Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

by cameo-d 104 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  Black Sheep

  Figs bear several times a year

  They have two crops per year if you are lucky, the breba crop and the main crop.

  There are many varieties, and for the most part you can find figs of some kind pretty much available year round.

  The past couple of hundred years has seen rapid developement of desirable qualities in most fruits, this includes pushing early and late varieties beyond what was available a few decades ago. For example, I have recently planted three cultivars, early, mid and late of one species of fruit, only one of which was available when I was a kid. For the purpose of this discussion we should stick to varieties that were available around Jerusalem 2000 years ago and not confuse the issue with modern varieties currently available in the USA.

  It is perfectly reasonable to expect that there were periods when there would not be edible figs on trees with leaves, near Jerusalem, 2000 years ago.

  That said, the author of the passage, claimed that it was not the season. If that is incorrect, then all of his writings are unreliable, not just this one passage.

  In cursing the strangulating tree, (which represented a vampire-like structure sucking the life out of people), Jesus then took an action to make that curse public. That action was displayed by what he did when he went into Jerusalem and turned over the table of the money changers.

  I have been inside a strangler fig. They are several species of plants that grow in tropical rain forests. They do not grow near Jerusalem. They could not grow near Jerusalem. They are nothing to do with Jesus zapping common fig trees in Israel.

  Cheers

  Chris
• 

  Black Sheep

  you need to remember that this is a parable

  Are you saying that there wasn't a fig tree?

  Are you saying that Jesus never actually cursed it?

  Are you saying that it never really withered up?

  Are you saying that nobody witnessed it?
• 

  Loquacious

  Aahhh, black sheep... just gorgeous! gettin all steamed up over a fig tree. relax man, its not a Kauri. now if Jesus walked past and killed one of the 'four sisters'.........well....now we've got an issue!!

  if the fig tree is symbolic, feeding the multitude of ppl with fish and bread (spiritually that is), walkin on water etc is all symbolic.......does that make Jesus a symbolic creation??

  The tree of knowledge of good and bad, the fig tree.....well.....God dont like trees!!! neither should he, after all they worshipped Asherah in them groves. Dont worship the consort!!

  grab a cold one outta the chilly bin.....you deserve it!!
• 

  Word

  Jesus Christ was only demonstrating his power over nature as he did on several different occasions. Confirming that God lives in him.
• 

  cameo-d

  Strangler figs are also known as banyan trees. The Hindus regard them as sacred because it is said that Buddha once meditated beneath one. Ficus religiosa is the sacred tree of Burma, Ceylon and India. One particular tree of the species of Ficus bengalensis in India is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records (1985) as the world's largest tree, with 1,000 prop roots and covering an area of four acres.

  http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/strangler_figs.htm

  Ficus religiosa, though not considered a "true" strangler (according to specific botanical details of the tropical version), is very common in Israel.

  As a matter of fact, wood for fueling the fires of the altar was customarily from the fig tree.

  This fig tree would have to be one that grows wild and bears no edible fruit because it was against protocols to use any fruiting tree for the altar fire wood.
• 

  Black Sheep

  Hi Loquacious. Welcome to the forum.

  Beer is off. It's eight o'clock in the morning and I need a coffee to get fired up.

  I don't get fired up over fig trees. I just think this particular subject is humourous now that I have gotten over the shock of realising that both Jesus and Jehovah are just made up gods, no better, or more real, than the gods of any ancient, or modern, culture.

  Jehovah's Witnesses avoid answering questions by reciting screeds of information about a closely related subject without actually dealing with the original problem. If I did the same with the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree, would I be any different?

  Cheers

  Chris
• 

  Black Sheep

  Jesus Christ was only demonstrating his power over nature as he did on several different occasions. Confirming that God lives in him.

  You are missing the point. He could have demostrated his power by using it for good, rather than behaving like a juvenile showing off how tough he is to his mates by destroying a tree for reasons that would not be acceptable as an excuse from my son, if he was caught doing the same.

  Cheers

  Chris
• 

  agonus

  The Fig Tree clearly foreshadows the release of Jehovah's Anointed from Babylonish Captivity in 1919. All you infidels can burn in hell.
• 

  cameo-d

  2. And as they passed along the way they saw a fig tree full of leaves without a sign of fruit.
  3. And Jesus spoke unto the tree; he said, You useless cumberer of the ground; you fig tree fair to look upon, but a delusive thing.
  4. You take from the earth and air the food that fruitful trees should have.
  5. Go back to earth and be yourself the food for other trees to eat.
  6. When Jesus had thus spoken to the tree he went his way.

  http://sacred-texts.com/chr/agjc/agjc155.htm

  ---------------------------

  This parable has nothing to do with 'bearing fruit'. Nor does it have anything to do with magically hexing a fruit tree. As far as "fruit not in season" (which alludes to unripen fruit explained by asynchronicity). This was merely used to describe the type of fig tree he was using as an illustration. That particular type of tree is a parasitic fig tree. It's growth habit describes that it was taking nutrients from the other trees.

  It is very much in keeping with other things that Jesus said which were along these same lines, i.e.:

  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: (2 Peter 2:3)KJV

  Those false teachers only want your money, so they will use you by telling you lies. (New Century Version)
• 

  Black Sheep

  "You useless cumberer of the ground" is not describing a parasitic fig.

  A parasitic fig would have been described as ""You useless cumberer of the trees" as it is a burden on the trees.