Single lesson
Jesus and the Fig Tree
Matthew 21:18–22; Mark 11:12–14; Mark 11:20–25
Jesus spoke to a fig tree that had leaves but no fruit, and the disciples later saw it withered. In these verses, Jesus uses what they saw to teach about faith in God, prayer, and forgiveness.
Before you teach
Matthew says Jesus was hungry, found only leaves, and the tree withered immediately. Mark says Jesus saw a tree with leaves, found nothing but leaves, notes that it was not the season for figs, and reports that the disciples saw the tree withered the next morning. Jesus then taught them about faith, prayer, and forgiving when praying.
Students will sequence the passage and identify what Jesus teaches here about faith in God, prayer, and forgiveness.
Welcome: Spot the key details
4 minShow a simple drawing of a leafy tree. Ask children to listen for what Jesus saw and what he found. Introduce the passage briefly: Jesus was hungry, saw a fig tree, and went to it. Mark adds an extra detail about the season, so children should listen carefully for that as well.
Matthew 21:18, Matthew 21:19, Mark 11:12, Mark 11:13
Read and explain: Leaves, no fruit, Jesus speaks
7 minRead Matthew 21:18-19 and Mark 11:12-14 aloud. Help children notice only what the verses say: Jesus was hungry, the tree had leaves, and he found nothing but leaves. Mark also says it was not the season for figs. Jesus then spoke to the tree, and in Mark the disciples heard him.
Matthew 21:18, Matthew 21:19, Mark 11:12, Mark 11:13, Mark 11:14
Discuss: What happened next?
6 minRead Matthew 21:20 and Mark 11:20-21. Ask the class what the disciples noticed. Matthew says the fig tree withered immediately and the disciples marvelled. Mark says they saw it withered from the roots the next morning, and Peter pointed it out. Let children retell those observations in their own words.
Matthew 21:19, Matthew 21:20, Mark 11:20, Mark 11:21
Make and respond: Order the main events
8 minChildren make five simple sequence cards: hungry, saw tree, found only leaves, tree withered, Jesus taught. They place the cards in order and retell the passage. As they work, remind them that Matthew highlights 'immediately', while Mark says the disciples saw the withered tree the next morning.
Matthew 21:18, Matthew 21:19, Matthew 21:20, Mark 11:14, Mark 11:20
Closing: What did Jesus teach?
5 minFinish by reading Jesus’ teaching. He says, 'Have faith in God.' He speaks about praying and asking in faith, and Mark also says to forgive when praying. Invite children to say one thing Jesus teaches in this passage, then end with the optional prayer.
Matthew 21:21, Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:22, Mark 11:24, Mark 11:25
Questions to explore
What extra detail does Mark give about the fig tree before Jesus spoke to it?
Mark says the tree had leaves, and he also says it was not the season for figs.
Mark 11:13
What did the disciples notice about the fig tree afterwards?
Use the verses to answer carefully: Matthew says it withered immediately, and Mark says they saw it withered from the roots the next morning.
Matthew 21:19, Matthew 21:20, Mark 11:20, Mark 11:21
After the tree withered, what did Jesus tell his disciples to do?
Listen for Jesus’ own words about faith in God, praying, and forgiving when praying.
Matthew 21:21, Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:22, Mark 11:24, Mark 11:25
Make, think or respond
Fig Tree Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- paper
- pencils or crayons
- scissors
- glue
Try it together
- Fold or divide paper into five parts.
- Draw these five events: Jesus was hungry, Jesus saw the fig tree, Jesus found only leaves, the tree withered, Jesus taught about faith and prayer.
- Cut the parts into cards if desired.
- Put the cards in order and use them to retell the passage.
- Add one note from Mark or Matthew that you heard in the reading.
This activity helps children order the main events and connect the withered tree to Jesus’ teaching about faith, prayer, and forgiveness.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, keep the cards large and use simple stick drawings, then sequence them together as a group.
- For older children, ask them to write one short sentence from Jesus’ teaching on the final card, such as 'Have faith in God' or 'forgive when praying'.
An optional closing prayer
"Father in heaven, please help us have faith in you, pray to you, and forgive when we pray. Amen."
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Matthew 21
18 Now in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry.
19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves. He said to it, “Let there be no fruit from you forever!” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree immediately wither away?”
21 Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you told this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it would be done.
22 All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Mark 11
12 The next day, when they had come out from Bethany, he was hungry.
13 Seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came to see if perhaps he might find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14 Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” and his disciples heard it.
20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots.
21 Peter, remembering, said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.”
22 Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.
23 For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening, he shall have whatever he says.
24 Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.
25 Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.