Why are trees used as symbols in the book of Matthew?

See? Not exactly barren.

I’m going to level with you here. My grasp on geography probably isn’t as strong as it should be. It’s hard for me to imagine the landscape or weather of a place unless I’ve been there. I’m directionally challenged and have no concept of separating one place from the other. To top it all off, geography is my worst subject on Trivia Crack. It’s sad, truly. However, my subpar understanding of geography is directly responsible for my blog question for this week. When I think Palestine, I think desert. No amount of pictures of lush, beautiful, sprawling gardens could possibly change my perception. For me to think of Palestine any differently, I would need to go there, and seeing as how that trip isn’t on my immediate travel itinerary, I am stuck with my perception of Palestine as a barren desert. That being said, the countless references to trees and fruit in the book of Matthew definitely jumped off the page. So, what exactly is the purpose for the use of trees and fruit as symbols in Matthew (or the rest of the Bible for that matter)?

Trees appear in Matthew many times. Matthew 7:17, 12:33, 21:18-22, and 3:10 are just a few instances of their appearance. What makes them so useful as tools for Matthew to reach his target audience? 

From recreation to resources, trees have played a significant role throughout history. The presence of trees has always been instrumental when determining the location of civilization. Depictions of trees appear in tombs and on monuments remaining from ancient Egypt. The markings on monuments definitely denote the importance of trees and their fruit as they pertain to livelihood, and the presence of drawings of trees in the burial places of pharaohs of ancient Egypt also ties spiritual importance to them. 

Trees find root in religious practices dating back to ancient Greece and Egypt. The ancient Greeks regarded trees as the first temples of the gods and sacred groves as their first places of worship, where the powerful forces of nature inspired human image making.  Characters in the old testament also used trees as markers for holy ground and places of worship. Coincidentally, the Christian creation story highlights a tree in the construction of the very foundations of life. Adam and Eve eating the fruit of a tree effectively set life as we know it on its course.  Therefore, the significance of trees in religion cannot be overstated.

In the time and region Matthew’s book covers, trees are not only prevalent, but they are essential to the people who live there. Fig trees are extremely  important for the sustenance provided by their fruit, and the olive tree is a staple in commerce. The characters who appear in the book of Matthew are not only familiar with the trees mentioned by Jesus in Matthew’s gospel, but they actively depend on them. Therefore, it is easy for them to relate trees to other aspects of life. Since Matthew is writing specifically to Jews, it is important that they be able to connect everything Jesus says to the scriptures and prophecies of the old testament. Trees are mentioned many times in prophecies concerning Yahweh’s temple and the covenant with his people. Therefore, Jesus’ use of trees as symbols help to fulfill prophecies that were given in the past. 

The fig tree in particular is used often as a source of food for the characters in the book of Matthew. The fruit is filling, sustainable, reliable, and predictable. Fig trees routinely begin growing fruit at the same time they begin growing leaves. Therefore, when a fig tree shows leaves, fruit should always be present. This fact plays a significant role in a particular story in the book of Matthew. In Matthew 21:18-22, Jesus curses a fig tree when he finds no fruit on its branches. Previously when reading this story, I always found it very fickle of Jesus to curse a tree for not having fruit when he wanted it. However, thanks to the research I’ve done, I now understand his frustration. The fig tree in the story is full of leaves when Jesus approaches it. Because figs look so similar to the leaves (as seen in the picture), he can't tell if their is any fruit at this point, but according to the growth of said tree, it should bear fruit along with those leaves. However, there are no figs to be found. The tree looks normal. There are branches and leaves, but there is no fruit. So, Jesus curses the tree that it may never grow fruit again. He connects this to people. A person may exhibit physical (branches) and intellectual (leaves) growth, but if the person is not exhibiting spiritual (fruit) growth, they are not doing what they are meant to be doing. The Jews to whom Matthew is writing can relate to this symbol because they rely so heavily on the predictability of the fig tree. 

The symbolism of trees and fruit found in Matthew works for all these reasons and more. To put it bluntly, people understand trees and recognize their importance. Honestly, trees carry an oddly spiritual connotation with people. Therefore, it simply makes sense for them to be used as symbols, made the subject of metaphors, and appear in parables.