Jesus began this discourse with exhortation (vv. 4-13), and He ended it the same way (vv. 28-37).
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 (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 (vv. 9-13) culminating in the Tribulation (vv. 14-25) pointed to the commencement of Jesus' kingdom (vv. 26-27; cf. Luke 21:31).
13:30 Jesus probably meant that the fulfillment of "all these things"(v. 4b) would begin in the generation of His present disciples, but complete fulfillment would not come until later.324"All"those things began during that generation if one interprets "all those things"as the signs as a whole (vv. 9-25). The Greek word genetaitranslated "take place"(NASB) or "have happened"(NIV) means "have come into existence"and permits this interpretation. One could translate this Greek verb "have begun to come into existence."
13:31 "Heaven and earth"is a figure of speech (merism) for all creation (cf. Gen. 1:1). The universe as we know it will end one day (Rev. 21:1), but Jesus' word will remain. Jesus was referring specifically to His predictions in this chapter, but His statement was general and includes all His words. By saying this about His Word Jesus was implying that He was God (cf. Ps. 102:25-27; Isa. 40:6-8; 51:6). The fulfillment of this prophecy is certain.
13:32 "That day"is the day of Jesus' return contrasted with "those days"preceding it (vv. 17, 19, 24). Jesus was distinguishing knowing that an event was approaching and near at hand (vv. 28-29) from knowing the exact time of its arrival. God the Father alone knows the day and the hour of the Son's return (cf. Acts 1:7). Jesus' ignorance of this information was a result of His incarnation (Phil. 2:6-8).325Jesus may not have known this information when He made this statement, but He probably knows the time of His return now.
