Learn From the Fig Tree: Daily Thoughts from Mark (Mark 13:28-31)

There is so much that God does not tell us about the future.  When He did tell Hezekiah, for example, of his impending death, it became a source of great distress for him (Isaiah 38).  But Jesus chooses to tell his disciples of future events surrounding his return.  It is obviously important for us to know these things.

As Jesus sits on the Mount of Olives overlooking the temple, he relates the signs of the end of the age in response to his disciples’ question about when these things will happen.  He is in his last week before his arrest and execution, giving last words to a nervous cadre of followers.

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Mark 13:28-31, ESV)

Jesus wants his disciples to understand the times and the signs he has given us so we will not be caught unaware.  If our focus is on Jesus we will be eagerly awaiting his return.

The most difficult part of this passage is what Jesus means by “this generation.”  Here are the options according to the ESV Study Bible:

Several interpretations have been offered for this difficult passage: (1) Some think “this generation” refers to the disciples who were alive when Jesus was speaking, and “all these things” refers to the beginning but not the completion of the sufferings described in vv. 3–13. (2) Others see in “all these things” a prediction with multiple fulfillments, so that Jesus’ disciples will be both “this generation” that sees the destruction of the temple in a.d. 70 and also those at the end of the age who see the events surrounding the “abomination of desolation” (v. 14). (3) Since “the generation of …” in the OT can mean people who have a certain quality (cf. Ps. 14:5; 24:6; cf. Gk. genea in Luke 16:8), others understand “this generation” to refer either (a) to “this generation of believers” throughout the entire present age, or (b) to “this evil generation” that will remain until Christ returns to establish his kingdom (cf. Matt. 12:45; Luke 11:29). (4) Others, particularly dispensational interpreters, understand “generation” to mean “race” (this is another sense of Gk. genea), and think it refers to the Jewish people, who will not pass away until Christ returns. (5) Others understand “this generation” to mean the generation that sees “all these things” (Matt. 24:33), namely, the generation alive when the final period of great tribulation begins. According to this view, the illustration of the fig tree (Mark 13:28) shows that when the final events begin, Christ will come soon. Just as “these things” in v. 29 refers to events leading up to but not including Christ’s return, so in v. 30 “all these things” refers to the same events (that is, the events described in vv. 3–13).

The last view seems the simplest and most obvious, though there is, in fact, a double aspect to the fulfillment of this prophecy described in Luke’s Gospel, where the destruction of Jerusalem is also foretold (Luke 21:20-24).  The precursor to this prophecy’s ultimate fulfillment occurred in A.D. 70 when the Roman army destroyed the city.  But the final destruction of Jerusalem is yet to occur and will be part of that fateful end to this age (Zechariah 14:1-5).

Ultimately, Jesus assures his disciples that even when heaven and earth pass away (which they will do, Revelation 21:1; 2 Peter 3:3-13), Jesus’ word will never fail to come to pass.  He has trusted us with a glimpse of the future to encourage us to faith and endurance.