly = Amen (so be it / truth), ties previous idea with what is said next

c. Belief in prayer – as persuaded, speak it!

d. Forgiveness – not transactional, the nature of forgiveness

i. Order is different in Greek (not hold/forgive, but forgive if hold)

ii. Forgive = send forth, let go, release

iii. Forgiveness is also a gift