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Why Did Jesus Curse The Fig Tree

Decent Essays

Mark 11:12-35 is the first scene after Jesus and his disciples enter Jerusalem. This is the scene where Jesus curses the fig tree. Several scholars say that in the Marian narrative the curing of the fig tree is a foreshadowing of the cleansing of the temple (Mark 11:15-19). Because of this I find that it is highly important to discuss, why did Jesus curse the fig tree and if it was actually necessary? To answer this question the paper will look into the symbolic elements that it might have. A second question that raises is, even though Jesus knew that the tree was not in the right season to produce fruit why did he curse it anyway? Is it a part of the symbolism, that the temple will be cleansed no matter what the season? Or is it more of …show more content…

To find these answers and others this paper will focus on, the Textual Context, the Literary Context, Historical Context, and theological implications. This pericope is stationed after the scene that becomes known as Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is what is known as the beginning of Holy Week in most protestant churches. So it is interesting to discover that the cursed fig tree episode happens during what it typically known as Holy Week. With this textual information it is important to dig down a little deeper. The text can be broken up in this way: “12-14 Cursing of fig tree: beginning; 15-19 Cleansing of the Temple, 15-16 Action, 17-19 Teaching and reaction; 20-23 Cursing of fig tree conclusion, 20-21 tree withered, 22-23 Teaching on faith; 24-25 Teaching on prayer, 24 Believe, 25 Forgive. ” With this layout of the text it is easy to see how Jesus is still using every moment he can to teach his disciples before he leaves . If you take the story in Matthews Gospel the Fig tree comes right after the cleansing of the temple. This is different in the fact that in Mark’s Gospel the fig tree is cursed

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