Misinterpreting Scripture

Luke 21:29-38

While I was in Bible college during the early seventies, There was a lot of interest in the second coming. As the frenzy grew, there were increasing efforts to establish a time frame as to when it would happen. The parable Jesus gives here was often referred to as a basis for setting dates, although they seldom used Luke’s version. We were regularly told that the fig tree represented Israel, and that the fig tree sprouting was referring to the re-establishment of Israel as a nation in 1948.

When Jesus stated that generation would not pass away before all these things were completed, it was assumed that it meant that the second coming would occur before the generation who was alive in that day would still be alive when he came, therefore setting an outside limit to when he would come. Careful analysis of Luke’s rendering of the parable casts the interpretation in serious doubt.

“And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” (Luke 21:29-31)

Jesus speaks of the fig tree and all the trees, not just the fig tree. That caused me to wonder because if the Fig tree is representative of Israel, what about the other trees, the other countries? What leaves would they put forth? As I searched, I could not find any scriptural basis for the claim that the fig tree represented Israel. I still haven’t, after nearly forty years of study. Luke’s including all the trees implies that this is not a proper interpretation.

If the re-establishment of Israel isn’t the sign, what signs are Jesus referring to? In the previous verses, Luke 21:20-27, Jesus listed a series of events as having to occur before the second coming.

“And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21:20-27)

Jesus was very specific, “when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” These things had nothing to do with the rebuilding of Israel, other than that it had to be rebuilt before they could happen. Let’s continue with the parable.

“Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. ” (Luke 21:32)

Based on the belief that the budding fig tree represented the rebuilding of Israel, then this verse was accepted to mean that the generation alive when Israel was rebuilt would still be a live when the Lord came back. By determining how long a generation was they could set a date as to how long that would be. Various numbers were bandied about, with some using Job 42:16 to calculate it. “After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.” Dividing a hundred forty by four gives thirty five years, making the Lord’s return before 1983. Subtracting seven years would put the rapture in 1976. It didn’t happen!

Maybe Job just saw the birth of the fourth generation. If so, then he only saw three generations live out their time period, that would make a generation about 47 years. They all recalculated, and predicted the second coming would happen in 1995, with the rapture in 1988. It still didn’t happen! A lot of people became convinced that the second coming is bogus, and for those who believed that the teaching based on scripture, doubt was cast on the inerrancy of the Bible.

The misinterpretation of scripture produced the very thing Jesus gave the parable to warn us about. It led to a loss of confidence in God’s word, and an unspiritual attitude in the church. As a result the modern church is materialistic, not really believing in the things they proclaim. II Timothy 3:5 describes them as, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof…” Jesus was not telling us when he would come, but warning us of the need to be faithful until he does.

“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

The entire false teaching is a result of a failure to adequately study the scriptures. II Timothy 2:15-16 commands, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” Rather than seeking what the scripture actually said, people accepted interpretations based on worldly ideas, with no sound basis. The result has been an increased level of sin and unfaithfulness in the churches, just as Paul warned. Sincerity is great, but only if it results in a sincere effort to determine what God has actually said.

Comparing Matthew and Mark’s accounts of the parable with Luke’s would have made people aware that it wasn’t just the fig tree, and forced them to abandon the entire lesson, as would careful study of all three passages. One of the very real dangers of topical teaching is that it is so easy to unintentionally overlook verses that do not promote a particular viewpoint, restricting ourselves to those that do. False doctrine can then slip in unnoticed.