I know it took me a while to get to this post. My apologies. I have been working diligently on a few screenplays.

I have spent a great deal of time on fig trees within New Testament writings. Something that, hopefully, you got a lot out of. In this post, I will be addressing other views on the verses mentioned. There are a number of theories - both plausible and not - especially in regards to the verses in Matthew and Mark.

The first thing I want to acknowledge is the fig three as a symbol of the fall of man. It is, in my opinion, another layer to these passages. It is absolutely founded, and something that I feel adds to the metaphors we have already discussed. To explain this, I will be acknowledging the concept of “first mention”.

For those of you who haven’t read Velvet Elvis (or did a while ago and don’t remember this section), Rob Bell explains that there are “methods to help decipher all the hidden meanings in a text. One is called the principle of first mention. Whenever you come across a significant word in a passage, find out where this word first appears in the Bible.” (Velvet Elvis, p. 156) In doing so, you can often get a clearer picture of what is being discussed.

What is the first mention of fig trees in Scripture?

If you were thinking the fall of man in Genesis 3, you win a grape. In verse 6, the sin happens. Adam and Eve then immediately (I would imagine, since it is their first act post-sin) “sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.”

So we see there is an association with the fig tree and the shame of man and his sin. Because of this, another layer in all the verses I have discussed is the idea that sin itself is being rebuked. When Christ rebukes the fig tree, it can be understood he in turn rebukes the power of sin in the world. He thus warns sin, its days are numbered.

Now let us be clear, this in no way negates the historical context we have discussed thus far. It builds on top of it. Allow me to explain. Rome came to power through murder, destruction and thievery. They were idolaters who reveled in debauchery. Greed was the driving force of their economy, jealousy its fuel. It was an empire built on sin.

An empire that, it has been illustrated a thousand times over, is not all that dissimilar to our own.

Through this we can see that Christ is not only rebuking the fig tree, nor only the empire of Rome, but the very foundations of sin in the world. The empire of Rome was built firmly upon those foundations. It was not the only construct of the time built upon said foundations, but that will have to wait until next time.

I hope to be back on a few days to finish this epilogue. Until then, stay safe… and don’t wear fig leaves. Please.