by nonymouse on Tue Dec 14, 2010 12:27 pm
Gentle readers of FP may find the following interesting (it is from a RR thread as to whether Christ might have fulfilled the first 3 1/2 years of Daniel's 70th week):
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(previous post quote) " I hate to answer a question with a question, but do we know positively that Jesus had a 3.5 year earthly ministry? From what exactly do we deduce Jesus had a 3.5 year ministry? I have heard others suggest His earthly ministry may have been longer than 3.5 years. I have also heard we base the 3.5 year ministry on the mention of only 3 Passovers in the Gospels.(end of previous quote)."
(Response by "metroames"):
"Luke 13 contains the first parable of the fig tree":
Luke 13:5-9 "...unless you repent you will all likewise perish." He also spoke this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?' But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.'"
Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant.
(response by "metroames" continues)
"In Isaiah 5:7 we see that the vineyard belongs to the Lord. The keeper in Luke 13:5-9 is Jesus, who was three years into His ministry at the time. Right before the parable in Luke 13:5, Jesus warned that unless Israel repented, the nation would perish. In the parable, God told Jesus to cut down the tree, which is Israel. Jesus asked to give the tree another chance until the next season before cutting it down. Jesus was to spend the next half year trying to bring fruit out of the nation of Israel before giving up on them. The cursing of the fig tree later in Matthew 21 shows us the verdict of the nation Israel. Though Israel as a nation would be destroyed, individual faith and salvation would still be available, as we see at the end of the following passage."
Matthew 21:18-22 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." Immediately the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?" So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
(response by "metroames" continues)
I believe Scripture shows that Christ ministry was 3 1/2 years. At the time of the first parable of the fig tree, Christ was 3 years into His ministry. Christ asked till the next season to try to produce fruit from the Nation of Israel. Figs trees produce fruit at least twice a year. So waiting until the next figs season would have been about a half a year."
Fwiw.