The barren fig tree

Matthew 21:18-20

18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

I always wondered what Jesus wanted to teach when he cursed the barren fig tree, so I decided to find some answers to this strange and misunderstood miracle. I found some possible answers in church's authorized manuals and books, and others are from my own study and personal approaches:

"Though Christ had come to bless and to save, He had the power to strike, destroy and curse." There must be an opposition in all things "(2 Nephi 2:11), if the blessings born of righteousness, that who opposes them (curses) must be born from evil. The true ministers of the gospel always seek blessing, however the curses hanging over those who reject their message. "Whomsoever you bless I will bless, and who curse, I will curse, saith the Lord" (D&C 132:47). It is appropiate that the Lord let a manifestation of His power to curse, and the fact that He chose, not one person, but to a tree, is a clear act of mercy " (McConkie, DNTC, 1: 582).

Then comes to my mind other two scripts, that shows us what happens when we do not bear fruits:

Matthew 7:19-20 

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Luke 13:6-9

6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

I think anyone who does not do that things which his Creator has enabled him to do to do is in danger of being reprimanded, as is well said in John 15:1-6.

"If it was reasonable to attribute agency or moral agency to the tree, we would have to cross it off hypocrite; their complete sterility, with its abundance of leaves, which turn into a type of human hypocrisy." (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 555).

"... Does not hide the purpose of the Lord in this miracle, and the result, though fatal to the tree, is a lasting blessing for all those who want to learn and benefit through the works of God." (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 553).

D&C 93:30-31

30 All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence.

31 Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.

Like the fig tree, we can decide whether or not to bear fruit, according to our agency, and to receive or not the light.

We "should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of [our] own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness" (D&C 58:27). Jesus' parables does not speak of fig trees or camels, but must apply to our own lives, as both Jesus and all the holy prophets and Apostles Speak (and we have always spoken) according to our own needs, and according to the difficulty of our own time and I have no doubt that Jesus' parables are also applicable today; as Mormon said "I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing" (Mormon 8:35).

Finally, I make a comparison between two scriptures that shows us what we should do and what not to do

John 15:8 (What to do)

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Helaman 14:19 (What not to do)

Therefore repent ye, repent ye, lest by knowing these things and not doing them ye shall suffer yourselves to come under condemnation, and ye are brought down unto this second death.

Would not be very good to show you a list of things to know specifically what things we do, as it is expected [we] do many things of [our] own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness.

I Love the Savior, and I love His teachings, I hope we can find those things we can improve and those that we can do to "bear much fruit". In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Yvonne Ayoub "Fig Tree"

Resumen en Español

Mateo 19-20, La higuera estéril

19 Y viendo una higuera cerca del camino, fue a ella, pero no halló nada en ella, sino hojas solamente, y le dijo: ¡Nunca jamás nazca de ti fruto! Y de inmediato se secó la higuera.

20  Y al ver esto los discípulos, maravillados decían: ¿Cómo se secó al instante la higuera?

*Quien no hace las cosas que su Creador lo ha capacitado para hacer, está en peligro de ser reprendido. No se puede ser estéril con la inteligencia y talentos que Dios nos ha dado. [Juan 15:1-6; Lucas 13:7]

Mateo 7:19-20

19 Todo árbol que no da buen fruto es cortado y echado en el fuego.

20 Así que, por sus frutos los conoceréis.

Lucas 13:6-9

6 Y dijo esta parábola: Un hombre tenía una higuera plantada en su viña, y vino a buscar fruto en ella y no lo halló.

7 Y dijo al viñador: He aquí hace tres años que vengo a buscar fruto en esta higuera y no lo hallo; córtala, ¿para qué ha de seguir ocupando el terreno?

8 Él entonces, respondiendo, le dijo: Señor, déjala aún este año, hasta que yo cave alrededor de ella y la abone.

9 Y si da fruto, bien; y si no, la cortarás después.

Helamán 14:17-19 Por saber la voluntad del Padre y no hacerla, somos talados y arrojados al fuego; arrastrados a la “segunda muerte”.

3 Nefi 25:1 En el día ardiente, el Señor arrojará al horno a los soberbios y no les dejará ni raíz ni rama. (Malaquías 4:1).

Juan 15:8 “En esto es glorificado mi Padre: en que llevéis mucho fruto y seáis así mis discípulos”.

"Aunque Cristo había venido a bendecir y a salvar, Él tenía el poder de golpear, destruir y maldecir. “Es preciso que haya una oposición en todas las cosas” (2 Nefi 2:11); si las bendiciones nacen de la rectitud, aquello que se les opone, las maldiciones, deben nacer de la maldad. Los verdaderos ministros del evangelio siempre buscan bendecir, sin embargo las maldiciones penden sobre los que rechazan su mensaje. “A quien bendigas, yo bendeciré; y a quien maldigas, yo maldeciré, dice el Señor” (D&C 132:47). Es apropiado que el Señor dejara una manifestación de su poder de maldecir, y el hecho de que eligió, no a una persona, sino a un árbol, es un acto evidente de misericordia" (McConkie, DNTC, 1: 582).

“Si fuera razonable atribuirle agencia o albedrío moral al árbol, tendríamos que tacharlo de hipócrita; su completa esterilidad, junto con su abundancia de hojas, lo tornan en un tipo de hipocresía humana”. (Talmage, Jesús el Cristo, pág. 555).

D&C 93:30-31

30 Toda verdad es independiente para obrar por sí misma en aquella esfera en que Dios la ha colocado, así como toda inteligencia; de otra manera, no hay existencia.

31 He aquí, esto constituye el albedrío del hombre y la condenación del hombre; porque claramente les es manifestado lo que existió desde el principio, y no reciben la luz.

“…no se oculta el propósito del Señor en este milagro, y el resultado, aun cuando fatal para el árbol, constituye una bendición duradera para todos aquellos que desean aprender y beneficiarse mediante las obras de Dios”. (Talmage, Jesús el Cristo, pág. 553).

Hemos sido llamados a cargar mucho fruto y eso significa que debemos estar anhelosamente consagrados a una causa buena, y hacer muchas cosas de nuestra propia voluntad y efectuar mucha justicia. (DYC 58:24).