“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33 so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” — Matthew 24:32-35, NASB

In this brief eschatological parable which appears in each of the synoptic gospels, Jesus compares the budding of a fig tree to the assured indicators of His return.

In Matthew, the analogy appears during the Olivet Discourse, Christ’s explanation of end time events given to the disciples at the Mount of Olives just before His arrest, sentencing and crucifixion. He has just described the future destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. The disciples, now realizing that the kingdom of God is not being established at present, have asked Him when they can be expecting it. Jesus then gives a description of what will happen in the final days, including disasters and wars, the persecution of believers, a parade of false Christs, and a confirmation of Daniel's prophecy of the abomination of desolation, events which precede His glorious return and the final gathering of His elect. He concludes the prophecy by explaining that in the same way a budding fig tree can be relied on as an indicator that summer is imminent, these future events are a certain sign that His return is imminent.

In the framework of the parable, Jesus is talking specifically about His second coming, pointing out that no one knows the day or the hour of His return. He gives as an example the situation preceding the great flood, showing that it will be unanticipated by nonbelievers just as the wicked did not expect the flood back in Noah's day.

God told Noah that He was going to wipe out humanity, but because Noah was righteous and faithful God instructed him to build the ark for deliverance. Likewise, God has told believers through scripture that He is going to bring judgment upon the unrighteous. Because believers have had righteousness imputed to them through faith in Jesus, God will spare them that judgment.

Verse 34 has been the subject of debate and often cited as a proof text by preterists claiming that the tribulation occurred in 70 A.D.—when Rome destroyed Jerusalem—or by nonbelievers as evidence that He did not return when He said He would and thus scripture is unreliable and Jesus cannot be who He says He is. Such arguments show the dangers in singling out individual verses with no regard for context. Throughout the Olivet Discourse, Jesus is speaking of future events. The "generation" He refers to in verse 34 is a future generation, those who are alive when those events will occur. The purpose of the statement is to explain that the end-time events will be accelerated—the generation that experiences the first of tribulation events will also experience the last. In identifying the actual target audience of verses 33-35, it is important to remember that this is inspired scripture; while it was the apostles asking the question, Jesus is addressing all future believers through the text, a fact underscored by verse 35.

While we should not quote scripture out of context, it is important that we not overanalyze it either lest we assign more to the text than the original intent and miss the main, often simple point. Jesus's purpose in the budding fig tree parable, given the context in which it appears, is simply for us to realize that the signs of His coming kingdom are certain, just as a fig tree putting forth its leaves is a sign of the coming summer. Prophecy is a gift, an assurance from God that the things He says will come to pass will do so. Prophecy also warns that judgment is coming, and there is a real danger in being unprepared. The sure signs Jesus described at the Mount of Olives so many centuries ago are beginning to come into focus, but time still remains to respond to His call to salvation. May He quicken us to do so.