What is the meaning of the parable of the fig tree? (Part 1).

[so-jesus-e-deus]

What is the meaning of the parable of the fig tree? (Part 1).

• Mat 24:32,33 -> “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and puts forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.”.

Of what parable He was referring to?

First of all, let’s figure out the excerpt. In Israel, the Winter finishes in March, 21th. From this moment, all the trees start to revive and produce new twigs and leaves. Jesus, as the true lamb of the Passover, was crucified more or less in the beginning of April (14th day of the month of Abib in the Judaic calendar – Lev 23:5).

At this time, the fig tree was starting to recover of the severe Winter. Therefore, it wasn’t time of fruits. This was the reason why Jesus didn’t find figs in the fig tree below (Mark 11:13):

• Mat 21:18,19 -> “In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.”

Many people ask: but, why did Jesus curse this fig tree, once it wasn’t the season for figs?

As we could see in Matthew 24:32, when the fig tree has tender branches and puts forth leaves, it’s a sign that the summer is nigh and the fig trees already has some figs (although most of them are still green and only will be ripe in the Autumn). So, this fig tree is wrong in two ways:

• It was heralding the proximity of the Summer, which only would arrive after two and a half months. It was lying;
• It promised to be ready for a good harvest (it renewed faster than the other fig trees), but didn’t have any fruit. This recall what the writer of Hebrews wrote:

o Heb 5:11,12 -> “About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,”.

In this condition, the only thing for what this fig tree could be “useful” it was at the same way which we can read in Genesis:

• Gen 3:7 -> “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.”.

Of course, this cover wasn’t efficient. So much so that The Creator made to them other clothes (Gen 3:21). In other words, this fig tree only could give a false sensation of being covered.

So, have a good day increasing in intimacy with Jesus so that you don’t come to be find naked when Jesus comes (2Cor 5:2; 1John 2:28; Rev 3:18).

Tomorrow we will continue.

 

[Magenta]

The fig tree is a symbol/the emblem of the Judean nation, which seemed to be thriving -- with an abundance of leaves -- but spiritually it was producing no fruit. Jesus often rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for this lack of spiritual fruit, and in the same chapter of Matthew He concludes (in the parable of the vineyard) by saying, "Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof" (verse 43). Verse 45 continues, "And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard His parables, they perceived that He spake of them." The cursing of the fig tree represented a curse on the nation of Judea.

In verse 20, when Jesus' disciples saw the fig tree wither away, they "marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!" This was a prophecy of the coming destruction of the Judean nation by the Roman army under Titus in AD 70, only thirty-seven years later (which also brought an end to temple worship).

The destruction was also prophesied in another parable in Luke 13:6-9: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down."

The three years of seeking fruit in the parable refer to the three years of Jesus' ministry. For these three years Jesus sought but found no fruit among the Judeans, and so God was minded to cut the tree down. But the dresser of the vineyard said to give it one more year, and he would fertilize it (by the preaching of his disciples) to see if any fruit would be produced. But in the fourth year (Hebrew inclusive counting) it was evident there was still no fruit, since they rejected and crucified Him, and so there was nothing left for the tree but to be cut down.

The fall of the Judean nation was also prophesied earlier by John the Baptist when he said, "And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire" (Matthew 3:10). source