Mark 13:28 · Bible study
Mark 13:28 Commentary: The Fig Tree Parable and Signs of the End
Greek · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Jesus' parable of the budding fig tree in Mark 13:28. Learn how it teaches recognition of the nearness of His coming and the call to watchfulness.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A parable about reading the signs of the end with the same certainty as reading the change of seasons.
- Key words: μάθετε (learn, aorist imperative), κλάδος (branch), ἁπαλός (tender, full of sap), ἐκφύῃ (puts forth leaves), γινώσκετε (you know, present indicative), ἐγγύς (near), θέρος (summer).
- Main debate: Whether the signs refer primarily to the destruction of Jerusalem (AD 70) or to the final coming of Christ; the figurative meaning is agreed upon.
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty over history; the certainty of judgment and redemption; the call to holy watchfulness.
- Best use: Teaching spiritual discernment and readiness; grounding eschatological hope in the reliability of God’s promises.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now become tender and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near;
KJV King James Version 1769
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And from the fig-tree learn ye the simile: when the branch may already become tender, and may put forth the leaves, ye know that nigh is the summer;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But learn the parable from the fig-tree: when its branch already becomes tender and puts forth the leaves, ye know that the summer is near.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Now of the fig tree learn ye a parable. When the branch thereof is now tender and the leaves are come forth, you know that summer is very near.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
De la higuera aprended la semejanza: Cuando su rama ya se enternece|strong="G1096, G0527", y brota hojas, conocéis que el verano está cerca:
E aprendei a parábola da figueira: Quando o seu ramo já vai ficando tenro, e brota folhas, bem sabeis que o verão já está perto.
Instruisez-vous par une comparaison tirée du figuier. Dès que ses branches deviennent tendres, et que les feuilles poussent, vous connaissez que l’ été est proche.
An dem Feigenbaum lernet ein Gleichnis: wenn jetzt seine Zweige saftig werden und Blätter gewinnen, so wißt ihr, daß der Sommer nahe ist.
En leert van den vijgeboom deze gelijkenis; wanneer nu zijn tak teder wordt, en de bladeren uitspruiten, zo weet gij, dat de zomer nabij is.
Or imparate dal fico questa similitudine: Quando già i suoi rami si fanno teneri e metton le foglie, voi sapete che l’estate è vicina.
A od figowego drzewa nauczcie się tego podobieństwa: Gdy się już gałąź jego odmładza i puszcza liście, poznajecie, iż blisko jest lato.
От смоковницы возьмите подобие: когда ветви ее становятся уже мягки и пускают листья, то знаете, что близко лето.
「 你們可以從 無花果樹 學 個比方：當 樹枝 發 嫩 長 葉的時候，你們就知道 夏天 近了。
Take an example from the fig-tree: when its branches become soft and put out their leaves, you see that the summer is near;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Mark 13:28
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the fig tree’s budding provides a simple, natural sign that summer is near, and Jesus uses it as a parable to teach recognition of the end. Matthew Henry notes that “as when the branch of the fig tree becomes soft, and the leaves sprout forth, ye expect that summer will come shortly.” The Cambridge Bible stresses that the phrase “learn this parable” means “the lesson which in similitude it was meant to teach.” Gill points out that Jesus was on the Mount of Olives where fig trees grew, and the season (Passover) meant the trees were budding, making the illustration immediate and vivid. The verb “learn” (μάθετε) is an aorist imperative, demanding focused attention. The verb “you know” (γινώσκετε) is present indicative: a settled, ongoing knowledge that the disciples already possess about the fig tree’s cycle. This parable is not about predicting an exact date, but about reading the signs of the times with the same certainty that one reads the seasons.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The fig tree’s budding is a clear, natural sign that summer is near; likewise, the events Jesus describes are clear signs that the end is near, calling for watchfulness, not calculation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of the parable | All traditions agree the parable teaches that the events Jesus describes are reliable signs that the end is near. | Christians differ on whether 'these things' refer to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 (preterist view) or to the final cosmic coming of Christ (futurist view). Both find support in the surrounding verses. |
| The role of signs in eschatology | Christians agree that signs indicate the nearness of God's purposes, not an exact date or hour. | Some hold that the signs were fulfilled in the first century; others argue they are recurring patterns that remind every generation of Christ's imminent return. |
| Application of the parable | All agree the parable calls for watchfulness and readiness, not sensationalism or paralysis. | There is debate over how imminent the expectation should feel: should believers expect Christ could return at any moment, or are there still prophetic events that must occur first? |
Historical & Cultural Context
Fig trees were common in first-century Palestine, especially on the slopes of the Mount of Olives (Gill mentions this detail). The tree’s lifecycle was well known: after the winter dormancy, the branches become tender and full of sap (ἁπαλός, “tender,” describing a branch full of sap; Thayer) and put forth leaves, signaling that summer is within weeks. The discourse occurs just before Passover (spring), so a budding fig tree would be a natural sight for the disciples. The immediate literary setting is the Olivet Discourse (Mark 13). Jesus has just described cosmic upheaval and the coming of the Son of Man (vv.24, 27). Now he uses a common agricultural marker to teach them how to interpret those dramatic events: just as the budding fig tree reliably points to summer, so the events he has listed point to the nearness of “it”, the end, judgment, and the full arrival of God’s kingdom. The parable echoes a similar use of the fig tree in Luke 21:29, 31, where Jesus says, “See the fig tree and all the trees.” The fig tree also carries echoes of the earlier cursed fig tree (Mark 11), which was a symbol of judgment on fruitless Israel. Here, however, the tree is used positively to teach discernment. The lesson is not esoteric; it is a reminder that ordinary observation can train us in spiritual expectation.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources (Cambridge Bible, Gill, Matthew Henry, Vincent’s Word Studies) note no significant textual variants for Mark 13:28. The Greek text is stable across major manuscripts, with minor differences in word order that do not affect meaning. The verse is textually secure.
Reception History
From the early church onward, this parable has been a central text for teaching eschatological vigilance. Augustine saw it as a call to watch for the signs of Christ’s coming in the events of history. During the Reformation, Calvin and others applied it to the judgment of corrupt religious institutions and the advance of the gospel. In modern evangelical preaching, it is often used to warn against date-setting while affirming the certainty of Christ’s return. The parable has also comforted believers in times of persecution, reminding them that God’s seasons are sure. Its simple agricultural imagery makes it accessible across cultures and eras.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- Look at the Signs, Jesus points to a common sight (the fig tree) and says “learn.” The call is to pay attention to what God is doing in history.
- Understand the Season, The budding branch tells you summer is near. In the same way, the events Jesus described (wars, persecution, cosmic signs) signal that the end is close.
- Act on What You See, The purpose is not speculation but readiness. The parable leads into a command to watch and pray (v.33).
Five-Point Outline
- The Teacher uses the Familiar, Jesus takes a fig tree, something the disciples see every day, to teach about what they cannot yet see.
- The Sign is Reliable, The branch becoming tender and producing leaves always precedes summer. God’s signs are just as trustworthy.
- The Knowledge is Certain, “You know”, not a guess, but an assured conclusion from evidence.
- The Application is Immediate, “Even so you also, when you see these things”, the knowledge must lead to action.
- The Urgency is Personal, The whole discourse ends with “Watch!” (v.37). The parable is a wake-up call.
Illustration Hooks
- The first green shoots in a garden after a long winter, you don’t need a meteorologist to tell you spring has come.
- A child learning to read a clock: the position of the hands tells you it’s nearly time for dinner. The parable trains us to read the “clock” of God’s purposes.
- A farmer watching the sky for rain clouds, the signs are there, but you have to look up.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- How can we discern the “signs of the times” without slipping into date-setting or sensationalism?
- Does this parable relate more to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 or to Christ’s final return? Can both be true?
- If Jesus said the signs would be clear, why do Christians still disagree about what they mean?
Leading a Discussion
This short parable invites us to learn from nature about God’s timing. The disciples had just heard an overwhelming prophecy of wars, persecution, and cosmic collapse. Jesus grounds their hope in something ordinary: a fig tree budding. The point is not to calculate dates but to cultivate confident expectation. Read the parable in its context: Mark 13:24, 31. Then consider together:
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think Jesus chose the fig tree specifically? What would this image have communicated to his first hearers (think of the earlier fig tree in Mark 11)?
- What does the verb “learn” (μάθετε) imply about spiritual growth? Is this knowledge automatic, or does it require attention and practice?
- In the context of Mark 13, what are “these things” that signal the nearness of the end? (Look at vv.5, 23 and vv.24, 27.)
- How does the certainty of summer arriving after the fig tree’s budding help you trust the certainty of Christ’s return?
- What practical response does Jesus expect from those who “see these things”? (Read vv.33, 37 for the answer.)
- What are some “fig tree” signs in our own time that remind you of God’s faithfulness and the approaching kingdom?
- How does this parable help you live between the “already” of Jesus’ first coming and the “not yet” of his final return?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 24:32 | “Now from the fig tree learn this parable: When its branch has now become tender and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near. |
| Matthew 24:33 | Even so you also, when you see all these things, know that he is near, even at the doors. |
| Luke 21:29 | He told them a parable. “See the fig tree and all the trees. |
| Luke 21:31 | Even so you also, when you see these things happening, know that God’s Kingdom is near. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that "a parable" is better rendered "its parable," meaning the lesson the similitude was designed to teach. They distinguish this from the earlier lesson of the withered fig tree; now the disciples are to learn a different lesson from the tree when its branch becomes tender.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Nowe learne a parable of the figge tree. When her bough is yet tender, and it bringeth foorth leaues, ye knowe that sommer is neere.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill points out that Jesus spoke this parable while on the Mount of Olives, where fig trees grew abundantly. It was Passover season, the very time fig trees start putting out tender branches and leaves. So the image was not just a general lesson but drawn from something His disciples could see right then.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that Christ calls this a "parable" in the sense of a high lesson to be learned. They also draw attention to the precise wording: the original says "its leaves" rather than "her branch," sharpening the image of the fig tree's tender branch putting forth leaves as the sign.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry reads the fig tree parable as a straightforward lesson about reading the signs of Jerusalem's coming destruction. Just as budding leaves promise summer, these events promised that the city's fall was near. The exact day remained hidden, so the only wise response was constant watchfulness and prayer.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent directs readers to two cross-references for key terms. For the word "parable" he points to Matthew 24:32, and for "branch" he points to Mark 11:8, expecting the fuller context of those passages to clarify the meaning.