A Letter to Neale

Reader Question:

Dear Mr. Walsch,

Thank you for your wonderful books. I have one question. It concerns the story in the Bible where Jesus curses the fig tree because it doesn't bear fruit. I don't understand why he would do this, because it also says that it wasn't the season for the tree to bear figs. The fig tree example must be there for a reason, but what?

For a long time this story has seemed to represent to me what seems a certain capriciousness on the part of Jesus/God, which perhaps refers to how man feels. Often it seems as if we've been beset with bad fortune, even though it wasn't our season to bear fruit, if you understand what I mean. In other words, it wasn't our fault, but we've been cursed anyway. Of course, I realize after reading your book that we are doing it to ourselves, but the story still seems very inconsistent with Jesus' character. This probably doesn't make any sense.

I find it's very difficult for me to talk about anything spiritual and make sense. But your book really does make sense, and for that, again, I thank you. (I realize you cannot answer this letter, and I don't expect you to, but I just wanted to get the question asked.

~Sincerely, Susan, IL

Neale Responds

Dear Susan,

The story to which you refer appears in Matthew, chapter 21, beginning at verse 18. It says:

"Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. 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. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

The story also appears in Mark, chapter 11, beginning at verse 12:

"And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it...And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursed is withered away."

"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."

I understand your confusion, Susan, because one wonders why Jesus would cause the tree to dry up when it wasn't even its time to bear fruit. The answer is that Jesus did not shrivel the tree because it bore no fruit, but rather, used the tree as a teaching tool in a larger lesson he was attempting to teach. The story is clearly an account of Jesus seeking to illustrate the power of thought (prayer) in the removal from your life of anything which does not bear fruit. Jesus was not demonstrating anger with the tree, he was demonstrating the power of prayer. He simply used the tree as a tool, as a metaphor.

I can imagine just how this might have happened. A bunch of guys were trekking down the road one day, listening to the great teacher as he spoke of the power of prayer. "You mean, prayer can do anything?" someone might have asked. "Of course," Jesus no doubt replied, and then thought to himself, "Let's see, how can I get Jimmy here to understand?" Just then, they found themselves approaching a grove of trees. Jesus knew it was not their time, and that he would find them bare. Ah, he might have said to himself, the perfect opportunity! "Boy, I'm hungry!" he said aloud. "Let's go see if those trees have any fruit!"

Now he gets to the tree in question and finds no fruit. Bah! He knew all along what he'd find, and decided to use it as a tool. So he tells his disciples, this tree has seen its last day. And the next morning, it's dried up. "Wow!" said the disciples, "there's a great lesson here. You'd better bear fruit, even if you're out of season!"

"No, No!" said Jesus, "That's not what I was trying to teach. I was trying to show you that whatever bears no fruit in your life, you can get rid of! And so, too, will it be with anything which stands in the way of your happiness."

"Really?" said his disciples. "You mean that?"

"Hey, would I kid you?" Jesus replied. "I'm telling you right now, whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."

I'm sure it's easy for you to see, Susan, how when one uses metaphors and parables the way Jesus did, there is ample opportunity for widespread misunderstanding or misinterpretation. Still, if you listen to the larger message, stay focused on the biggest truth, you'll more often than not come to what the message really was.

If there is any doubt about my interpretation of the fig tree story from the Bible, it will be erased by reading the very next verse from Mark's version of the story. Clearly, Jesus did not cause the tree to shrivel and die because he was angry with it, or because the tree somehow did something "wrong." We know this, we can infer this, from his very next comment: "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

So there is no doubt here that Jesus was not "punishing" the tree, or why would he teach forgiveness in the very next sentence? He was simply using the tree as a tool to demonstrate a larger truth.

Now, it might be said that if this was Jesus' true intent, it was "cruel," because he killed a tree which did not deserve to "die." But a true metaphysician would observe several things: first, that nothing and no one ever "dies," and therefore Jesus did no harm to the tree; second, that, being a master, Jesus no doubt knew that the tree was there—that it was placed there—by Providence itself (all things are in their right place at their right time; there is no such thing as "coincidence," and "accidents" do not happen) in order that he might demonstrate what he chose to demonstrate.

Now, Susan, a question for you. When you pick a flower to give to your loved one, has the flower been misused? Does the flower mind ending its "life" in a demonstration of love?

~Love,