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From: craig@think.COM (Craig Stanfill)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc,net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: From Fig to finding a Candy Man
Message-ID: <6406@think.COM>
Date: Mon, 6-Oct-86 23:00:14 EDT
Article-I.D.: think.6406
Posted: Mon Oct  6 23:00:14 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 7-Oct-86 07:55:17 EDT
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Reply-To: craig@godot.think.com.UUCP (Craig Stanfill)
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Much ado about a fig tree.  If all you want is something to scoff at, go
ahead and scoff.  I really don't care.  If you want to understand the
story of the fig tree, it requires a bit of effort and a good study
bible. 

In Jeremiah 8, there is the following (Jerusalem Bible):

	``I would like to go harvesting there,'' says Yahweh.
          But there are no grapes on the vine,
	  no figs on the fig tree:
          even the leaves are withered.
	  This is because I have brought them
	  ravagers to ravage them.''
      
The last sentence of the above is absent in the greek.  It is not clear
whether the fruit being gone represents Israel's sinfullness, which God
is about to punish by ravaging the tree, or whether the absence of fruit
is the punsihment itself.  Nevertheless, it is sufficient to provide
context for the next ocurrance of the fig tree.

	In Luke 13 there is a parable. A man has a fig tree
	in a vinyard.  In three years, it had borne no fruit.  He is
	ready to have it cut down, but a servant talks him into waiting
	one more year;  if it still bears no fruit,  then he may cut it
	down. 

This is something different.  The fig tree (Israel) is still fruitless,
and it is still on a collision course with God, but a servant (probably
intended to be Jesus) has obtained for the tree a year's grace in which
to bear fruit (repent).   This story is clear and unambiguous.

Now consider the following:

	In Matthew 21 and Mark 11, during the week of the passion, Jesus
	goes to a fig tree, which has no fruit.  He curses it and it
	withers. 

Several interpretations are possible.  First, it may be that this is a
corruption of the parable in Luke.  Or, in the context of Luke, it might
mean that the period of grace for Israel has expired.  Or, in the
context of Jeremiah and the passion, it may mean that Israel has
rejected Christ and has earned retribution.  Or...

I tend to favor the story in Luke being accurate, with the version in
Mathew and Mark being a corrupted version.  Also, I read the fig tree as
being broader than simply Israel, including all who would worship God.
But, as I have said, other interpretations are possible.

Anyway, Biblical scholarship requires honest effort.  Those who are
meerely looking for something to scoff at are not being honest.