Marcos 13:28-29

The parable of the fig tree appears in all the synoptic versions of the Olivet Discourse. Jesus had previously used a fig tree to illustrate the generation of Israelites that failed to believe in Him at His first advent (Mark 11:14). Here He used it to illustrate the fact that perceptive people can anticipate coming events by the signs that precede those events. Persecution (Mark 13:9-13) culminating in the Tribulation (Mark 13:14-25) pointed to the commencement of Jesus’ kingdom (Mark 13:26-27; cf. Luke 21:31).