"When Jesus got up the next morning, he was hungry. He started out for the city, and along the way he saw a fig tree. But when he came to it, he found only leaves and no figs. So he told the tree, 'You will never again grow any fruit!' Right then the fig tree dried up." —Matthew 21:18-19, CEV

Don't you hate it when something looks like one thing but turns out to be something else?

I lived in Mexico City for a few years and loved it. Part of the reason was the food. I love Mexican food. Even so, I still craved American food now and then. Like a hamburger.

So I'd pop into a restaurant that said it served American food. I'd order a burger. It would come. I'd salivate. I'd eat.

I'd stop eating.

It looked like an American burger. But it didn't taste like an American burger. I was mighty disappointed. It wasn't that it tasted bad or was spoiled. I can't quite describe how it tasted, but any American would have thought, Something's not quite right with this burger.

This is the sort of thing that happened to Jesus. He's hungry and like I was in Mexico, he's thinking—well, no, not hamburger! He's from the ancient Middle East, after all. Instead, he's thinking figs! He sees a fig tree off in the distance, a fig tree with all its leaves. Jesus knew this meant that it must have figs, because fig trees don't sprout leaves for nothing—they sprout them to protect the figs. So he walks up to the tree and begins to look for a fig. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

Jesus is not a happy camper, so he curses the tree, and the tree shrivels up and dies right on the spot.

So what does this teach us? That Jesus was a spoiled brat and threw a temper tantrum when he couldn't get what he wanted?

Not quite. We know that Jesus got angry from time to time, but here's the difference between him and us: He never got angry without a good reason, without love driving the anger. In this case, it was love for the people of Israel. Let me explain.

First, in biblical times, Israel was often compared to a fig tree. The idea was that when Israel obeyed God, it would produce fruit. That is, it would be something many nations would benefit from.

But when Israel didn't obey God, it was like a fruitless fig tree—not good for much.

Second, teachers in Jesus' day were used to acting out their teachings so they'd be easier to grasp. This is what Jesus was up to. Those who watched what he did got the point because they knew about those Old Testament passages comparing Israel to a fig tree. So when Jesus cursed a barren fig tree, it was like he was acting out the judgment of God. Jesus was saying that unless Israel repented, it would never bear fruit, and God would judge it in the same way.

While the fig tree got the worst of it, the people received a clear and present lesson. When you think about it, that's about the most merciful thing Jesus could have done to a disobedient people.

Even though we don't see many fig trees today, this lesson is still relevant to us. God has created each of us to bear fruit for him—good character, service to others, a deeper and deeper relationship with him. If we waste our lives foolishly, we will not produce this type of fruit. Then we'll be as useless as a barren fig tree. And when judgment comes, Jesus has made it clear what's going to happen.

This is a sobering thought, but that's Jesus for you. He always tells us the truth, even when it will make us think long and hard about our lives.

Mark Galli is managing editor of Christianity Today, and author of Jesus Mean and Wild: The Surprising Love of an Untamable God (Baker, July 2006).

Read more from 'The Wild Words of Jesus'

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