I have one article on this passage at the web site.  Here is the link:   fig tree

However, this article does not address all of your question, so let me continue.  It is true that the Passover week in late March or April is not the season for harvesting figs.  In the context we can tell that Jesus “cursed” the fig tree in the week before the Passover.   Actually, I have a fig tree at my home.  It does produce leaves and the visible beginnings of fruit in March or April, but the ripe fruit is not produced until the summer months.  Based on my personal experience with fig trees, I would say that in April, one could tell whether or not a fig tree will be producing edible, ripe fruit later in the year.  This may explain why Jesus could complain that the fig tree was fruitless at a time that there would not be any actual edible fruit.  Jesus was hungry, and when he saw a tree which he could tell would be producing no fruit that year it brought to his mind a very important spiritual issue.  So, he decided to use this as an illustration.  The illustration, of course, has nothing to do with fig trees.  God is not morally disturbed nor does he come to judgment on fruitless trees.  This was only a useful illustration.  The fruitless tree Jesus was actually bothered by, and which he was condemning, was Israel itself.

Was Jesus angry?  Yes, and rightfully so.  As in the Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-41), God planted his people in a metaphorical vineyard, and he expected his people to produce a harvest.  When they did not, God was extremely displeased with His people.   He deeply loved the Jews, and he “longed to gather your children [Israel] together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.”  But, unfortunately, “you [Israel] were not willing.” (Matt 23:37)  Yes, Jesus was angry, but his compassion was aroused as well. No, he did not throw a temper tantrum, and this was certainly no “irrational anger.”

In summary, yes, it is true that April is not the season for actually gathering figs, but it is a season during which one can tell whether a fig tree will be producing fruit later that year.  In any case, what happened here is not about fig trees, and we can excuse Jesus for using the fig tree as an illustration of a very important spiritual point at a time in which there would not be actual fruit on fig trees!  Jesus can “curse” a fig tree any time he likes in order to teach us a deep and important spiritual truth about God’s expectation of fruit from his people (see John 15).  And what we can say for sure is that Jesus knew exactly what he was doing and this was certainly not an impetuous outburst of irrational anger.

John Oakes