Fig tree slain by a hungry Jesus

By Raul Casso

Of the four Gospel writers, only Mark and Matthew tell us about Jesus' killing of a fig tree. Mark and Matthew, however, do not agree about what happened. Mark's version of the events can be found in chapter 11, verses 11-22, of his gospel, while Matthew's is in Chapter 21 of his gospel, and verses 10-21 (I invite you to read and compare both of them).

Notice how the order of events described by Mark is different from that described by Matthew. According to Mark, Jesus went to Jerusalem , inspected the temple, and then left for Bethany in the evening. The next day, says Mark, Jesus left Bethany for Jerusalem . While on the way, Jesus grew hungry, and, spotting a fig tree, went to it for a fruit meal. Finding it barren of any fruit, however, Jesus cursed the fig tree, and then went on to Jerusalem .

Arriving in Jerusalem , Jesus wasted no time in going into the temple where he upturned tables and drove merchants away. Afterwards, Mark continues, Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem. On the way, they encountered the poor fig tree now dried, withered to the roots, and dead.

Matthew tells the story in reverse order. According to Matthew, Jesus went into Jerusalem and straight for the Temple where he cast out the merchants, “overturning the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of them that sold doves” (21:10-12). After healing the lame and the blind, and after a confrontation with a group of displeased priests and scribes, Jesus left Jerusalem , bound for Bethany .

The next morning, Jesus was on his way back to Jerusalem. While on the road, he grew hungry. Looking about for food, Jesus spotted a nearby fig tree. Approaching the hapless fig tree for some nourishment, however, he found it barren of any fruit. In what appears to have been a fit of anger, Jesus promptly cursed the fig tree saying, “Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth for ever . . . and presently, the fig tree withered away.” The disciples marveled at how the fig tree died instantly (21:18-20).

Note how the Bethany and Jerusalem events are reversed in Matthew's gospel as compared to Mark's. Did Jesus curse the fig tree before he drove the merchants from the temple or afterwards? The answer depends on which gospel one reads. Notice also how the timing of the fig tree's death is different.

According to Mark, Jesus curses the fig tree, and then goes to Jerusalem where he causes much commotion. It is not until after the scattering of the merchants from the temple, and as Jesus and his disciples are on their way out of Jerusalem -- after an entire day's momentous events -- that they encounter the withered fig tree. Matthew, however, tells us that the fig tree withered immediately upon being cursed. Indeed, he goes on to tell us how astonished the disciples were at the suddenness of the fig tree's demise. Both of these accounts, coming to us from St. Mark and St. Matthew, cannot be true at the same time. At least one of them is in error, or perhaps both of them are. Why the discrepancy?

Bear in mind that “Mark” and “Matthew” were not there to witness any of the events they describe in their respective gospels. Rather than eyewitness accounts, each of the four gospels are compilations of oral traditions about Jesus, framed by different persons many decades apart. At the time the gospels were put together, there were no printed books to fix the text. Instead, all “books” were manuscripts, written by hand on rolls of papyrus or sheets of parchment skin. Those who wanted a manuscript of their own, copied the manuscripts or had them copied -- by hand. There was no way to check against errors in copying, intentional omissions, alterations, or insertions into the text to suit the taste or purpose of the copyist. Moreover, religious books were written and copied by priests or monks, and in those times the traditions of what was said or done by Jesus were variant and, as we have seen, conflicting. The Gospels are, therefore, filled with contradictions.

Besides these obvious errors, the sort of which the Bible is replete, there is yet another concern that the fig tree story gives rise to -- a darker concern about how the character of Jesus is portrayed. We will see how the writer(s) of “Matthew” tinkered with the text so as to obviate this concern. This will be the subject of next month's column.