And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
And he spake to them a parable: Behold the fig tree, and all the trees:
And he spake a simile to them: `See the fig-tree, and all the trees,
And he spoke a parable to them: Behold the fig-tree and all the trees;
Luke — Luke's 'orderly account' (1:3) follows Jesus from Bethlehem through the long travel narrative to Jerusalem and the Emmaus road.
Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread — the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.
The verses this one reaches3
Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.
Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.
This will be a sign to you that I will punish you in this place, declares the LORD, so that you may know that My threats of harm against you will surely stand.
Voices5
The fig tree therefore has a double meaning: when the wild is tamed or when sins abound. Like the believer's faith that shriveled up before it will flower, so also sinners will glory through the grace of their transgressions. On the one hand is the fruit of faith, and on the other the lewdness of unbelief. The gardening of the Evangelist as farmer produces the fruit of the fig tree for me. We must not despair if sinners cover themselves with the leaves of the fig tree as with a garment of deceit, so that they may veil their conscience.
Ambrose of Milan· EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 45, 397patristic
And he spake to them a parable,.... That is, to his disciples: behold the fig tree, and all the trees; that, or any other tree; See Gill on Mat 24:32.
John Gill· Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)reformed
He spake to them a parable - Illustrated all these predicted facts by the simile of a fig tree. See this explained on Mat 24:32 (note).
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible, 1832evangelical
Behold the fig tree and all the trees - Christ spake this in the spring, just before the passover; when all the trees were budding on the Mount of Olives, where they then were.
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament, 1755evangelical
When we see a nation filling up the measure of their iniquity, we may conclude that their ruin is nigh; when we see the ruin of persecuting powers hastening on, we may thence infer that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand, that when the opposition given to it is removed it shall gain ground.
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1710puritan
