“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.’”
—Mark 11:13–14
At first glance, it sounds unfair. Why would Jesus curse a fig tree when it wasn’t even the season for fruit?
But this wasn’t a fit of frustration. It wasn’t random. And it wasn’t about hunger.
This was a prophetic act—a warning dressed in leaves.
Leaves Without Fruit: The Danger of Looking Alive
In Israel, fig trees produce edible early fruit before the leaves appear. So when a tree is already in leaf—like this one was—it should have some kind of edible knobs (taqsh), even if it’s not yet full fig season.
But Jesus came up close… and found nothing.
No early fruit. No promise of life.
Just a show of leaves—an appearance of fruitfulness.
And that’s the whole message.
“Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.”
—2 Timothy 3:5
A Tree, A Temple, A Nation
Mark frames this moment like a prophetic sandwich:
- Jesus curses the fig tree.
- Jesus cleanses the Temple.
- Then the fig tree is found withered from the roots.
These are not disconnected moments. They are layers of one message:
- The fig tree represents Israel.
- The Temple—once the heart of God’s dwelling—is now a den of thieves.
- And just like the tree, it will wither.
This was Jesus judging false religion—not the outward form, but the inward rot.
“This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.”
—Isaiah 29:13
The Parable That Came Before: Luke 13
Long before He ever cursed the fig tree, Jesus told a parable:
“A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’
And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.
Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
—Luke 13:6–9
This was grace.
This was mercy.
But it also came with a deadline.
For three years the Master had waited.
And now there was one more year—one last chance.
After that… judgment.
Sound familiar?
Jesus’s public ministry lasted about three years.
He had taught. He had healed. He had warned.
And still, Jerusalem refused to repent.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem… How often would I have gathered your children as a hen gathers her brood under her wings—and you were not willing!”
—Matthew 23:37
The Tree Withered. The Temple Fell. The Judgment Came.
In 70 AD, just one generation later, it happened:
- The Romans came.
- The city burned.
- The Temple was torn stone by stone.
- Over a million Jews were killed.
- And the religious system that looked so leafy… was gone.
Jesus had seen it coming.
And He wept.
“Because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”
—Luke 19:44
He’s Still Looking for Fruit Today
The fig tree in Mark 11 and the parable in Luke 13 are not just history.
They are mirrors for the Church.
For me.
For you.
We can have the appearance of life—big leaves, bright lights, religious language…
and still be barren underneath.
God isn’t looking for busy branches. He’s looking for fruit:
- Repentance
- Obedience
- Humility
- Love for His Son
- Faith that actually endures when it’s tested
Jesus is still walking up to fig trees today.
Still looking under the leaves.
And He still warns, as He did then:
“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
—Matthew 7:19
Final Warning—and Final Grace
We don’t know how long the “one more year” is.
But we know this:
The Gardener is still pleading:
“Let me dig around it. Let me nourish it one more time. Let me call them again.”
And for now… the axe has not yet fallen.
That’s grace.
But it won’t last forever.
So don’t just have leaves. Bear fruit.
Don’t just look awake. Be alive.
Don’t just build on religion. Abide in Christ.
“Abide in Me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself…
so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
—John 15:4
The Gardener Is Still Calling—Will You Come?
The same Jesus who cursed the fig tree also carried the curse for you.
He didn’t come to condemn the world—but to save it. (John 3:17)
But salvation isn’t found in leaves, rituals, or appearances. It’s found in Christ alone.
“Unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
—Luke 13:3
The good news is this:
He already took your judgment—nailed it to a tree of His own.
“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree,
that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
By His wounds you have been healed.”
—1 Peter 2:24
Now He stands at the gate—arms open, still knocking.
But the door won’t stay open forever.
If you haven’t repented and trusted Jesus as your Lord, now is the time.
The Gardener has been patient.
But fruit must come.
And only those who abide in Him will live.
“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”
—Hebrews 3:15
Arete Gune: The Name on the White Stone 
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