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Parable of the Budding Fig Tree

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by BlueMesa171 (talk | contribs) at 00:53, 14 April 2019 (→Narrative: Changed translation of the biblical narrative from the obscure World English Bible to the more familiar, and more ecumenically accepted RSV. Note that the Revised Standard Version and the English Standard Version read identically here, except that "till" in the RSV reads "until" in the ESV.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
A fig tree

The Parable of the Budding Fig Tree is a parable told by Jesus in the New Testament, found in Matthew 24:32–35, Mark 13:28–31, and Luke 21:29–33. This parable, about the Kingdom of God, involves a fig tree, as does the equally brief parable of the barren fig tree.

Narrative

According to the Gospel of Luke:

And he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees; as soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."

— Luke 21:29-33, RSV

Interpretations

Luke presents this parable as eschatological in nature:[1] like the leaves of the fig tree, the signs spoken of in the Olivet discourse of Luke 21:5-28 [2] indicate the coming of the Kingdom of God.

As the British scholar and theologian N. T. Wright has written, "Already present in Jesus' ministry, and climactically inaugurated in his death and resurrection, the divine kingdom will be manifest within a generation, when Jesus and his followers are vindicated in and through the destruction of Jerusalem."[3]

An alternate interpretation is that the fig tree represents the nation of Israel being politically reestablished in their land once again. Accordingly, when the modern state of Israel was formed on May 14, 1948, Hal Lindsey concluded that we are in the last generation.[4][5]

Such an interpretation is challenged by New Testament scholar Barbara R. Rossing. "Lindsey calls those of us living today 'the generation of the fig tree,' referring to his interpretation of the founding of Israel as the fig tree putting forth its buds... Such a move has no literal basis in the Bible itself, however, nor is it true to their 'plain sense' rule of interpretation. It is an example of their highly selective literalism -- with no biblical evidence to support this redefinition of 'this generation.'"[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Bernard Brandon Scott, Hear Then the Parable: A commentary on the parables of Jesus, Fortress Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8006-2481-5, pp. 338-340.
  2. ^ Luke 21:5–28
  3. ^ Wright, N. T., Jesus and the Victory of God, London: SPCK; Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996. p. 365. ISBN 9780800626822
  4. ^ Lindsey, Hal. The Late Great Planet Earth. Grand Rapids, MI. Zondervan, 1970.
  5. ^ Lindsey, Hal. 1977. Eternity, January 1977
  6. ^ Rossing, Barbara R., The Rapture Exposed: The Message of Hope in the Book of Revelation, Westview Press, 2004; Basic Books, 2005. p. 183. ISBN 9780813343143
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