We are commanded not to eat of the accursed fig.
On the following day, when they came from Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see whether perhaps he would find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard it.
In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.
Some other biblical references
Psalm 105:33; Jeremiah 24:2-3;29:17-18; Hosea 2:12
An online shop
where you can get products such as:
(click the image above to go through to the online shop).
I am not sure which is more surprising: how many references in the Bible there are to figs (58 verses – but I may have figotten some – plus several names whose meanings relate to figs), or to the large number of web pages google finds dedicated to God hating figs (316,000 hits! Go figure! Although that included an odd spelling mistake in “figs” – presumably a local Kansas dialect difference).
Yet, with all that, I figured there may be a mistaken conclusion here – starting with the first reference in the Bible to figs, Genesis 3:7, and including your example on to the last reference, Rev 6:13, the pattern is more that fig LEAVES (or fig trees with unripe or vile figs, or no figs) are what gets the less-than approbatory mentions in Scripture. Therefore we should promote the care and feeding of fig trees. Have you hugged your fig tree today?! I hope it isn’t too late to get the T-shirts reprinted?
Thanks, as always, Mark. I had not thought of doing such a search. A fascinating thought that the Kansas pronunciation may sound different to our Kiwi ears. Blessings.
Great play, Rev.
‘God hates figs’
So do I! on a gourmet-food level…they are the Marmite/Vegemite of fruit trees.
There is a gorgeous fig tree here where I live though- they are a pretty tree.
The fig tree in Jewish/Christian literature is a parable of what Israel could or should be…
Fr– this one stopped me in my tracks. As one who has experienced the Kansas dialect at memorial events, I wonder how many understand how provocative your simple story really is. Quiet a masterpiece of nuances requiring one to contemplate hate. I agree, well played. Very stong.