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Is "The fig tree" only a visual parable?
The following text is confusing to some because it is not typical of Christ’s behaviour, but Jesus did nothing in isolation. He teaches us eternal truths. Matt. 21:18-20 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, Let no fruit grow on you ever again. Immediately the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How did the fig tree wither away so soon? A fig tree already bears ripe figs by the time it is covered in leaves and Jesus was not unreasonable to expect the tree to yield fruit to still His hunger. Are there, however, other lessons that Jesus wants to teach us and the Jews from this object lesson? Here we again have bad news if you believe in Francisco Ribera’s theory of Futurism and a final dispensation for the Jews who rejected the Messiah. This portion of Scripture concurs with a parable that Jesus told in Luke 13: Luke 13:6-9 He also spoke this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground? But he answered and said to him, Sir, let it alone this year also until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down. Christ’s ministry lasted for 3½ years, or 1 260 days, or 42 months, while the beast dominated the earth for 1 260 years as an impersonator of God. But Jesus constantly had the 70-week prophecy of Daniel 9 in mind and He knew that the time for His people would come to an end in 34 AD. Then the gospel would be proclaimed to the heathen, particularly by Paul. Matt. 10:5-7 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: Do not go into the way of the Gentiles and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Jesus had mostly avoided the heathen because the time for the Jews was running out. Matt. 15:22-24 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed. But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, Send her away, for she cries out after us. But He answered and said, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This woman actively sought help and Jesus had accommodated her and complied with her request, even though she was a heathen because she had clearly already undergone circumcision of the heart. There are three eras of ministry for the Jews: Matt. 21:33-46 Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all, he sent his son to them, saying, They will respect my son. But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance. So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers? They said to Him, He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus said to them, Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder. Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet. There were prophets and messengers for Israel after the exodus from Egypt, but Israel continually wandered from God. After this, the exile followed and again we see different prophets with messages for Israel relating to the return to the worship of the true God. Many of these prophets however were summarily condemned and executed. After this, God Himself sent His Son, with the idea that they would respect the Heir of the vineyard, but unfortunately, the wrath of the entire wicked world became inflamed and the Jews became agents of Satan and crucified the Redeemer because His ministry did not coincide with theirs. Note that the temple in Jerusalem after the rebuilding no longer had the Shekinah Glory or presence of God, as was the case with the Tabernacle in the wilderness and the temple of Solomon. The Bible says there would be a temple that is better than all the previous ones, namely Himself, but they did not recognise Him as the true Lamb that had to be slain. Note that Jesus first claims ownership of the temple for Himself, and then suddenly, after that He disowns the temple. The choice of words confirms His “walking away†from the earthly Sanctuary since this rejection took place because the rejection by the Jews resulted in Christ’s ministry moving to the true heavenly where the final work for the salvation of man would take place. Matt. 21:13 “And He said to them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.†Here we see a clear association between Jesus and the temple as His house. Then there is this reference to the prophets who were killed: Matt. 23:37-39 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!†There was still time until 34 AD before the Sanhedrin, as corporate representatives of the Jews, would finally reject Jesus as Messiah by the stoning of Stephen despite the great pains that were taken over saving them, and then the seventy weeks would be complete. They could however still be saved by becoming spiritual Israelites. Paul, God’s chosen vessel, already understood this message well and was given the task of taking the message to the heathen: Gal. 3:26-29 “ For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.â€