Miracle of destruction. Why did Christ curse the fig tree?

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This happened a few days before the execution on Calvary. Jesus spent the last week of his earthly life in Jerusalem with his disciples. In the evening he went to spend the night in the suburbs - on the Mount of Olives. This is what the Gospel says: “In the morning, returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree along the road, he approached it and, finding nothing on it except leaves, said to it: Let there be no fruit from you henceforth forever. And the fig tree immediately withered” (Matthew 21:8-19). Evangelist Mark supplements Matthew with a striking detail: Jesus approached the tree, although “it was not yet time to gather figs” (Mark 11:13). At first glance, it seems that Christ punished the tree for nothing - after all, it is not to blame for the lack of fruit. Moreover, what’s the point of looking for fruits on it if it’s not the season? Was this simply done out of irritation, out of frustration?

The fig tree is a fruit tree, better known to us as the fig. The homeland of the fig tree is Asia Minor and the Mediterranean. The tree reaches 11 meters in height, although on rocky soils it often grows as a shrub. According to the Bible, after the Fall, Adam and Eve made their clothing from fig leaves (Gen. 3:7). In the symbolism of the Old Testament, the fig tree is an image of peace and Divine favor.

To understand any passage in the Bible, you need to know the context. Does anyone else talk about fig trees? Yes, there are such places. About six months earlier, Christ told the following parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and came to look for fruit on it, and did not find it. And he said to the vinedresser: “Behold, for the third year I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and I have not found it; cut it down: what does it occupy the land for?” But he answered him: “Sir! leave it this year too, until I dig it up and cover it with manure: will it bear fruit? if not, then next year you will cut it down” (Luke 13:6-9).

Jesus often used parables in His preaching, especially when speaking to the common people. How could it be otherwise possible to reveal to people the greatest secrets of the spiritual world, without relying on everyday realities understandable to everyone? Moreover, these realities often served as religious symbols for the Jews. The vineyard and fig tree were understood not only as agricultural crops. In the Old Testament, Israel is called the “vineyard of the Lord” and the “fig tree.” This tree also symbolized peace and God's blessing to the people of Israel. Most interpreters of the Gospel believe that this parable implies a kind of dialogue between the Persons of the Holy Trinity - God the Father (the owner of the vineyard) and the incarnate Son of God (the vinedresser) about the fate of Old Testament Israel, represented in the image of a fig tree. For three years the fig tree (Israel) could not bear fruit. Why exactly three years? This is how long Jesus preached to the Israelites before he told this parable.

What fruit was the “fig tree” supposed to bear? The core of the Old Testament is the preparation of people to meet the Messiah, who would deliver Israel from sin. However, by the time Jesus preached, this deliverance was often understood in a very simplified way. Not as deliverance from the power of sin, but as the achievement of political independence from the Roman Empire, that is, deliverance from the power of the pagans. Therefore, most of the religious leaders of Judea did not recognize and did not accept the One for whom they themselves, and their fathers and grandfathers had been waiting for so long... A repentant turn to God and faith in salvation through the God-man, Jesus Christ - this is the fruit that the Lord was waiting for from the Jews. And first of all - from their leaders and teachers.

So, Jesus asks the Father to wait a little and not cut down the barren plant. After this, Christ’s ministry continued for another six months, and all this time, as before, He “fertilized,” “dug in,” and “cultivated” the petrified human hearts—wouldn’t they bear fruit? And now, on the threshold of suffering on the cross, seeing the stubborn unbelief of the leaders of Israel, Christ pronounces judgment.

But the form of the trial was again figurative, parable, only this time the parable sounded not in words, but in actions. But which ones? Jesus did not burn the disbelieving Jews with fire, did not turn them into pillars of salt - but by drying up the fig tree, he showed them their prospects, unless, of course, they repent. And he did it in such a way that the effect of the curse became an obvious fact, and not just a strict word. This warning became a reality only forty years later, in the year 70. Emperor Vespasian then drowned the uprising of the Jews in blood, almost completely destroyed Jerusalem, the Temple of Jerusalem, and even destroyed the nominal statehood of the Jews. Therefore, Christ’s warning was so strong not because of irritation and anger, but because the Lord really wanted to prevent the impending tragedy.

The curse of the barren fig tree is a parable in action. This has already happened in the history of Israel; the Hebrew prophets used this form of preaching. Jeremiah, in front of the people, placed bonds and a yoke around his neck and sent the same bonds to the kings of other nations - as a sign that they would all serve the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar (book of the prophet Jeremiah, chapter 27). Ezekiel placed a brick in front of him, which symbolized Jerusalem, and led a siege against it, thereby showing the Jews that the city would be besieged by the Babylonian king. He, according to the word of the Lord, publicly prepared for the journey, made a hole in the wall and carried out his belongings through it, thereby depicting that after the capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the people of God would be resettled into captivity (book of the prophet Ezekiel, chapters 4 and 12).

But still, something remains unclear in the parable. Why did Jesus even approach the tree if the time for fruiting had not yet arrived? The fact is that the fig tree (we are more familiar with the name fig) has a characteristic feature. The fruits appear on it before the leaves, and then ripen. Then, in the spring, the rest of the trees stood still naked, and the fig tree was covered with leaves. It would be logical to expect fruits, but...

Interpreters of the Gospel compare this barren fig tree with the Israel of Christ today. When the Lord approached the tree, only it, unlike other fig trees, was covered with leaves. Likewise, among all the peoples of the ancient world, only the Israelites had a revealed religion, the Law and prophets - that is, they knew what fruit the Lord expected from them. And if for the rest of the nations the time of fruiting had not yet come, the news of salvation through the God-man Jesus Christ had not yet spread throughout the world, then Israel had to bear fruit, had to recognize in Jesus its long-awaited Messiah.

Approaching the fig tree, Christ did not find any fruit on it - it was simply misleading, deceiving the traveler with its beauty, but was absolutely useless because it could not satisfy his hunger. So Christ “came to his own, and his own did not receive him” (John 1:11). Beautiful and magnificent services continued to be held in the Jerusalem Temple, and the blood of sacrificial animals flowed in streams. But after the coming to earth of the God-Man, after His sacrifice on the cross, these rituals became absolutely useless for those who thirsted to satisfy the hunger of God-forsakenness. Indeed, if Jesus is God, then no sacrificial rams are needed.

Historically, the curse of the fig tree is a symbol of Christ's rejection of those religious leaders of Judea who rejected Him. But the Holy Scriptures are not an archive of miracles and highly moral sermons, nor a museum of curses and blessings. Everything that the Gospel Christ did, He continues to do to this day - to love those whom no one loves, to forgive those from whom everyone has turned their backs, to heal people from mental and physical ailments, about whom they say that they are doomed... But, like two thousands of years ago, sometimes He encounters barren fig trees on His way. Only now they are covered with leaves not of the Old Testament, but of the New Testament commandments. Commandments that were formally learned and did not change the human heart... Therefore, the Gospel story about Christ’s curse of the barren fig tree serves as an ahistorical and timeless reminder to all generations of Christians that anyone can find themselves in the place of a barren plant.

Author of the drawings: Vera Makhankova.

About the curse of the barren fig tree

On Holy Monday the Church remembers the curse of the barren fig tree (Gospel of Matthew, 21:18-43)

Saint John Chrysostom

Art. 18-19, 23, 25, 27. In the morning, returning to the city, he became hungry; and seeing a fig tree along the road, he approached it and, finding nothing on it except some leaves, said to it: Let there be no fruit from you henceforth forever. And the fig tree immediately withered. And when He came into the temple and taught, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him and said: By what authority are You doing this? and who gave you such power? Where did John's baptism come from: from heaven, or from men? They reasoned among themselves: if we say: from heaven, then He will tell us: why didn’t you believe him? And they answered Jesus: We do not know. He also said to them: And I will not tell you by what authority I do this.

In the morning, returning to the city, there is hunger. Why is He hungry in the morning? By yielding to the demands of the flesh, He thereby showed its weakness. And seeing a fig tree on the way, he came to it and found nothing except one leaf. Another evangelist says: “It’s not a bad time” (Mark 11:13). If the time for gathering figs has not yet come, then how does this other evangelist say: when he comes, he will find fruit on it? Obviously, this was said by the evangelist because the disciples, who were not yet perfect, thought so. Evangelists often present the thoughts of disciples. And not only did the disciples think this, but also that the fig tree was cursed because there was no fruit on it. So, why is the fig tree cursed? For the sake of the students, precisely to encourage them. Since Christ always did good and did not punish anyone, it was necessary for Him to show the experience of His justice and vengeance, so that both the disciples and the Jews would know that although He could wither His crucifiers like a fig tree, He nevertheless voluntarily surrendered Himself to crucifixion , and does not dry them up, then He did not want to show this over people, but showed the experience of His justice over the plant. So, when this happens either with some places, or with plants, or with dumb animals, then do not be curious. Do not say: if the time has not yet come for the gathering of fruit from the fig tree, is it rightly withered? Such words are extremely reckless. Better look at the miracle, and marvel and glorify the miracle worker. This is how many people judge the drowning of pigs, looking for the cause of justice here. But even in this case one should not listen to them. Just as plants are soulless, so are animals without reason. So why is this type of matter given and why is this the reason for the curse? This, as I said before, is described by the evangelist as the disciples thought. If the time for gathering fruit has not yet come, then it is in vain that some say that the law is depicted under the fig tree. The fruit of the law was faith; and the law has already brought this fruit, and the time to gather this fruit has already come. The fields, it is said, are already ready for harvest; and: I sent you to reap, where you did not labor (v. 2).

So, the law is not indicated here, but, as I have already said, Christ, cursing the fig tree, thereby represents a proof of His power and authority for vengeance; and this can be seen precisely from the words: “you don’t have time.” These words show that Christ approached the fig tree with a special intention, not to satisfy his hunger, but for the sake of the disciples, who were very surprised that the fig tree had dried up, although there were many miracles that were more important than this. But for the disciples, as I said, such a miracle was new and unexpected, because Christ showed His justice and vengeance for the first time. Therefore, the Lord performed a miracle not on any other tree, but on the fig tree, the tree that is the most succulent of all, so that the miracle seemed even more extraordinary. But so that you know that this was done for the sake of the students, precisely to encourage them, listen to the following words. What does Christ say? You will do great miracles if you have faith combined with prayer and hope. Do you see that everything was done for the disciples so that they would not be afraid or tremble at the enemy’s machinations? Therefore, he repeats the same thing another time in order to confirm them in faith and prayer. Not only will you do this, He says, but by the power of faith and prayer you will move mountains and perform other, even greater miracles. Meanwhile, the proud and arrogant Jews, wanting to interrupt the conversation with the disciples, approached Him with the question: by what authority did you do this (v. 23)? Since the Jews could not humiliate His miracles, they expose His deed to Him in the temple with the merchants. They asked a similar question from the Evangelist John, although not in the same words, but in the same sense. They say there: what sign showest thou to us that thou hast done these things (John 2:18)? There Christ answers them: destroy this church, and in three days I will raise it up (v. 19), but here He brings them into extreme difficulty. From this it is obvious that the incident described by John was at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus, when He had just begun to work miracles, and that described by Matthew was at the end of his ministry. The meaning of the question of the Jews was this: have you received a teaching chair, or have you been ordained a priest, that you show such authority? Although Christ did nothing to show pride, but only showed concern for church decorum, the Jews, having absolutely nothing to say against Jesus, accuse Him of this too. However, due to miracles, they did not dare to say anything to Him at the time when He expelled the traders from the temple; but they reproached Him after they saw Him. What about Christ? He does not directly answer their question, showing that they could know about His power if they wanted, but He Himself asks them, saying: where does the baptism of John come from? Is it from heaven or from man (v. 25)? But how does this relate to the matter? you ask. And very. If they had said: from heaven, He would have answered them: why did you not believe in him? because if they believed, they would not have asked about it, since John said about Him: I am not worthy to loose the thong of His boot (Luke 3:16); and again: Behold, the Lamb of God, take away the sin of the world (John 1:29); and also: this is the Son of God (ibid. v. 34); and again: He who comes from above is above all (John 3:31); and again; the shovel in His hand, and He will clear out His threshing floor (Matthew 3:12). Therefore, if the Jews believed John, there would be no difficulty for them to know by what authority Christ does this. Further, since the Jews answered Him with cunning: we do not know, Christ did not say to them: neither do I know; but what? I tell you neither (v. 27). If they really did not know, then it would be necessary to teach them; but since they acted evilly, Christ rightly does not answer them. Why didn’t the Jews say that John’s baptism was from a man? They were afraid of the people, it is said. Do you see a corrupt heart? God is neglected everywhere, but everything is done for people. And they feared John for the sake of the people, respecting the holy man not for his own sake, but for the sake of the people; For the sake of the people, they did not want to believe in Jesus Christ - and this is where the source of all evil is for them!

Discourses on the Gospel of Matthew

Venerable Maximus the Confessor

Art. 18-19. In the morning, returning to the city, he became hungry; and seeing a fig tree along the road, he approached it and, finding nothing on it except some leaves, said to it: Let there be no fruit from you henceforth forever. And the fig tree immediately withered.

Question: What does the withered fig tree mentioned in the Gospel mean, unreasonably, as it appears to the outside eye? What is the immoderation of hunger, not while seeking fruit? And why curse an insensitive object?

Answer: God the Word, who wisely arranges everything for the sake of the salvation of people, initially educated [human] nature through a law containing primarily bodily service, for it could not accept the truth without figurative coverings, due to the ignorance and alienation that appeared in it from the Prototype of divine things. Then He, having become Man through Himself, clearly came, taking on flesh, possessing a thinking and rational soul, and as the Word [of God] directed nature (human) to immaterial and speculative service in the spirit, and, of course, He did not want , while the Truth was revealed in life, the shadow [of Truth], the image of which is the fig tree, would have power. That is why [Holy Scripture] says: Returning from Bethany to Jerusalem (Matthew 21:18; Mark 11 :12), that is, after His figurative and shadowy coming, hidden in the law, [God the Word] again comes to human nature through the flesh. For this is how the words should be understood: As he was returning, he saw by the way a fig tree with only leaves (Matthew 21: 18; Mark 11:13), that is, of course, the bodily service of the law, enclosed in shadows and images, lying, as on a path, on an unstable and fleeting tradition and consisting of only transitory images and institutions. Having seen this service, like a fig tree, and intricately decorated, as with leaves, with the outer coverings of bodily observances of the law, and not finding the fruit, that is, righteousness, He cursed it as the Word [of God] that does not nourish. Moreover, He ordered that the truth should no longer be hidden under the dominion of the images of the law - which happened, as the course of things showed, when the legal splendor, which had its existence only in external forms, completely dried up, and with it the arrogance of the Jews faded away. For it was unwise and untimely that, after the truth of the fruits of righteousness had been manifestly revealed, [the service of the law] should deceptively excite the appetite of those who walk the path of the present life, inducing them to abandon the edible fruitfulness of the Word. Therefore [St. Scripture] and says: it was not the time of gathering figs (Mark 11:13), that is, the time in which the law ruled over human nature, was not [the time] of the fruits of righteousness, but depicted, like a shadow, the fruits of righteousness and, as it were, indicated for the future saving divine and ineffable grace for all, without achieving which the old people perished through unbelief. For the divine Apostle says: Israel, who sought the law of righteousness, that is, [the law given] in shadow and type, did not reach the law of righteousness (Rom. 9:31), that is, [did not achieve] the perfect [law] in the spirit according to Christ .

Or again: since a crowd of priests, scribes, lawyers and Pharisees, sick with vanity, believed that by displaying invented morals, supposedly piously adopted by them, they were introducing the truth, feeding arrogance with their conceit, then Scripture calls their conceit a barren fig tree, showing off alone only leaves. Cursing her as barren, she is dried up by [the Lord], who thirsts for the salvation of all people and hungers for their deification, so that instead of considering themselves righteous, they would prefer to be so, taking off the hypocritical robe of ostentatious morality, and, as the Divine Word desires, They strove immaculately for virtue and lived their lives piously, demonstrating rather the inner disposition of the soul before God than external decency of morals before people.

If among us Christians there are some who pretend to show decency of morals without righteous deeds, then we will expect that the Word [of God], as a Lover of mankind, hungering for our salvation, will dry up the seed of evil in the soul - conceit, so that it no longer bears the fruit of corruption - people-pleasing.

Here, in my poor strength, is the meaning of the story. From this explanation it is clear in what sense the Lord justly hungers, [how] he prudently curses the fig tree and withers it up in good time, which hinders the truth; Shall we understand by it the old tradition of bodily images according to the law or the Pharisaic and our moral conceit?

Questions and answers to Thalassia

Blessed Jerome of Stridon

Art. 18-20. On the morning [of the next day], returning to the city, He became hungry. And seeing a fig tree along the road, he approached it and found nothing on it, only some leaves. And he said to him: May no fruit be born from you forever; and the fig tree immediately withered. And seeing [this], [His] disciples were surprised, saying: how did it dry up immediately?

After the dispersal of the darkness of the night, after the spread of the morning rays and at the approach of noon, when the Lord was to enlighten the world with His suffering, returning to the city [Jerusalem], He felt hungry, either thereby demonstrating the reality of [his] human nature, or experiencing a strong desire for the salvation of believers and suffering from the unbelief of Israel. And when I saw one tree (by which we mean the synagogue and the Jewish congregation) near the road: for the synagogue had the law and therefore was as if by the way; since she did not believe in the Way, He comes to her, standing motionless and without the feet of the Gospel, and He found nothing on her except only leaves, that is: the rustling of promises, the tradition of the Pharisees, [their] boasting of the law and beautiful words without any sign of the fruits of truth. Therefore, another evangelist says: The time was not yet (Mark 11:13) either in the sense that the time for the salvation of Israel had not yet come, since the people of the pagans had not yet entered, or in the sense that the time of faith had already passed, because Having first come to him and met with contempt from him, the Savior withdrew to the pagan nations. And he said to him: Let no fruit be born from you forever or ever, for the Greek word αίών [θli: αίώνα] has both meanings; and the fig tree dried up, not having the food that the Lord wanted from it to eat; the leaves dried out so that only the trunk remained. After the branches fall away, the root will take strength [or: will live], this root at the very last time, if it wants to believe, it will give off shoots of faith, and the Scripture will be fulfilled, which says: There is hope for the tree (Job 14:7). And according to the literal meaning, the Lord, who had to suffer among the nations and bear the burden of the temptation of the cross, had to first confirm the souls of the disciples with a sign. That is why the disciples are surprised and say: how did it dry up immediately? Thus, the Savior could have dried up His enemies with the same power if He had not expected their salvation through repentance.

Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria

Art. 18-20. In the morning, returning to the city, he became hungry; and, seeing a fig tree along the road, he approached it and, finding nothing on it except some leaves, said to it: Let there be no fruit from you henceforth forever. And the fig tree immediately withered. Seeing this, the disciples were surprised and said: how is it that the fig tree immediately dried up?

The Lord often worked miracles, and His miracles were always beneficial. He had not previously performed a single miracle to punish anyone. In view of this, so that no one might think that He cannot punish, the Lord manifests such punitive power here, but as a lover of mankind, He does not show it in public, but on a tree, just as before on a herd of pigs. He withers up the tree to teach people reason. The disciples are amazed - and thoroughly. This tree is very succulent; the miracle is all the more revealed because the tree dried up instantly. The fig tree signifies the Jewish synagogue, which has only leaves, that is, an ostentatious letter, but has no spiritual fruit. Likewise, every person devoted to the pleasures of this life is like this fig tree: he does not have spiritual fruit for the hungry Jesus, but only leaves, a temporary and transitory appearance. Such a person will hear a curse on himself; for it is said: Depart from Me, you cursed, into the fire (see Matt. 25:41). He will also be dried up: during his torment in the flame, even his tongue will dry out, like the rich man of the Gospel.

Evfimy Zigaben

Art. 18-19. In the morning you returned to the city, hunger: and having seen a single fig tree along the way, you came to it, and found nothing on it, only one leaf, and said to it: May there be no more fruit from you forever. And abie izshe fig tree.

Since Christ often revealed His power in various good deeds, but never in punishment, He now wants to reveal it too, so that the disciples can be sure that He can take revenge on the malicious Jews and that He would not suffer against His will. But He also shows His power in punishment, not on a person, being humane, but on a plant. Therefore, he shows that he is hungry and goes to the fig tree to see if he can find anything on it, as Mark said (11:12-13). But He knew that he would not find anything, as the same Mark said about this, adding that it was not yet time to gather figs (Mark 11:13). And all this is wisely arranged so that there is an opportunity to proceed to perform a miracle. From one word the fig tree dries up and the power of Christ in punishment is revealed, which was the goal. The juiciest of the other plants dries up so that a greater miracle can occur. Therefore, do not investigate why a completely innocent plant is punished, but look only at the miracle and marvel at the Wonderworker. It was punished not because it was guilty, but so that its followers would know that Christ has the power to punish. A fig tree, decorated only with leaves, is a Jewish synagogue, which does not have the fruits of truth, but is covered, as with leaves, with invented rituals, or otherwise - Divine services under the law in the canopy and bodily images and Jewish traditions.

Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew

Based on materials from the Optina Pustyn website

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exegetik

Fig tree with fruits (figs in our opinion)

In order to understand this chapter, understand the main idea of this chapter. Let us first understand the place of this chapter in the overall narrative of Mark. All students of Mark's gospel will notice that the entire gospel is divided into two parts: the first section (1:16-8:26) is devoted to the public ministry of Jesus. In this section, Mark talks about how Jesus acquired disciples, talks and teaches about the Kingdom of God, and talks about purity. The second section (8:27-16:8) talks about the Death of the Messiah. The second section, in turn, can be divided into three more parts. This is a threefold prediction of the death of the Messiah and the misunderstanding of the disciples (8:27-10:52), the second part is Jesus in and near the Jerusalem Temple (11:1-13:37), the Third section (14:1-16:8 ) includes the narrative of the death of Jesus Christ itself (2). That is, the chapter under study begins the section on the Jerusalem Temple. The next three chapters tell about events in one way or another connected with him. Iakt, let's start studying chapter 11.

Let's break this chapter down into meaningful chunks:

11:1-6 The disciples go to get the colt
7-10 Solemn entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem
11 Jesus, having examined the Temple, leaves it
12-14 Curse of the fig tree
15-19 Jesus cleans up the Temple
20-26 Conversation about the withered fig tree with the disciples
27-33 Question from the chief priests, elders and scribes about by what authority Jesus drove out the money changers and sellers in the Temple

Next in chapter 12 there is a continuation of the conversation in the Temple with three groups of Jewish leaders - the Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes. But the beginning of the conversation is in chapter 11. Therefore, we will divide chapter 12 into excerpts.

12:1-12 Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers
13-17 Question from the Pharisees
18-27 Question from the Sadducees
28-34 Question from scribes
35-37 Question from Jesus Christ: “Whose son is Christ?”
38-44 The Widow's Mite

Chapter 13 continues the theme of the Temple. Does it begin with the disciples’ admiration for the walls and decoration of the Temple? And it ends with predictions of the destruction of the temple and the second coming. So, it is absolutely obvious that the theme of the Temple is dominant. The following message runs through all three chapters: “The temple itself has no value, just like donations and your words “Hosanna”, and your showing off has no value. The most important thing is that you have rejected the Messiah! And therefore all your “inflated” splendor will come to an end. Now let's look at the story of the fig tree. There is parallelism in verses of chapter 11. Let's start by identifying some facts:

It was not by chance that Jesus approached the fig tree. And it’s not even about leaves and hunger. Yes, it is written that He was hungry. But He, who multiplied the loaves and fish, knowing where the fish was swimming with the statir in its teeth (Matthew 17:27), could he really not feed himself? The Gospel of John describes another time when Jesus was hungry. At that moment, this was also planned so that a conversation with the Samaritan woman could take place. Therefore, we can safely say that the incident with the fig tree was planned.
The curse of the fig tree was symbolic. That is, Jesus wanted to illustrate something with this. This is absolutely obvious for two reasons: first, because if we take it literally, we get nonsense (well, it cannot be that Jesus was offended by the fig tree and therefore cursed it), the second reason is point one of this list. That is, the fact that the event was planned in advance.
This event is interspersed with stories related to the Temple, this story is framed by the triumphal entry into Jerusalem (11:9-10) and the desire of the Pharisees to kill Him (11:18). We see rejoicing people, a beautiful Temple, but we also see people’s leaders who want to kill Christ and we see money changers and sellers in the beautiful Temple. There is a duality - the lush surroundings and the rotten essence of things. Therefore, the story of the fig tree is connected with the context in which it is placed - and the context is Christ’s path to death on the cross (in a broad context), the teaching in the Temple (in a narrower context). Notice how the story of the fig tree alternates with events related to the cleansing of the Temple:

X) Jesus entered the Temple, looked around everything C) Jesus curses the fig tree the next morning X) Jesus is again in the Temple, driving out those who are selling and buying C) Conversation with the disciples about the withered fig tree X) Jesus talks to the Pharisees about what right He has (power in the sense of right ) had to drive out those selling and buying in the Temple. That is, the interconnection and parallelism of thoughts is obvious. It must be taken into account that the people essentially rejected the Messiah. And although they joyfully accepted it, it was not this that was important, but the mood of the leaders and elders of the people. Very soon this same crowd will be chanting “Crucify Him!” with the same ecstasy as they shouted “Hosanna!” Now let's look at the story of the fig tree itself. One can argue for a long time about whether she was infertile or not. Different commentators say differently (1). William McDonald (6) states that the fig tree was barren, Craig Kinnear (3) also says that there must have been fruit. Matthew Henry generally allows for two interpretations of (5)! But he also notes that this is not important. Something else is important. The most important through-and-through idea of this comparison: Jesus did not receive what he expected. For some reason, some people want to defend justice (stand up for God) and prove that the fig tree was barren. Although, the test clearly states that there was no fruit because it was not the time for figs. It seems to me that the answer is obvious. Let's see how Mac Arthur interprets this text: “Fig trees were a common source of food.
Three years after planting, the tree began to bear fruit. Twice a year the tree, which usually bore a lot of fruit, could be harvested. Figs, as a rule, grew at the same time as the leaves. This tree had leaves, but surprisingly, no fruit. That the tree grew near the road (cf. Matt. 21:19) suggests that it was public property. It also apparently grew in good soil, because the tree's foliage outpaced both the season and the surrounding fig trees. The abundance of leaves gave hope that the tree could get ahead of the season with its fruits. It was not the time for picking figs. The usual time for picking figs was in June, more than a month later” (7).
It's hard to disagree with him. After all, the text itself indicates this. But in principle, it doesn't matter
. Whether the fig tree was fruitful or not. An important illustration is the state of Israel, which did not bear the main fruit - did not accept Jesus Christ (see 12:10). The reaction of the disciples when the next day they find the fig tree withered seems interesting. They are surprised. They point it to Jesus: “Look! It's dried up! This is where the moment comes when Jesus needs to explain something to the disciples. The fact is that throughout the entire gospel of Mark there is a theme of the disciples not understanding the essence of things. They follow Jesus but do not understand the depth of His ministry. Jesus shows them in verses 22 to 26 that even if they have the smallest faith (and a mustard seed is often cited as an example of the smallest unit of substance for the common people of that time), the smallest, you believe only in one word that God said (the faith of God), but you believe in this word, then this faith is enough not only to dry up a fig tree, but to move a mountain. I have already written about the movement of mountains before, raising the topic “Does God answer our stupid prayers.” You can read it here. So, Jesus says in this passage that in order for their prayer to be fulfilled, several conditions must be met: faith (but not faith in what I came up with, but faith in what God says), request and forgiveness (about You can listen to this in more detail here). In verses 22 to 26, Jesus shows the disciples that they did not understand the essence of what happened to the fig tree. The miracle itself was not the main thing, the main thing was the illustrative meaning of this action. We very often evaluate faith by some kind of “performance”. Although this is absolutely false. Scripture nowhere teaches this. Scripture speaks of a different kind of effectiveness—not the number of answered prayers—but the ability to live and believe even when everything is against your faith (See Hab 3:17-19). Therefore, it doesn’t matter how much faith you have, what matters is what it is. It is important for us to take a lesson from this story: Israel, who had everything (covenants, laws, covenants, worship, see Rom. 9:4) in order to accept the Messiah, rejected the Messiah and killed him at the hands of the wicked. And neither the beautiful worship service nor the beautiful Temple helped. It is important for us today to pay attention to the content of our faith more than the form. Not on the abundance of donations, but on their essence. Not on the beautiful walls, but on what word sounds in these walls. Not for a beautiful life, but for a fruitful life. Otherwise, we may end up in the same state as Israel came to. “Israel, who sought the law of righteousness, did not obtain the law of righteousness” Rom 9:31 Therefore, let us pay attention to the main thing.

The Strangest Miracle of Jesus

Why did Christ curse the fig tree?

The strangest and most difficult to explain of all the miracles performed by Jesus is described by Matthew and Mark and refers to the last days of His earthly life. In Mark, this miracle is presented in two stages, between which an episode is inserted with the expulsion of the merchants from the temple (Mark 11:15-19). The miracle itself remains behind the scenes; we only learn about its consequences:

The next day, when they left Bethany, He became hungry; and seeing from afar a fig tree covered with leaves, he went to see if he could find anything on it; but when he came to her, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not yet time to gather figs. And Jesus said to her: From now on let no one eat fruit from you forever! And His disciples heard it...
In the morning, passing by, they saw that the fig tree had dried up to the roots. And, remembering, Peter said to Him: Rabbi! Look, the fig tree that You cursed has dried up. Jesus, answering, says to them: have faith in God, for truly I say to you, if anyone says to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him no matter what. will say. Therefore I say to you: whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and it will be done for you (Mark 11:12-14; 20-24).

In Matthew, Jesus first drives the merchants out of the temple (Matthew 21:12), and the next morning, returning to the city, he finds a barren fig tree. When He says the words, “Let there be no fruit from you ever again,” the fig tree immediately withers. Seeing this, the disciples ask: How did the fig tree immediately wither? In response, they hear a teaching similar to that given by Mark (Matthew 21:18-22). Thus, the miracle, according to Matthew, happens “on camera,” in front of the disciples’ eyes.

We do not know which version of the story appeared earlier and which later. Perhaps Mark divided the narrative into two parts in order to pack it, like an envelope, with the story of the expulsion of the merchants from the temple1. It is also impossible to exclude some degree of literary dependence of Mark on the episode from the book of the prophet Jonah, where a plant grows over the head of the prophet at the command of God, and the next day it dries up (Jonah 4: 6-8).

The fig tree (fig tree) is one of the most common trees in Palestine. The fig tree was treated with care and looked after: He who keeps a fig tree will eat its fruit (Prov. 27:18). The appearance of buds on the fig tree indicated the onset of spring: Behold, winter has already passed; the rain has passed, stopped; flowers appeared on the ground; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our country; The fig trees have put forth their buds, and the vines, as they blossom, give off fragrance (Song 2:11-13). A withering fig tree is a symbol of autumn, and a stripped one is a symbol of the enemy’s invasion: He has laid waste my vine, and broken off my fig tree, stripped it naked, and thrown it away; its branches turned white... The vine withered and the fig tree withered (Joel 1:7, 12). A fig tree, a well and a vineyard were obligatory attributes of most households: And Judah and Israel dwelt quietly, every one under his vineyard and under his fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba all the days of Solomon (1 Kings 4:25); let each one eat the fruit of his own vine and fig tree, and let each one drink water from his own well (2 Kings 18:31; Isa. 36:16); Each one will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree (Mic. 4:4). Jesus did not have His own house or His own household, and therefore did not have His own fig tree. As we have seen, hunger often accompanied His disciples. The fact that Jesus Himself experienced a feeling of hunger is mentioned in the Gospels only twice: in the story of the temptation from the devil (Matt. 4:2; Luke 4:2) and in the story of the fig tree (Matt. 21:18; Mark 11: 12). These references, however, are quite enough to see that His hunger, like sleep, had by no means only a moral and pedagogical significance for those around him, as it seemed to the interpreters. St. Augustine, in particular, asks: “Was Christ hungry when he was looking for fruit on the tree? And would He, having found them, begin to eat them?.. What did Christ thirst for, what did Christ hunger for, if not our good deeds?”2 The Gospel, however, gives a different answer to these questions, portraying Jesus as a real Man, Who experienced a very real feeling hunger.

The words spoken by Jesus after He approached the fig tree and saw that there was no fruit on it, at first glance give the impression of the emotional reaction of a hungry man when he hoped to find something edible, but did not find it. Jesus had human emotions, including anger3. It seems that it is no coincidence that both evangelists connected the episode with the fig tree with the scene of the expulsion of the merchants from the temple. In both episodes we see the manifestation of Jesus' human wrath, which is a reflection of God's wrath. In the temple scene this wrath is poured out on those who have made the house of God a house of commerce; in the story of the fig tree it pours out onto the barren tree.

By drying up the fig tree, Jesus demonstrates that power over nature, which was previously manifested in pacifying the storm, walking on water, multiplying loaves of bread, turning water into wine.

The original purpose of nature was to serve man. In paradise, God planted a fruitful tree, bearing fruit according to its kind (Gen. 1:11); at the same time, man was allowed to eat from every tree in the garden, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16-17). After a person broke the commandment and ate the forbidden fruit, nature ceased to be a servant of man, unconditionally obeying his commands. Jesus, as we have said, restored in His person the original connection between man and nature. But from nature He expected not only unquestioning obedience. The fig tree obeyed His word, but it could not give Him the fruit He expected from it. For this she was punished.

The question that cannot help but arise when reading this story in Mark's version is: what was the fig tree's fault if it was not yet the season for picking figs? Jesus knew very well that the fig tree cannot bear fruit until the beginning of summer (Matt. 24:32; Mark 13:28). Moreover, He once uttered a parable in which He gave the example of a man who took care of a barren fig tree:

A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and came looking for fruit on it, and found none; and he said to the vinedresser, “Behold, I have come for the third year looking for fruit on this fig tree, and have not found it; cut it down: why does it occupy the land? But he answered him: Master! leave it this year too, until I dig it up and cover it with manure, and see if it bears fruit; if not, then next year you will cut it down (Luke 13:6-9).

Jesus Himself seems to behave in exactly the opposite way. He knows that it is not yet time for fruit, and yet he curses the tree. For what? Apparently, the answer must be sought not in the literal sense of the incident, but in the symbolism with which the theme of trees and fruits is associated in Jesus’ sermon.

The word “fruit” has a very specific meaning in the Bible. Even in the Old Testament it was said about the righteous: And he will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which brings forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither; and whatever he does, he will prosper (Ps. 1:3). Fruitfulness in the Psalter is a symbol of righteousness: The righteous blooms like a palm tree, rises like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the Lord, they bloom in the courts of our God; Even in old age they are fruitful, juicy and fresh (Ps. 91:13-15).

On the contrary, the absence of fruit on a tree is a symbol of spiritual sterility. John the Baptist said: Even the ax lies at the root of the trees: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 3:10; Luke 3:9). These words were repeated almost literally by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in relation to false prophets:

You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them (Matthew 7:16-20).

Jesus uses the same images at the Last Supper, comparing Himself to the trunk of a tree and the disciples to its branches:

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of Me that does not bear fruit He cuts off; and he cleanses every one that bears fruit, so that it may bear more fruit... I am the vine, and you are the branches; He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in Me will be cast out like a branch and wither; and such branches are collected and thrown into the fire, and they burn. If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this will My Father be glorified, if you bear much fruit and become My disciples (John 15:1-2, 5-8).

Jesus speaks these words on the eve of His death, just a couple of days after the incident with the fig tree, which was still fresh in the minds of the disciples. The word “fruit” repeated here repeatedly indicates the result that Jesus expects from His disciples. This result, however, can only be achieved if they remain on the vine, that is, in unity with the Teacher. From Him flow those life-giving juices that nourish the entire tree of the Church and enable each of its members to bear fruit.

The words ask for whatever you want, and you will have something in common with what Jesus said to the disciples after he cursed the fig tree: ... and whatever you ask in prayer in faith, you will receive (Matthew 21:22). Obviously, in the last days of his earthly life, He thought a lot about the future of His disciples and tried to strengthen their faith. Throughout His ministry, He spoke to them about faith and performed signs and wonders before their eyes. Now the time was approaching for that last sign that He was to show them - the sign of the prophet Jonah (Matthew 12:39). In order for them to understand its meaning, so that they could survive the terrible days ahead, they needed another reminder of the power of faith. They receive this reminder through the incident with the fig tree. Jesus turns this incident into a lesson in faith.

It is Jesus’ words about faith that are the main semantic center of the story. Jesus repeats almost word for word what he had already told his disciples at least twice. Once in response to their question about why they could not cast out the demon from the possessed, He said: Because of your unbelief; For truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed and say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you (Matthew 17:20). Another time, similar words were spoken in response to the disciples’ request to increase their faith (Luke 17:16). Like a good teacher, Jesus repeats the same truths again and again, putting them in the same imagery, so that the lesson is firmly etched in the minds of the disciples.

In this case, Jesus uses a visual image - a withered tree, punished for its barrenness.

When Jesus spoke of this mountain, he could have been referring to either the Mount of Olives or the Temple Mount: the latter is more likely, since He was walking in the direction of the temple. If He pointed to the Temple Mount, then the whole series of Old Testament associations associated with it comes to mind. It is meant in the words of the Psalter: He who trusts in the Lord, like Mount Zion, will not be moved: he abides forever (Ps. 124:1). The eschatological expectations of the Israeli people are connected with it: And it will come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the house of the Lord will be set at the top of the mountains and will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will flow to it. And many nations will go and say: Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths; For out of Zion will go out the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Isa. 2:2-3).

Jesus, however, emphasizes that neither the mountain itself nor the temple standing on it will save the people of Israel if they do not bear the fruits of faith expected of them. Quite early on, this anti-Jewish subtext of the miracle with the fig tree was recognized by interpreters: “It is quite obvious,” writes Gregory the Great in the 5th century, “that by the fig tree the Lord means the fruits of the synagogue, which, although it had the leaves of the law, did not bear the fruit of works.”4 Blessed Jerome gives a detailed allegorical interpretation of the miracle of the fig tree, seeing in it an image of the judgment that God will pronounce on His people who did not bear fruit:

After the dispersal of the darkness of the night, after the spread of the morning rays and at the approach of noon, when the Lord was to enlighten the world by His suffering, He returned to the city and felt hungry, either demonstrating the reality of human nature, or experiencing a strong desire for the salvation of the believers and suffering from the unbelief of Israel. And when he saw one tree, by which we mean the synagogue and the Jewish congregation, near the road - for the synagogue had the law and therefore was, as it were, on the way - since she did not believe in the Way, He comes to her, standing motionless... and nothing He did not find on it, except only leaves, that is: the rustle of promise, the tradition of the Pharisees, boasting of the law and beautiful words without any sign of the fruits of truth. Therefore, another evangelist says: The time was not yet (Mark 11:13) either in the sense that the time for the salvation of Israel had not yet come, since the people of the pagans had not yet entered, or in the sense that the time of faith had already passed, because Having first come to him and met with contempt from him, the Savior withdrew to the pagan nations5.

The curse of the fig tree was the last miracle of Jesus recorded in the Gospels, except for the healing of the high priest's servant, whose ear was cut off by one of the disciples at the time of Jesus' arrest (Luke 22:51). The thread of meaning stretches from the first miracle - the transformation of water into wine - to the last. But if the first miracle was a manifestation of God's mercy, then the last becomes a manifestation of God's wrath.

This corresponds to the general mood of the last days of Jesus’ earthly life, and the expulsion of the merchants from the temple, and Jesus’ predictions about the destruction of Jerusalem, and the dire warnings about the Last Judgment (Matthew 24-25). Speaking about the Day of Judgment, Jesus gives the example of a fig tree: Take the likeness of a fig tree: when its branches become soft and put out leaves, you know that summer is near; so, when you see all this, know that it is near, at the door (Matthew 24:32–33; cf. Mark 13:28–29).

The fig tree withered before the eyes of the disciples becomes a symbol of God’s judgment on those who do not bear the expected fruits. At the same time, it reminds us of the plan that God has for every creature and object He created:

Every thing in this world has its own God-created purpose and purpose. A fig tree to bear figs; an angel to serve God; man to become like God; bee to collect honey. Not fulfilling its purpose, every creation falls under the curse of the Creator, openly or secretly. The God-man came to this world to return everything to its Divine purpose. He alone knows the purpose of every creation, every creature; He is alone and has the power to give every creation strength to fulfill its Divine purpose... The fig tree exists in the world - to serve man; and the man? to serve God. How does a person serve God? By faith. Faith means: to live with everything, with all your being, with all the strength of your being, in God, in God, for the sake of God. This is the only way a human being bears God's appointed fruit. Otherwise it dries out; The Divine springs in him dry up; his being, not watered by the heavenly dew of grace and outside the heavens of Divine powers, withers, dries up, remains without fruit... But man grafts himself onto the God-man by the feat of faith - both the powers and the Divine juices of the God-man begin to flow through man’s being, fertilize him, and it bears much fruit (John 15:5)… Faith deifies a person and makes him a god by grace, and everything he does will be Divine, immortal, eternal6.

Source: Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk. Jesus Christ. Life and teaching. Book 3. Chapter 5. Miracles Associated with Nature / The Curse of the Fig Tree

NEW TESTAMENT – FIG TREE – TORAH

New Testament – Fig Tree – Torah

What is the connection of this tree with the Biblical story about how Jesus cursed this tree?
Many are perplexed why Jesus dried up (cursed) the tree when it was not bearing fruit? So, in order to understand this act of the Messiah and understand what He wanted to tell us by this, we need to delve into history and into the Jewish teachings that Jesus (Yeshua) knew by heart, since from the age of 12 he preached in Synagogues (Jewish temples) and The Jews marveled at His abilities. About the tree:
This tree is not just ancient, it is from the Creation of the World.
When Eve (Hava) and Adam disobeyed the Creator’s commandments and tasted forbidden knowledge, they were ashamed and covered themselves with the leaves of the Fig tree. Figa or Fig Tree is another name for the Fig Tree (it has nothing to do with the Russian folk fig). This tree is also called Fig or Wineberry or Carian ficus. The fig tree is a subtropical deciduous plant of the genus Ficus of the Mulberry family. The tree is “green” all year round, and the leaves partially fall off (renewing the tree). Depending on the growing region, the leaves may fall off completely (for some time) and the fruits may hang on the tree without leaves. Therefore, since ancient times it has been believed that fruit can be found on the Fig tree all year round
.
The trees are pollinated by special insects, black wasps - Blastophagous
(Chalcidian wasps).
These wasps themselves cannot reproduce without Fig trees and feed on it,
such a symbiosis. Nowadays, there are artificially bred bisexual Fig (Fig) trees that have female and male trees (the pollen is also carried by insects).

About Torah:

The Jewish Torah (Law) is the original name of the five books of Moses.
Later in the new era, with the advent of the New Testament, it acquired the name Old Testament. The Jewish Tanakh, in the likeness of the Bible (a collection of Jewish canonical books) which includes the five books of Moses, the Prophets and the Scriptures, and 24 books (or 27). There are also seventy secret books
that God has ordered to be hidden from the unprepared, but only for the wise.
The Torah is still symbolized in Judaism by the Fig tree, as the tree of wisdom!
The founders of Jewish theological teachings poetically compared the Torah to the Fig Tree.
Thus, Rabbi Yochanan describes his life experience; “and I ran to the east side of the fig tree (the sweetest fruits are on the east side), and what Ecclesiastes said happened to me - wisdom gives life to the one who owns it,” or; “He who guards the fig tree will eat its fruit,” or; “Just as a fig tree, whenever a person touches it, there is fruit on it, so the words of the Torah - whenever a person pronounces them, there is meaning in them.” The fruit of the fig tree ripens at different times of the year, and the Talmud indicates that seasonal workers are not hired to pick figs, and Jewish law does not require that part of the fig tree be left for the poor. No accounting or control over the fruits of this tree is possible, and the same is true in relations with this “willful” tree. The owner is connected with his fig tree by a special, personal, sacred relationship that does not allow interference from outsiders. The owner of the Fig tree must himself approach the tree, touch it, and the fig tree, as if responding to his care, as if of its own free will, gives him its fruits (wisdom). And the same relationship connects a Jew with his Torah. About the New Testament:
Well, only now we will analyze and be able to understand the events from the New Testament concerning the very Fig tree that Jesus Christ cursed and it dried up.
But first, let us remember the statement of Christ in his address to the Jews from (Holy Gospel of John 8:43,44)
Why do you not understand My speech? Because you cannot hear My (true) word. Your father is the devil, and you want to do the lusts of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and did not stand in the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks his own way, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Now let’s read the very events with the Fig tree: (Holy Gospel of Mark 11:12-14)

The next day, when they left Bethany, He became hungry;
and seeing from afar a fig tree covered with leaves, he went to see if he could find anything on it; but when he came to her, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not yet time to gather figs. And Jesus said to her: From now on let no one eat fruit from you forever!
And His disciples heard it.

And further

we read:
(Holy Gospel of Matthew 21:18-20)
In the morning, returning to the city, he became hungry;
and seeing a fig tree along the road, he approached it and, finding nothing on it except some leaves, said to it: Let there be no fruit from you henceforth forever.
And the fig tree immediately withered. Seeing this, the disciples were surprised and said: How did the fig tree immediately wither?

(Holy Gospel of Matthew 21:42,43)

Jesus says to them: Have you never read in the Scripture: Therefore I say to you, that
the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing the fruits thereof
...

Thus, we become witnesses when Christ cursed the Old Testament and human wisdom in Him, with the words: And let there be no fruit from you henceforth forever! From now on, let no one eat fruit from you forever!

Then followed the events that marked the New Testament, the New Teaching, the New Time and the New Era. There were many leaves on the Fig tree, but no fruit. There are many words and rules, but no fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Brief research paper by S.I. dated February 3, 2021, Kursk city. ( With verbosity

sin
cannot be avoided , but he who restrains his lips is wise. Book of Proverbs 10:19)

New in blogs

In one of the neighboring topics, I happened to discuss the incident with the fig tree, where the behavior of Jesus was somewhat strange. The strangeness of the behavior is aggravated by the different narrations in the different Gospels. However, only two of them describe the case of the fig tree.

Gospel of Matthew -

“... and seeing a fig tree along the road, he approached it and, finding nothing on it except some leaves, said to it: Let there be no fruit from you henceforth forever. And the fig tree immediately withered. Seeing this, the disciples were surprised and said: How did the fig tree immediately wither? Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea,” it will happen. and whatever you ask in prayer in faith, you will receive...” (21:19-22)

Gospel of Mark -

“... and seeing from afar a fig tree covered with leaves, he went to see if he could find anything on it; but when he came to her, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not yet time to gather figs. And Jesus said to her: From now on let no one eat fruit from you forever! And His disciples heard it..." (11:13,14)

“... In the morning, passing by, they saw that the fig tree had dried up to the roots. And, remembering, Peter said to Him: Rabbi! Look, the fig tree that You cursed has dried up. Jesus, answering, says to them: have faith in God, for truly I say to you, if anyone says to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him no matter what. will say..." (11:20-23)

My point of view could be expressed in a simple phrase - nothing human was alien to Jesus Christ.

It seems to me that it was Mark (impartial Mark) who accurately described this incident and did not hide from the reader the fact that “... it was not yet the time to gather figs...”. But Jesus, purely humanly, cursed the innocent tree. As it happens, an ordinary person kicks a soulless brick that he tripped over.

He cursed, but Mark does not mention any instant “miraculous” drying of the fig tree. And Mark’s drying up and edification to the disciples was only a day later, the next morning. Within a day, a fig tree under the scorching sun could successfully dry out on its own.

Matthew, in my opinion, simply embellished the Teacher he revered. In order not to “disgrace” Jesus with the groundlessness of his claims to the fig tree, Matthew removed the mention of the season. Then he added to the narrative the “instantaneity” of the result of Jesus’ curse: “... And the fig tree immediately withered ...” and the immediate edification that followed to the disciples. It turned out that Jesus dried up the fig tree to show his disciples how strong faith in God is.

Or maybe Jesus really wanted to quench his thirst with figs and really got annoyed, like a simple man, and unwittingly “took advantage” of his abilities and the fig tree really dried up (however, after a day). But, realizing that he had acted stupidly, He immediately came up with an edification for His disciples and turned things around as if He had planned it that way.

And what do you think?