seeker

Well, he has been around a long time

stardog

What irritates me about the story is that since Jesus is powerful why doesn't he just heal the fig tree?

Amlodhi

I agree, Toto. Whether one chooses to understand the narrative as an alleged historical event, or as simply a parable devised by the author (rather than Jesus himself), the imagery and intent are unmistakable.

Amlodhi

Sven

Or an example more understandable to acient folks: Draw an accurate map of the entire Earth, including America and Australia. Easy to transmit over the centuries and good evidence that someone much more knowledgable/wise than any avergage Joe (to borrow from the other thread) indeed existed.

ceb

Could the fig tree have been an important symbol in another contemporary competing religion, and the authors were simply making a thinly veiled dig at it? For example, I've heard that the fig tree was a prominent symbol of Mithraism, though I know there is some question on whether or not Mithraism was practiced much at the time the Gospels were written.

"Our savior man-god can beat up your savior man-god! "

Cubeless Academian

This wasn't just a curse; it was a commandment. Jesus was letting his followers know that God hates figs.

Vinnie

When I saw the other thread [Why so Wise?] talking about it was a miracle that Jesus "confounded all the scholars of his day" and now this title:

I just can't help it:

:notworthy :notworthy :notworthy
:notworthy :notworthy :notworthy

Pyrrho

The post was aimed at anyone who regards Jesus as wise. The fig tree story was just one example that I gave to illustrate what I was talking about. It is not the only story that illustrates that Jesus, as depicted in the canonical texts, was not wise.

For those who are taking the entire New Testament as being a parable, then it seems that they are saying that Jesus is just a fictional character, and not a real person at all. There is, after all, no other source from even close to the relevant period to tell us that Jesus really existed.

This also brings me back to my unanswered question: If it is all parable, then why is part of it presented as parable, and part as if it were real?

Pyrrho

Thank you.

Pyrrho

Yes, that would have been good. But, of course, when one does not really know the shape of the earth (see one of Toto's posts above), one cannot do that.