Bible Question: "In Mark 11:13-14, Jesus cursed a fig tree which had leaves but no figs, and verse 13 says 'for it was not the season for figs.' If that was the case, why did Jesus get so angry at the tree?"

Bible Answer: This is one of the clear cases where we can understand Jesus' anger when we realize He is speaking figuratively as well as literally. His anger was directed not only toward the fig tree, but also toward the nation of Israel that the fig tree represents.

When the nation of Israel was reformed in 1948 and recognized by the United Nations, they chose a fig tree for their national flag.

And to understand Jesus' anger, we have to know a bit of horticulture. When a fig tree bears fruit, the figs are first buds, and as the figs mature, leaves grow to protect the tender young fruit.

So when Jesus saw a fig tree with leaves, He could rightly expect to find fruit, perhaps immature fruit as the season for ripe figs had not yet arrived, as Mark 11:13 says, but some type of fruit. And when he found the tree had the appearance of bearing fruit, but no actual fruit hidden under the leaves, He cursed it as a hypocrite.

And that's a perfect symbol of the nation of Israel at the time Jesus was born into the world. They had a form of godliness, with the religion of the Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes being openly practiced in the temple at Jerusalem. But where was the reality, the fruit of godliness? Their religion allowed rejection of their Messiah.

In the very next verses after cursing the fig tree, Jesus cleanses the temple of the ungodly practices of these religious leaders.

"So they came to Jerusalem. And Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves.

"And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.

"Then He taught, saying to them, 'Is is not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations?' But you have made it a den of thieves," Mark 11:15-17 says.

When the worshippers came to the temple bringing their sacrifices, the religious leaders had a practice in Jesus' time of inspecting the animals for suitability before they could be used.

And if the animals or birds were not purchased at the temple from the merchants who were associated with the religious leaders, they were rejected. So then the people had to buy approved sacrifices from the merchants who were paying the leaders to be allowed to sell sacrifices in the courtyard surrounding the temple.

Plus, if you didn't have the approved currency, you had to change your money at the temple before you could buy a sacrifice, again with the religious leaders getting a cut from the moneychangers, who they allowed to use the temple courtyard for their business.

There is also mention of carrying "wares" through the temple, which could have been any items bought and sold in the temple. And guess who had to approve the sale of any wares in the temple also?

Can you see why Jesus got so angry at the "den of thieves" which the religious leaders were running in the very place that God had ordained to worship Him and was supposed to be a house of prayer?

The fig tree showed promise of fruit with leaves, yet had only the outward show with no fruit beneath. But the Pharisees were even worse. They had the outward show of religion, but they were really thieves, profiting from their positions of authority in the temple.

In Matthew 24:27, Jesus said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness."

One thing you have to admit about Jesus. He didn't beat around the bush. He came right out and said what He knew to be the truth.

Or in the case of the fig tree, He cursed it and caused it to wither away. Which is exactly what happened to the nation of Israel, which ceased to exist from A.D. 70, when the Romans destroyed it, until this very generation today, which has seen the nation reborn.

Submit Bible questions by email to writeme@johnwmyers.com

(John Myers has been a Christian lay speaker, Sunday School adult teacher and newspaper Bible study columnist for more than 20 years.)