They Sewed Fig Leaves

After Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, they realized they were naked. They sought to cover themselves with fig leaves as the scriptures record: “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they had been naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons” (Moses 4:13). Brother John Hilton III recently made this observation about this attempt to cover themselves: “There's a lot of problems with covering yourself with fig leaves. Recently I actually learned that fig leaves secrete a little poison actually. So you're gonna have a rash. That's a problem. Second of all, it's not a great covering. Third of all, like all these, they're gonna disintegrate and crumble. That's very uncomfortable, and every like three days, you're gonna have to make yourself a new outfit.” This story highlights that often our own solutions, without the Lord’s help, may be inadequate to solve our own problems. And of course, on our own we cannot cover our sins—we need the help of the Savior. In this story the Lord provided the right solution: “Unto Adam, and also unto his wife, did I, the Lord God, make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Moses 4:27). This was, as we understand it, the first sacrifice of an animal, and it symbolized the sacrifice of the Savior to cover all of our sins through His atonement. We are much better off to cover ourselves with what the Lord has provided—forgiveness through His Son—than to try to cover our sins on our own.

               I realized today as I pondered the story of Adam and Eve covering themselves with fig leaves that we can make connection with it and the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree during the last week of His life. We read this: “Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away” (Matthew 21:18-19). Both stories involve fruit and fig leaves. Adam and Eve transgressed to partake of fruit which made them want to take fig leaves off a tree and wear them. Then the Savior saw that a fig tree bore no fruit and He caused the tree, including the leaves, to wither away. The first story was connected with the fall, whereas the second was a precursor to the atonement. Perhaps the Savior wanted us to think about those fig leaves used by Adam and Eve as a symbol of the fallen nature of man, and His destructive miracle was actually a symbol of how He would destroy death and sin. Adam and Eve’s fig leaves are a reminder that sin and death came into the world; the Savior’s fig leaves, I believe, can teach us that He overcame sin and death forever. He said, “Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever.” Perhaps what He really meant was that the effects of the fall were going to be overcome forever; man would not need fig leaves because He would offer Himself a ransom for all. When the disciples marveled that the Savior had performed this miracle, He gave this surprising reply: “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). Perhaps that invitation is to trust His atoning sacrifice that would cover us from sin and seek no more for the figurative fig leaves like Adam and Eve to cover us. What He was about to do would overcome all the negative effects of the fall for those who would have faith in Him.