Question: In Matthew 21:18-22 (and also Mark 11:12-14), Jesus cursed the fig tree due to being without fruit. In here can it be said that this fig tree was personified like other plants like on Isaiah 14:8, Judges 9:8-15, and 2 Kings 14:9 ... some say that this fig tree being personified and therefore refused to feed Jesus. Is this true? Profile:Male 18-30 North America
Biblical parables spur great interest and debate, and the one you reference is no exception.
At a high level, it can be argued that Jesus (God) is not pleased with any living thing (a person or a personified piece of God’s creation) not using its gifts to the maximum.
Jesus feeds His flock, so it is less likely that Jesus withered the fig because it failed to feed Him at that moment. Rather, it would appear to be a case of something failing to realize the potential God provided it. After all, when Jesus was speaking about the fig tree he was approaching the temple. When He arrived there, He cleared the grounds because the people were not honoring God (Mark 11:15-17) and not being productive, as God wishes for all of us (1 Corinthians 7:7; Romans 12:4-9).
Note what Jesus said about separating the wheat from the chaff – the good from the bad – at Judgment Day. See also the Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30). Note, too, the Parable of the Vineyard Workers (Matthew 20:1-16), which teaches it is never too late to be productive, fruitful, and an heir to God’s Kingdom. As an interesting contrast, please see the parable in Luke 13:6-9 where the master told his servant to cut down a fig tree which had not yielded fruit for three years. The servant, however, pleaded for extra time – one more year – to help make this tree productive. These examples portray the opportunities we have to listen and respond to God’s Word as best as we are able.
Biblical references that personify plants and trees (see also Ezekiel 31:18) employ stories about figs, olives and vines, which were considered ‘good’ things for our use – contrasted with the thornbush which was of no good value (Judges 9:8-15) – to illustrate the larger importance of seeking God’s Kingdom and inscribing His laws on our hearts (Matthew 6:33; Revelation 3:20).
Used by permission from GotQuestions.org.
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