Matthew 24:34 (Fig Tree Generation)

Good questions. = )

I'm going to try to make this post very brief (so I hope it won't end up too "choppy" lol).



First off, I think Scripture informs us that there is a distinction between:

--"a fig tree PLANTED IN his vineyard"... ( Lk13:6 - https://www.blueletterbible.org/sea...planted+in+his+vineyard&t=KJV#s=s_primary_0_1 )... though certainly closely associated...

... where "vineyard" refers to "Israel" (per Isa5:7 - "For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel..." - https://biblehub.com/isaiah/5-7.htm )...

... so the "fig tree" is [something] "PLANTED IN" Israel, but is not exactly Israel itself (but certainly something associated in some way).





Secondly, the TIMING (and SEQUENCE) issues...

Where Luke 21:32 states, "Truly I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass away UNTIL ALL SHALL HAVE TAKEN PLACE," this "ALL" must necessarily INCLUDE the items already having been spoken about in v.24 (some very "OF-LENGTHY-DURATION" items!).
So with regard to the phrase "this generation," its force is MORAL (not speaking of a particular length of an individual person's life-span, or what have you)...those opposing Christ will exist on the earth UNTIL Christ's Second Coming to the earth.



The one written in Matthew 24:34 (your verse in OP), "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled" refers specifically to all the "tauta [THESE things]" having just been spoken of in THIS text... which from verse 4 onward is speaking of the future Tribulation period [7 yrs] (FOLLOWING "our Rapture") which time-period will LEAD UP TO Christ's Second Coming to the earth (the "SEALS" equivalent to "the beginning of birth PANGS" here spoken of, as well as spoken of in Mk13:5-8 and Lk21:8-11 [SAME]);

Lk21:25-36 also fits within that future time-period (and we see again the reference to "fig tree" mentioned in this section).

Whereas, Lk21:12-24a is covering the events surrounding the 70ad events (in its saying, "BUT BEFORE ALL THESE [BEFORE ALL THESE beginning of birth pangs (spoken of from vv.8-11; parallel Matt24:4-8 and Mk13:5-8)]--the 70ad events in vv.12-24a must come "BEFORE ALL THESE [BoBPs]"--and I do not say "immediately before," because, again, the "BoBPs" take place in the future 7-yr Trib period, EQUIVALENT the "SEALS" of Rev6, which themselves are a PART OF what "things which must come to pass IN QUICKNESS [NOUN]" per Rev1:1 [/1:19c/4:1], i.e. the 7-yr period leading up to His RETURN to the earth Rev19)...


[this pertains to the SEQUENCE ISSUES of the Olivet Discourse... some things said to take place "BEFORE ALL" these beginning of birth pangs (i.e. the 70ad events); and other things are what take place FOLLOWING the beginning of birth pangs... so in Matthew 24, the "BoBPs" (aka the SEALS--IN the future "7 yr period) are in vv.4-8, and what follows on from there are the "[till] all THESE things [be fulfilled]" (including the "fig tree" reference and the "know [that summer is] nigh" reference, v.32, then the following verse states, "LIKEWISE, when ye SHALL SEE all THESE things, know that IT is NIGH, even at the doors" (the "IT" being His promised and prophesied earthly Millennial Kingdom age commencing upon HIS RETURN to the earth, per vv.29-31... having just been spoken about]


... so where I see the reference in Matt24:34 being primarily with regard to TIMING issues (when SEE all THESE things), I am not 100% saying the "fig tree" thing [tho not identified as "Israel" in particular, but something that had been "PLANTED IN" his vineyard/Israel] is not going to be involved also, it very well could be (and I tend to think perhaps SO), but it would only pertain to the time-period WHEREIN this is being referenced (that is, in Matt24:34 [mentioned AFTER the "BoBPs/SEALS]; in Mk13:28 [mentioned AFTER the "BoBPs/SEALS]; in Lk21:29 [mentioned AFTER the "BoBPs/SEALS"], which are yet "future" [i.e. FOLLOWING "our Rapture"]--and possibly referencing it as commensurate with those "BoBPs" / that time-period [/the Trib period of 7-yrs]... if that makes sense. LOL)




[ugh... I was gonna TRY to be brief!]

As of now, I think that "this generation" and following is meant to refer to everything from Matt 24:2 onward to the SC in reference to those of the stock of the ethnic sons of Jacob. In other words, the Israelites will survive as a cohesive people all the way thru human history thru to the institution of the Kingdom upon the Coming of King Jesus at the end of the 70th week of Daniel tribulation period.

Mat 24:34
Verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 This G3778 generation G1074 shall not G3364 pass, G3928 till G302 G2193 all G3956 these things G5023 be fulfilled. G1096

G1074 - genea - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv) (blueletterbible.org)
KJV Translation Count — Total: 42x
The KJV translates Strong's G1074 in the following manner: generation (37x), time (2x), age (2x), nation (1x).

1. fathered, birth, nativity
2. that which has been begotten, men of the same stock, a family
   1. the several ranks of natural descent, the successive members of a genealogy

G3928 - parerchomai - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv) (blueletterbible.org)
The KJV translates Strong's G3928 in the following manner: pass away (12x), pass (10x), pass by (3x), pass over (1x), transgress (1x), past (1x), go (1x), come forth (1x), come (1x).

this crossed my mind too.

So in the Bible, that would be 40 years perhaps?

I'm also wondering about what are the signs that start that off? I'm thinking wars and rumors of wars, famines pestilences.

So from what's going on, these things should be taken for signs and is starting now or is already ticking down?

It isn't stated anywhere. If you check the information that is provided, you might be able to calculate an average, but that isn't to be taken as definitive.

All of which also took place in the first century.

You're welcome to believe that's the case.

I personally don't know. I"m still going to have to study it some more.

A good teaching that Israel is represented by the fig tree. How you state otherwise I'll never know.

Jesus could have picked from a few trees indigenous to
Jerusalem, so why the fig tree? And does it even matter it’s a fig tree.
We believe the meaning of the parable hinges on its identity. Is it a
symbol or is it just an analogy? The answer makes an enormous
difference. If it a symbol, if the fig tree represents something else, it
will give us useable information.

If it is a symbol, when we see that
“something else” sprouting leaves, we’ll know that the Final
Generation before the return of the Lord has begun and we’re
definitely in the last days.

However, if it's just an illustration for illustration’s sake; if
Jesus was saying it was just any old tree that sprouts leaves, then it
won’t give us any specific insight.
To decide if there was a specific reason for the selection of the
fig tree, we need to let scripture-interpret-scripture.

The question becomes, “Is a fig tree significant in the Bible? A
quick search proves that the fig tree is significant.
We first find the fig tree used to identify something from the
Prophet Hosea. He said, I found Israel Like grapes in the wilderness; I saw
your fathers As the firstfruits on the fig tree in its first
season. (Hosea 9:10, NIV)

Hosea identifies Israel as a fig tree.
One witness isn’t enough to stand on. The question becomes
are there more biblical witnesses? The answer is a resounding—Yes!
Jeremiah makes the same connection, he says,

Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Like these good
figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried
away captive from Judah.” (Jeremiah 24:5, NIV)
Judah is part of the nation of Israel, and they are equated with
figs.

Beyond these two prophets we find that Jesus used this
symbol for Israel three times in His ministry.
First, He told the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree in Luke 13:
6-9. It's about a tree that had no fruit in the first three years He
visited it. This would equate to the first three years of Jesus’ ministry.
So again, the fig tree is a symbol of the nation of Israel, based in
Jerusalem, which Jesus visited yearly.

Then in Mark 11: 12-20, Jesus cursed a fig tree for not bearing
fruit, and it withered and miraculously died overnight. In the
morning, the disciples saw this withered tree. That was the very
same day Jesus would tell them the Fig Tree Parable. So, when
Jesus said, “learn the parable from the fig tree,” this miraculous
withered tree was prominent in their minds. These aren’t two
unrelated accounts – it was the same day.

And just hours before telling the parable, Jesus had also
confronted the Jewish leaders in the temple saying,
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!’ (Matt 23:38, NIV)
That was the moment Jesus withered the nation of Israel!
This confrontation was also fresh in the disciples’ minds; and
in fact, that heated denunciation of Israel by Jesus was the very
reason that the disciples had begun to ask Him about the Last Days
and the signs of His coming. Therefore, the Fig Tree Parable is about this withered fig tree
they had seen earlier that morning. It can’t be about anything else.

The fig tree, according to scripture, is the nation of Israel.
With this strong of witnesses showing that the Fig Tree
represents Israel, there could be a deeper meaning to this parable.
Jesus described the tree as coming back to life—as putting forth new
leaves in the spring.

The picture before the disciples was of a
withered tree that Jesus had cursed representing what had happened
to the nation of Israel, but then He said it would one day begin to
sprout. This informs us that a major sign to watch for to identify the
season of the last days is if the nation of Israel “sprouts.” And it has.
In the spring, on May 14, 1948, when Israel was reborn as a
nation.

Forty years following the ascension of Jesus, Jerusalem fell
and was destroyed by the Roman army.
The people of Israel were scattered and remained scattered
until following the end of World War II.

Another words the nation was withered, but in 1948 green
buds begin to appear. This transition was the sign that marked the
beginning of the Final Generation. The fig tree sprouting leaves is the
first sign of Jesus’ Second Coming.

Its something people made up because Israel was founded as a state. No one believed it until Israel came to be. It is a classic example of reading something into the text that is not there based on current events.

What it simply means is, we can tell that the time is near.

Luk 21:29
Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.

I was a 1948 guy for a long time. But I no long think that for several reasons.
It could still turn out that way though, there is definitely some juice there......
The fact that Israel is a nation once again should at the very least quash the pretentions of the a-mills, post-mills and historicists.

"...and all the trees" could be in reference to all the countries formed out of the treaty of Lausanne (1923).
The countries that "budded" or became nations around the same time as Israel were Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iraq.

Certainly possible. Frankly, 1948 fits just as well as any other view if not better.

Why does it have to be so complicated.
For the people of that generation, they could indeed see the Son of Man who is Jesus with their own eyes.
Jesus is the beginning and the end,He can travel through time, and that generation hasn't pass away yet, relatively speaking.
Or maybe that generation'll be stuck in a time warp, waiting for something to happen.
The whole chapter is about the coming of Jesus,No matter how many times Jesus comes.For that generation, Jesus had come, but they didn't know or understand it.
For another the coming time, when Jesus came, people of Jews and others still did not know, did not understand.

This is a word with two blades.

He is speaking about the end of the world and the signs leading up to it. Israel becoming an independent nation is not the intended meaning.

You are correct. You do not find that in the Bible. It comes from Gnosticism, The Apocalypse of Peter, as I'll quote at the end of my reply.

In the Bible, no illustrations are shown that the fig tree is symbolizing Israel. The verses quoted supposingly to support that idea of the fig tree is Israel show no such thing. The following 3 verses show how a symbol is illustrated, Israel as the "olive tree" and Paul uses that same symbolism in Romans 11.

"The LORD once called you, ‘A green olive tree, fair with goodly fruit’; but with the roar of a great tempest he will set fire to it, and its branches will be consumed. The LORD of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you, because of the evil which the house of Israel and the house of Judah have done, provoking me to anger by burning incense to Ba′al.” (Jer 11:16-17 RSV)

"I will be as the dew to Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, he shall strike root as the poplar; his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon." (Hos 14:5-6 RSV)

"But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the richness of the olive tree," (Rom 11:17 RSV)

Luke gives a more clear illustration of the fig tree - "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.'" (Luke 21:29-31 RSV) This is similar to Christ's words when he said -

"He answered them, 'When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather; for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.'" (Matt 16:2-3 RSV)

The withering fig tree in Matthew 21 comes after Christ cleanses the temple of the money changers and hypocrites who made it a "den of robbers". So, if the fig tree has connection to Israel, it is the Christ-rejectors, not Israel as a whole for as Paul wrote:

"But it is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel," (Rom 9:6 RSV)

This idea that the fig tree is Israel and is in prophecy about the end of the world, that comes from Gnosticism, not the Bible. It is found in The Apocalypse of Peter and it is in the Gnostic Society Library -

"And ye, take ye the likeness thereof (learn a parable) from the fig-tree: so soon as the shoot thereof is come forth and the twigs grown, the end of the world shall come.

And I, Peter, answered and said unto him: Interpret unto me concerning the fig-tree, whereby we shall perceive it; for throughout all its days doth the fig-tree send forth shoots, and every year it bringeth forth its fruit for its master. What then meaneth the parable of the fig-tree? We know it not.

And the Master (Lord) answered and said unto me: Understandest thou not that the fig-tree is the house of Israel? Even as a man that planted a fig-tree in his garden, and it brought forth no fruit. And he sought the fruit thereof many years and when he found it not, he said to the keeper of his garden: Root up this fig-tree that it make not our ground to be unfruitful. And the gardener said unto God: (Suffer us) to rid it of weeds and dig the ground round about it and water it. If then it bear not fruit, we will straightway remove its roots out of the garden and plant another in place of it. Hast thou not undErstood that the fig-tree is the house of Israel? Verily I say unto thee, when the twigs thereof have sprouted forth in the last days, then shall feigned Christs come and awake expectation saying: I am the Christ, that am now come into the world. And when they (Israel) shall perceive the wickedness of their deeds they shall turn away after them and deny him [whom our fathers did praise], even the first Christ whom they crucified and therein sinned a great sin. But this deceiver is not the Christ. [something is wrong here: the sense required is that Israel perceives the wickedness of antichrist and does not follow him.] And when they reject him he shall slay with the sword, and there shall be many martyrs. Then shall the twigs of the fig-tree, that is, the house of Israel, shoot forth: many shall become martyrs at his hand. Enoch and Elias shall be sent to teach them that this is the deceiver which must come into the world and do signs and wonders to deceive. And therefore shall they that die by his hand be martyrs, and shall be reckoned among the good and righteous martyrs who have pleased God in their life. [Hermas, Vision III.i.9, speaks of 'those that have already been well-pleasing unto God and have suffered for the Name's sake'.]"
http://www.gnosis.org/library/apocpeter.htm

The thing is......Israel IS now an independent nation. And there is every reason to believe that the "captivity of the nation" of 606BC has ended since 1948.

http://watchmanbiblestudy.com/BibleStudies/HIStoryOurFuture/Ezekiels430Days.html

2520 (360 day) years from both 606BC (1948 nation) and 586BC (1967 Jerusalem). Not a coincidence, not by a longshot.
The precise day for setting the start of prophetic clock is known for the 1967 retaking of Jerusalem.

Start of the 70 year judgement:
Eze 24:1
Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 24:2
Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.
2Ki 25:1
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about.
Jer 52:4
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.

End of the 70 year judgement. Prophetic clock STARTS TICKING HERE to 1967.
Hag 2:15
And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD:
Hag 2:18
Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD'S temple was laid, consider it.

To be more clear (I was not), see this explaination:

From the first (1st) siege of Nebuchadnezzar [Daniel taken to Babylon]
to the Decree of Cyrus when the Persians conquered Babylon & Israel was released (70 years - servitude of the nation) + 2,484 years, 9 months, 2 days = May 14, 1948

From the third (3rd) siege of Nebuchadnezzar (levels Jerusalem in Av, 587 BC)
to Darius I (70 years - desolations of Jerusalem) + 2,484 years, 9 months, 2 days = June 6, 1967

The fig tree is not Israel per se it is Israel's great hope ... the Messianic age, the Kingdom of Heaven

The generation which witnesses the Kingdom of Heaven putting forth it's branches AND ALL THE TREES [don't forget that little bit] which includes the tree of knowledge, everything beginning to show it's true face, it's true nature, coming to fruition but not yet in fruit,
Politics, showbiz, science, the arts, philosophies, the false church

.... the true church, the gospel preached in every nation.

This generation shall not pass away until all be fulfilled.

These things are only now beginning to happen.

Yes, I knew what you meant by AoD, but do you think new or young Christians have any idea what you mean? What about 'seekers' after the faith, they'll be scratching their heads. I find that Luke lets us know about the abomination of desolation -

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near." (Luke 21:20 RSV)

The abomination of desolation refers to Titus and the Roman armies coming to destroy Jerusalem in 70 AD.

Certain legitimate words such as "preterist" have been turned into perjorative labels by the ignorant so I prefer to state what I believe without the labels that have been given such negativity.

I believe Matthew 24:1-35 are about the destruction of Jerusalem that happened in 70 AD, within the period of that generation living as Christ spoke. Some translations make this clear, such as -

"I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place." (Matt 24:34 Weymouth)

I can find nothing to make this apply to some 7-year tribulation in the future which is connected with the so-called 'rapture' of the church, snatched from among those of the world.

In this belief, I am in good company on Matthew 24:34:

The Baptist John Gill - "not anything that is said before, relates to the second coming of Christ, the day of judgment, and end of the world; but that all belong to the coming of the son of man, in the destruction of Jerusalem, and to the end of the Jewish state."

The Presbyterian Matthew Henry - "2. He here instructs us as to the time of them, Matt 24:34; Matt 24:36. As to this, it is well observed by the learned Grotius, that there is a manifest distinction made between the tauta (v. 34), and the ekeine (v. 36), these things, and that day and hour; which will help to clear this prophecy.
(1.) As to these things, the wars, seductions, and persecutions, here foretold, and especially the ruin of the Jewish nation; "This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be fulfilled (v. 34); there are those now alive, that shall see Jerusalem destroyed, and the Jewish church brought to an end." Because it might seem strange, he backs it with a solemn asseveration; "Verily, I say unto you. You may take my word for it, these things are at the door." Christ often speaks of the nearness of that desolation, the more to affect people, and quicken them to prepare for it. Note, There may be greater trials and troubles yet before us, in our own day, than we are aware of. They that are old, know not what sons of Anak may be reserved for their last encounters."

The Methodist Joseph Benson - “It is to me a wonder,” says Bishop Newton, “how any man can refer part of the foregoing discourse to the destruction of Jerusalem, and part to the end of the world, or any other distant event, when it is said so positively here in the conclusion, All these things shall be fulfilled in this generation. And it seems as if our Lord had been aware of some such misapplication of his words, by adding yet greater force and emphasis to his affirmation, Matthew 24:35, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away That is, heaven and earth shall sooner, or more easily pass away than my words; the frame of the universe shall sooner, or more easily pass away than my words shall not be fulfilled. In another place, (Matthew 16:28,) he says, There are some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see, the Son of man coming in his kingdom, intimating that the event would not take place immediately, and yet not at such a distance of time but that some then living would be spectators of the calamities coming upon the nation. In like manner, he says to the women who bewailed him as he was going to be crucified, Luke 23:28, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children; which words sufficiently implied that the days of distress and misery were coming, and would fall on them and their children. But at that time there was not any appearance of such an immediate ruin. The wisest politician could not have inferred any such thing from the then present state of affairs. Nothing less than divine prescience could have foreseen and foretold it.”

I expect at some future time there will be times such as in the days of Noah, and Christ will return for the resurrection and judgment. I know not when, but I pray to be alert and ready!

Pre-mill/futurist/pre-trib rapture is the only way to go biblically.

I have a great deal of pity for the a-mills/post-mills/preterists/historicists. I have no idea how they can endure existence in that state of mind. A life without hope of the imminent rapture. Bummer.

Glad I did my homework and did not go that direction. Blessed hope indeed.

Maybe this will help....