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also be fruit on it, even though it was at a higher elevation around Jerusalem, and therefore would have
been outside the normal season for figs.

A fig tree is often used symbolically to represent Israel in the Scriptures.

In the cursing of the fig tree, Jesus was effectively denouncing Israel’s worship of God. With the cursing
of the fig tree, He was symbolically denouncing Israel as a nation and, in a sense, even denouncing
unfruitful “Christians” (that is, people who profess to be Christian but have no evidence of a relationship
with Christ).

The presence of a fruitful fig tree was a symbol of blessing and prosperity for the nation of Israel.
Likewise, the absence or death of a fig tree would symbolize judgment and rejection. Symbolically, the
fig tree represented the spiritual deadness of Israel, who while very religious outwardly with all the
sacrifices and ceremonies, were spiritually barren because of their sins. By cleansing the Temple and
cursing the fig tree, causing it to wither and die, Jesus was pronouncing His coming judgment of Israel
and demonstrating His power to carry it out.

Shortly Jesus would return to the Temple where
He would find the religious leaders again defiling
God’s house by selling animals at a profit and
gouging the people in money exchange to
become wealth. He also knew that the greeting
the day before was shallow and would turn to
rejection in just a few days. Israel had ceased to
worship the true God in their hearts. They had
denounced true worship for false pretentions.

After their encounter with the fig tree, Jesus and
the disciples went up to the Temple. The Law of
Moses commanded worship and sacrifice to be
celebrated at a central sanctuary, a place that
“God chooses” (Deut. 12:5-7). This place came to
be identified with Jerusalem, and naturally
Israel’s most solemn and important festival,
Passover, was held in that city. Jesus arrived to
procure a place to celebrate the feast, and to
undergo the necessary rites of purification.

Herod’s Temple during Christ’s day The commercial ventures of the temple were
overseen by the Sadducees and were very
lucrative. Most people purchased animals for their sacrifices which may have included doves, sheep,
goats, rams, bulls, or cattle. The people brought Roman money with them, but that money was not
acceptable for exchange in the temple complex. Instead, the money had to be exchanged for “temple
money” and then used to purchase animals. The Sadducees were profiting in the money exchange, and
then charged much elevated fees for the animals being sold. They were robbing the people from both
angles.

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