Matthew 24:32

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

King James Version · Read in your translation · Open the Explore console

Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
Now	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
learn	μάθετε mathete	G3129	to learn (in any way) · verb — second aorist active imperative, 2nd person plural
a parable	παραβολήν· parabolēn	G3850	a similitude ("parable") · noun — accusative singular feminine
of	Ἀπὸ Apo	G575	"off · preposition
the fig tree	συκῆς sukēs	G4808	a fig-tree · noun — genitive singular feminine
When	ὅταν hotan	G3752	whenever (implying hypothesis or more or less uncertain… · conjunction
his	αὐτῆς autēs	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive singular feminine
branch	κλάδος klados	G2798	a twig or bough (as if broken off) · noun — nominative singular masculine
is	γένηται genētai	G1096	to cause to be ("gen"-erate) · verb — second aorist middle deponent subjunctive, 3rd person singular
yet	ἤδη ēdē	G2235	even now · adverb
tender	ἁπαλὸς hapalos	G527	soft · adjective — nominative singular masculine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
putteth forth	ἐκφύῃ, ekphuē	G1631	to sprout up · verb — present active subjunctive, 3rd person singular
leaves	φύλλα phulla	G5444	a sprout · noun — accusative plural neuter
ye know	γινώσκετε ginōskete	G1097	to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applicatio… · verb — present active indicative, 2nd person plural
that	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
summer	θέρος. theros	G2330	properly · noun — nominative singular neuter
nigh	ἐγγὺς engus	G1451	akin to the base of G43 (ἀγκάλη)) · preposition

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Mark 13:28-29 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
Luke 21:29-30 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

John Gill on Matthew 24:32

Now learn a parable of the fig tree,.... Take a similitude, or comparison from the fig tree, which was a tree well known in Judea; and the putting forth of its branches, leaves, and fruit, fell under the observation of everyone: when its branch is yet tender; through the influence of the sun, and the motion of the sap, which was bound up, and congealed in the winter season: and putteth forth leaves; from the tender branches, which swell, and open, and put forth buds, leaves, and fruit: ye know the summer is nigh; spring being already come: the fig tree putting forth her green figs, is a sign that the winter is past, the spring is come, and summer is at hand; see Sol 2:11.

John Calvin on Matthew 24:32-36

Matthew 24:32-36 Matthew 24:32-36 Mark 13:28-32 Luke 21:29-33 32. Now learn a similitude from the fig-tree. When its branch is already tender, and putteth forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh. 33. In like manner, when you shall see all these things, know you that it is nigh, at the door. 34. Verily I say to you, This generation shall not pass away till all these things be done. 35. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36. But of that day and hour no man knoweth, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father alone. 28. Now learn a similitude from the fig-tree. When its branch is still tender, and putteth forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh. 29.…

Read the whole note in the console

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Matthew 24:31

Many believe that the rapture of God’s people through angels (13:41; 16:27; 25:31) is predicted here. Others believe that angels (Greek angeloi, “messengers”) here are human messengers (11:10; Luke 7:24; 9:52; Jas 2:25) and that Jesus is describing the expansion of the Good News among Gentiles (see Matt 21:33-46; 22:1-14; Deut 30:1-10; Isa 27:13; Zech 2:6-13).

Henry, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Clarke, Gill, Calvin and Keil & Delitzsch are in the public domain; Tyndale Open Study Notes © Tyndale House Publishers, CC BY-SA 4.0 — all from the Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org). Rashi: the Rosenbaum & Silbermann Pentateuch (public domain) and the Judaica Press and Metsudah Tanakh (CC BY), via Sefaria. Spurgeon's Treasury of David: public domain (lyteword's markdown edition, CC0).

The Church Fathers

Or, when this fig shall again bud, that is, when the synagogue shall receive the word of holy preaching, as the preaching of Enoch and Elias, then we ought to understand that the day of the consummation is at hand.
— Remigius of Rheims ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mystically; The Synagogue is likened to the fig treeg; its branch is Antichrist, the son of the Devil, the portion of sin, the maintainer of the law; when this shall begin to swell and to put forth leaves, then summer is nigh, i. e. the approach of the day of judgment shall be perceived.
— Hilary of Poitiers ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

As much as to say, When the tender shoots first show themselves in the stem of the fig tree, and the bud bursts into flower, and the bark puts forth leaves, ye perceive the approach of summer and the season of spring and growth; so when ye shall see all these things that are written, do not suppose that the end of the world is immediate, but that certain monitory signs and precursors are showing its approach.
— Jerome ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Matthew, Gospel according to — The author of this book was beyond a doubt the Matthew, an apostle of our Lord, whose name it bears. He wrote the Gospel of Christ according to his own plans and aims, and from his own point of view,…
Olves, Mount of — So called from the olive trees with which its sides are clothed, is a mountain ridge on the east of Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:7; Ezek. 11:23; Zech. 14:4), from which it is separated by the valley of…
Parable — (Gr. parabole), a placing beside; a comparison; equivalent to the Heb. mashal, a similitude. In the Old Testament this is used to denote (1) a proverb (1 Sam. 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chr. 7:20), (2) a…
Christ, The Prophet · Foretold things to come — Foretold things to come
Fig Tree · FIGURATIVE — FIGURATIVE
Fig Tree, The · Leaves of, put forth, a sign of the approach of summer — Leaves of, put forth, a sign of the approach of summer
Parables · Parables of christ: Fig-tree leafing — Parables of christ: Fig-tree leafing
Seasons · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Second Coming Of Christ, The · Signs preceding — Signs preceding
Summer · Approach of — Approach of

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).