De maledictione ficus
Placing the Cursing of the Fig Tree
The author explains why the cursing of the fig tree is placed here in the meditation rather than in its chronological Gospel position.
Although, according to the historical sense, the cursing of the fig tree and the presentation of the adulteress in the temple are believed to have taken place after the Lord Jesus came into Jerusalem on a donkey, still, because it seems more fitting to meditate on nothing after that coming except his own supper and passion and their circumstances, I have therefore decided to place these two events here.
The Fig Tree Cursed
Jesus, hungry on the way to Jerusalem, finds a leafy fig tree without fruit, curses it, and it withers immediately as the disciples marvel.
When, therefore, the Lord Jesus was on his way toward Jerusalem and grew hungry, he saw a fig tree, lush and covered with beautiful leaves. And when he came up to it and found nothing on the fig tree, he cursed it. And it withered at once, so that the disciples marveled.
Gazing Upon the Withered Tree
The reader is invited to look upon Christ and the disciples in these events following the established meditative form.
So look at him, and at the disciples in these events, according to the general form handed down to you above.
The Mystical Meaning of the Fig Tree
The cursing is interpreted mystically, since it was not the season for figs, and the leafy tree represents those who are outwardly green with words but inwardly barren of good works.
Notice also that this was done mystically by the Lord, since he knew it was not the season for figs. Through such a tree, green with leaves, then, can be understood the verbose and talkative who are without works, and also the hypocrites and pretenders who have an outward show but are inwardly empty and unfruitful.
Read the original Latin
Quamvis secundum fidem historise maledictio ficus, et praesentatio adulterae in templo, credantur fuisse post adventum Domini Jesu in Hierusalem super asello; quia tamen videtur aptius nil post ipsum adventum meditari, nisi de sua coena et passione, et earum circumstantiis, ideo cogitavi ista duo hic ponere. Cum igitur * Dominus Jesus vadens versus Hierusalem esuriret, vidit ficum ornatam, et pulchram de foliis. Et appropinquans, et non inveniens ficus, maledixit ei. Et statim aruit, ita ut mirarentur discipuli. Conspice igitur eum, et discipulos in praedictis, juxta formam generalem supra traditam tibi. Conspice etiam, quia mystice hoc factum est a Domino, cum sciret non esse tempus ficuum. Per talem igitur arborem virentem foliis, intelligi possunt verbosi et loquaces sine operibus, necnon etiam hypocrit*, ac simulati, qui exteriorem apparentiam habentes, interius vacui sunt et infructuosi
Meditationes Vitae Christi (Pseudo-Bonaventure), Castilian court context companion
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