{ "entry_id": "TSP-ENT-000016", "slug": "fig-tree", "url_path": "/types-symbols/fig-tree/", "canonical_name": "Fig Tree", "entry_classifications": [ "SYMBOL", "MOTIF" ], "modules": [ "PLANTS_AGRICULTURE" ], "aliases": [ { "alias_text": "FIG-TREE", "alias_type": "OTHER" } ], "legacy_present": true, "legacy_raw_wording_public": false, "senses": [ { "sense_id": "TSP-SNS-000031", "label": "Fig imagery in covenant blessing and judgment", "classification": "MOTIF", "definition": "Figs and fig-tree imagery can represent Israel or Judah in particular prophetic contexts and can also depict covenant blessing, fruitfulness, disappointment, or judgment.", "not_always": "A fig tree is not a fixed code for national Israel in every passage.", "scope_note": "Interpret each occurrence by its own literary setting; distinguish fruit, tree, parable, and seasonal analogy.", "claims": [ { "claim_id": "TSP-CLM-000031", "statement": "Fig and fig-tree imagery can function as a context-limited prophetic image for Israel or Judah and for covenant fruitfulness or judgment.", "asserted_classifications": [ "MOTIF", "SYMBOL" ], "type_kinds": [], "evidence_grade": 4, "grade_basis": "G4_RECURRENT_CANONICAL_MOTIF_OR_STRONG_THEMATIC_PATTERN", "status": "STRONGLY_SUPPORTED", "public_wording_class": "CANONICAL_MOTIF", "scope_limitation": "This conclusion applies only where the passage itself connects the imagery with Israel/Judah or covenant blessing/judgment.", "strongest_alternative_explanation": "The imagery may emphasize fruitfulness or judgment without making the fig tree itself a national emblem.", "residual_uncertainty": "The relationship is recurrent but not a universal headword-level symbol.", "theological_intersections": [ "ISRAELOLOGY", "COVENANT" ], "scripture_references": [ { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000058", "osis_start": "Hos.9.10", "osis_end": null, "display_label": "Hosea 9:10", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" }, { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000059", "osis_start": "Jer.24.1", "osis_end": "Jer.24.10", "display_label": "Jeremiah 24:1-10", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" }, { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000060", "osis_start": "Matt.21.18", "osis_end": "Matt.21.22", "display_label": "Matthew 21:18-22", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" }, { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000061", "osis_start": "Luke.21.29", "osis_end": "Luke.21.31", "display_label": "Luke 21:29-31", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" } ], "source_citations": [ { "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000022", "author_editor": null, "title": "Canonical Scripture: MT/LXX/NA28 with NET/ESV comparison", "publication_data": "Text loci verified for TSP-S0F Batch 4", "locator": null, "verification_level": "V4_QUOTATION_VERIFIED", "source_function": [ "CANONICAL_AUTHORITY", "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT" ], "locator_targets": [] }, { "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000024", "author_editor": "Eric J. Tully", "title": "Hosea Commentary", "publication_data": "The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary", "locator": "https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/hosea/", "verification_level": "V3_CLAIM_VERIFIED", "source_function": [ "SCHOLARLY_ARGUMENT" ], "locator_targets": [ { "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL", "target": "https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/hosea/" } ] }, { "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000025", "author_editor": "John F. Walvoord", "title": "The Signs of the End of the Age", "publication_data": "Bible.org", "locator": "https://bible.org/seriespage/24-signs-end-age", "verification_level": "V3_CLAIM_VERIFIED", "source_function": [ "SCHOLARLY_ARGUMENT" ], "locator_targets": [ { "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL", "target": "https://bible.org/seriespage/24-signs-end-age" } ] } ], "s8_wording_provenance": null } ] }, { "sense_id": "TSP-SNS-000032", "label": "Fixed fig tree equals national and political Israel", "classification": "SYMBOL", "definition": "The legacy list proposes a universal national/political Israel referent for the fig tree.", "not_always": "Matthew 21 and Luke 21 do not explicitly identify the fig tree as Israel, and Luke includes all trees in the seasonal analogy.", "scope_note": "Retain the national-symbol proposal as interpretive history unless a passage itself supplies that referent.", "claims": [ { "claim_id": "TSP-CLM-000032", "statement": "The fig tree is a fixed biblical symbol of the national and political life of Israel across Scripture.", "asserted_classifications": [ "SYMBOL" ], "type_kinds": [], "evidence_grade": 7, "grade_basis": "G7_INSUFFICIENT_BIBLICAL_EVIDENCE", "status": "INSUFFICIENT_BIBLICAL_EVIDENCE", "public_wording_class": "INSUFFICIENT_BIBLICAL_EVIDENCE", "scope_limitation": "Specific passages may use figs or fig-tree imagery for Israel/Judah, but no universal fig-tree = Israel rule is established.", "strongest_alternative_explanation": "Matthew 21 can function as enacted judgment imagery without requiring a formal national-symbol identification; Luke 21 is explicitly a seasonal analogy involving all trees.", "residual_uncertainty": "Some dispensational interpreters have proposed the fig tree as Israel in eschatological discourse, but the textual basis is insufficient for a universal rule.", "theological_intersections": [ "ISRAELOLOGY" ], "scripture_references": [ { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000060", "osis_start": "Matt.21.18", "osis_end": "Matt.21.22", "display_label": "Matthew 21:18-22", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" }, { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000061", "osis_start": "Luke.21.29", "osis_end": "Luke.21.31", "display_label": "Luke 21:29-31", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" } ], "source_citations": [ { "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000023", "author_editor": null, "title": "Legacy Symbols & Types list supplied for TSP project", "publication_data": "User-supplied legacy corpus", "locator": null, "verification_level": "V4_QUOTATION_VERIFIED", "source_function": [ "INTERPRETIVE_HISTORY" ], "locator_targets": [] }, { "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000025", "author_editor": "John F. Walvoord", "title": "The Signs of the End of the Age", "publication_data": "Bible.org", "locator": "https://bible.org/seriespage/24-signs-end-age", "verification_level": "V3_CLAIM_VERIFIED", "source_function": [ "SCHOLARLY_ARGUMENT" ], "locator_targets": [ { "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL", "target": "https://bible.org/seriespage/24-signs-end-age" } ] }, { "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000022", "author_editor": null, "title": "Canonical Scripture: MT/LXX/NA28 with NET/ESV comparison", "publication_data": "Text loci verified for TSP-S0F Batch 4", "locator": null, "verification_level": "V4_QUOTATION_VERIFIED", "source_function": [ "CANONICAL_AUTHORITY", "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT" ], "locator_targets": [] } ], "s8_wording_provenance": null } ] } ], "lexeme_mappings": [ { "lexeme_link_id": "TSP-LEX-000025", "language": "HEBREW", "lemma_unicode": "תְּאֵנָה", "transliteration": "te'enah", "strongs_id": "H8384", "owner_tier": "TSP_MAPPING_ONLY", "semantic_domain_ids": [] }, { "lexeme_link_id": "TSP-LEX-000026", "language": "GREEK", "lemma_unicode": "συκῆ", "transliteration": "syke", "strongs_id": "G4808", "owner_tier": "TSP_MAPPING_ONLY", "semantic_domain_ids": [] } ], "canonical_relationships": [], "negative_guardrails": [] }