In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. Then Peter remembered and said to him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea”, and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11: 20-24)

Jesus cursing the fig tree has troubled me. When he found no figs Jesus seemed to react with uncharacteristic anger. This is, at least, how it was perceived by those who observed the event and reported to Mark.

Above the translator says the fig had "withered away to its roots." The Greek is xeraino which means withered or dried up. I am not sure what the translator had in mind adding these English words, but Mark tells us the tree withered and says nothing about its roots.

There is a fig tree on my property, but I did not know it was a fig. We purchased the property in winter. By late May the woody spears were still dry, brittle and clearly dead, so I cut them away. Sometime in June new stalks appeared and grew to about five feet with luxuriantly odd leaves. I thought it might be some strange oak.

The next spring there were only dead dry blackened spears. I contacted the former owners who suggested I contact the Episcopal priest who had given them the fig tree. He explained that the fig must be protected from sustained freezing. But not to worry, no matter how often the stalks wither the tree will come back the next year. As it has.

The fruity figs are only produced on stalks that survive the prior season. This winter I have surrounded the fig with a fence and blanketed it in the fallen leaves of surrounding trees. Perhaps this summer we will have figs. So far it has been a warm winter.

When his disciples notice the withered fig Jesus responds with a metaphor on the power of faith. Might he be saying, fear not the seemingly unjust death? Have faith and confidence in God's love and power. What seems to be dead is not dead. In a little while it will once again bloom.

Keep your faith close to your heart. Warm it with the heat of your heart. Warmed by your heart even that which seems dead will live. Warmed by your heart what seems dead will produce much fruit.

On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see whether perhaps he would find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard it. (Mark 11: 12-14)

A retrospective: Yesterday I was reading a 19th Century study of Venetian architecture. The author was discussing the sculpture representing the Fall of Man on the southwestern corner of the Doges Palace (shown above). The author called this the "Fig-tree Angle."

There is a tradition - unknown to me until yesterday - that the forbidden fruit of Genesis is the fig. This is an especially strong tradition in the oldest Talmudic texts. Both Simon bar Yochai and Nechemiah argue that the fig was the Tree of Knowledge.

If this was also the tradition of Jesus does it point to a different understanding of Mark 11? Has the Fall of Adam and Eve been overturned? Does the withering of the fig represent the power of Jesus to restore humankind to our original condition an purpose?

Previous posts on the fig tree can be accessed here.

On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see whether perhaps he would find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard it. (Mark 11: 12-14)

Mark's narrative generally moves from one event to the next without transition or much reflection. The eleventh chapter deviates from this pattern.

In both Matthew and Luke the fig tree withers immediately. Mark leaves a full day - and plenty of other action - to intervene before we see the result of Jesus' curse.

In both Matthew and Luke the temple is cleansed of money-changers immediately after entering Jerusalem. In Mark, Jesus conducts a reconnaissance of the temple and then returns the next day.

What is Mark doing? Are Mark's uncharacteristic delays meaningful? Or are these just insignificant discrepancies in how the story was remembered?

When a consistent pattern seems to change we should at least consider the possibility of deeper meaning or cause.

‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’ (Mark 4: 3-8)

The original ending of Mark has provoked several postscripts. Over the next few days I will offer my own.

The Gospel of Mark is an action adventure. It describes Jesus on the move: healing, feeding, and cleaning. He teaches by example.

When Jesus speaks in the Gospel of Mark he is almost always answering a question or trying to explain the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus regularly refers to the kingdom of heaven as something that seems small but can become substantial. A seed is probably his favorite analogy.

Jesus is realistic about seeds. The potential of most seed is lost to birds, bad soil, heat, weeds, and more.

Despite so many seeds being lost, just a few successful seeds can produce a hundred-fold.

In most cases a lively seed is the result of a dead host. The rich potential of grain is the final expression of the dying stalk. Most trees produce their fruit in the weeks just before the long-sleep of winter.

There are exceptions. Given good soil, rain, and moderate temperatures a fig tree will perpetually bare fruit.

A seed holds the potential for new life, but this potential is dormant within the seed. For the potential to be realized the seed must be eaten or buried.

In dark moisture a seed is transformed. The dormant potential is released.

When eaten the energy of the seed is transferred. When buried in the soil the energy of the seed may be amplified.

‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Mark 13: 28-31)

Four of his disciples asked when the temple would be thrown down.

It would be thrown down after many falsely claim to share the identity of Jesus. It would happen after wars and rumours of wars.

It would happen after earthquakes and famines. It would happen after Peter, James, John, and Andrew (and others) are persecuted and betrayed.

It would happen after the good news is shared widely among all peoples.

It would happen after the prophecy of Daniel is fulfilled and false prophets have arisen. It would happen before the present generation has passed away.

Some of those alive when Jesus walked and talked with his disciples survived to see the destruction and desecration of the Temple.

After all of this the sun, moon, and stars will darken and then God will gather the chosen from the farthest ends of earth and heaven.