The Fig Tree

Re: Matthew 24:32. My question is - I have heard that the fig tree represents Israel and this is related to when Israel was engaged in the 1967 six day war where it gained much land as a result - thus the “leaves coming out”.

Q. Re: Matthew 24:32. My question is - I have heard that the fig tree represents Israel and this is related to when Israel was engaged in the 1967 six day war where it gained much land as a result - thus the “leaves coming out”. ALso - the 6th day war was also in late spring … just two weeks before summer … I find that interesting.

This year 2007 marks the 40th aniversary of that war as well.

I am having a hard time understanding this verse as i think it could just simply mean that when you see leaves on the trees - you know summer is near - likewise - when you see all these things happening - the end is near…

Could it be that Jesus was just trying to make that point and not give a parable? He was talking to his disciples and NOT the Jews.

A. There’s an old saying in Bible interpretation that says, “When the plain sense of a passage makes common sense, seek no other sense.” The plain sense of Matt. 24:32 is that just as when the fig tree blossoming indicates that summer is near, the appearance of the signs the Lord’s been talking about indicates His return is near. It happens that the fig tree is the last to get leaves in the spring, so when it does you know summer is really here. There’s no reason to look any further into the passage for a hidden meaning.

As far as the context is concerned, most of the chapter has been his response to their question about signs that the End of the Age has come. He’s actually speaking through them to Jews and other believers on Earth at the times of the Great Tribulation.