In the symbolic language of Scripture, the fig tree is a spiritual signpost. Appearing at pivotal moments in the Bible, and most strikingly in the ministry of Jesus, the fig tree brings us back to Eden, revealing something about the inner state of the mind.
To read the Bible psychologically, as Neville Goddard taught, is to understand that Jesus’ actions are illustrations of consciousness. His interaction with the fig tree is no exception. In it, we see a powerful picture of what happens when desire is cut off from belief — and what it means to live in union within imagination.
This article draws on several fig tree passages, especially those involving Jesus, and places them alongside Eden and the Song of Solomon to reveal one unified story: a movement from shame and separation, through spiritual barrenness, into creative union.
The Seed Within: The Law of Genesis
“And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself.”
— Genesis 1:11
This verse sets the tone for the entire Bible. The principle is clear: the seed is within. Fruit comes from the kind of seed sown — not from effort, but from identity. Everything that appears outwardly is the result of something already planted within.
This is the root of manifestation. You do not change the world by manipulating the outer; you change your world by planting and nurturing a new seed in consciousness.
Eden and the First Fig Leaves
“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”
— Genesis 3:7
The fig tree first appears in the Bible as leaves — sewn together by Adam and Eve after eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This moment symbolises a fall into duality, judgment, and shame.
The fig leaves are not just a covering — they are a reaction to the belief in separation. Rather than being naked and unashamed before the creative presence of God (the imagination), the human soul now believes it must cover up, perform, and protect itself.
This is the beginning of appearances. The fig leaves symbolise the self that hides from divine imagination — ashamed, divided, uncertain. It is in this state that manifestation becomes distorted or blocked.
Jesus and the Cursed Fig Tree: Appearance Without Substance
“And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs..”
— Mark 11:13
“And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.”
— Mark 11:14
At first glance, Jesus’ action here may appear harsh. Why curse a tree that wasn’t in season? But when read symbolically, the meaning becomes clear: this fig tree represents a spiritual state that looks alive but is fruitless.
This is the state of people who pray, affirm, and profess — but without inner union. The imagination has not been joined with belief. The outer display is impressive, like a tree full of leaves, but it bears no fruit because nothing has been conceived internally.
This moment from Jesus’ ministry is not random. It is deliberate and instructive. It teaches that outer forms mean nothing without inner reality. The fig tree must not just appear fruitful — it must be fruitful, from within.
When the disciples “heard” this, it symbolised an awakening within their awareness. The disciples represent parts of consciousness learning the spiritual law that faith and inner conviction determine what manifests in reality. Jesus’ instruction, “Have faith in God,” reveals that appearances alone are empty without true belief. This moment marks the beginning of understanding that faith is the root from which fruitful manifestation grows — and without it, the fig tree withers, just as superficial spirituality cannot produce real life.
The Green Fig of the Song of Solomon
“The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
— Song of Solomon 2:13
This verse shows us the other side of the fig tree — not cursed, but awakening. Here, the fig tree is not fully ripe, but it is alive. Its green fruit is a sign that something real is growing within.
This passage is often read as romantic poetry, but its true meaning is mystical. The Song of Solomon speaks to the inner marriage of the soul and spirit — desire and belief — when imagination is felt as real, even before anything is seen.
This is the moment when manifestation begins. The soul hears the call to rise — not because all is ready in the world, but because something has already quickened within. The fig tree does not need to be fully developed. It simply needs to be honest. It must be alive with potential.
In contrast to the cursed fig tree that shows but has nothing, this fig tree is the opposite: it may look small, but it has fruit. It is spiritually fertile. And that makes all the difference.
Returning to the Tree of Life
The Tree of Life, hidden after the fall, symbolises the state of divine union — where imagination is trusted, and desire is known to be sacred. Jesus’ teachings constantly point back to this, even if the language is veiled.
In Neville’s interpretation, the Tree of Life is restored when belief and imagination become one. When you feel your desire as already fulfilled — not just think it, or talk about it — but know it to be true within yourself, you return to the centre of the garden.
This is not about works or appearances. It is about inner union. The fig tree with green figs in the Song of Solomon is the beginning of this return.
One Thread Through Three Trees
When taken together, these fig trees tell one story — a story Jesus Himself re-enacts to teach the soul how to return to creative union:
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In Eden, fig leaves symbolise the beginning of hiding — a consciousness ashamed of its desire, believing itself separate from God.
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In Mark, the cursed fig tree shows a state full of show but lacking substance — the mind that affirms without feeling, that performs without union.
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In the Song of Solomon, the green fig is the sign of return — a state where the soul responds to the call of divine imagination, and something begins to grow within.
Jesus' relationship to the fig tree is not arbitrary. It is instructional. He is not condemning nature — He is revealing your own nature, when it falls into appearance without reality. And He is pointing you back to the moment of real union, where creation begins.
Closing Thought
Every tree in Scripture bears after its kind — because every state in you bears fruit in your life. The fig tree is not a side detail in the ministry of Jesus. It is a symbol of what matters: not appearance, but union.
What you are in union with, within, will always determine what appears, without.
The seed is in itself.
The fig tree is your consciousness.
And the fruit — or the lack of it — reveals your true state.
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