Why Does Jesus Curse the Fig Tree?

One of the proofs of Jesus’ divinity and His role as the Messiah is His miraculous authority over the natural world. When tempted in the wilderness, Satan points out that Jesus has the power to turn stones to bread. In a great storm, Jesus commands the winds to calm, and they obey.

One of the most interesting displays of His power over nature is found recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Jesus approaches a fig tree, which does not have any fruit, so He declares that it will never bear fruit again. Later, the disciples discover it withered, and Jesus teaches them about faith and prayer. It can be difficult to see the connection, but close inspection reveals the fig tree to be symbolic of both the nation of Israel and the personal relationship between an individual and God.

The fig tree bore leaves too early in the season, but could not, or would not, bear fruit in kind. This is much like how Israel would go through periods of fruitlessness, and much like believers go through seasons of fruitlessness in their spiritual lives.