Q: In Matthew 21:19, Matthew states that when Jesus cursed the fig tree, it withered away right away. But in Mark, the cursed fig tree doesnt die until the next morning.
A: Mark does not comment on when the fig tree withered away. He only states that the disciples saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. It involves no contradiction for the following events to occur:
(a) Jesus curses the fig tree
(b) the disciples hear what Jesus says,
(c) the fig tree withers away, and
(d) the disciples later notice that the fig tree has withered away.
A question remains about how suddenly or not-suddenly the fig tree withered. Matthew uses a word that is not the usual word for immediately -- the Greek word parachrema -- but which does describe an immediate action. The impression I get is that the fig-tree immediately drooped, but by the next morning -- where Matthew 21:20 picks up the scene without a break, and where Mark 11:20 picks up the scene with a break -- it was not just droopy but entirely shriveled -- i.e., as Matthew says, the fig tree withered away right after Jesus cursed it, but by the next morning, the fig tree had withered away to its roots, as Mark 11:20 says.
But another interpretation is possible. The fig-tree was off in the distance from the path where the disciples were -- Mark notes that the disciples heard what Jesus said without commenting on what they did or didn't see -- so it is also possible for the entire tree to have immediately shriveled up altogether, and for the disciples to have noticed this only later.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
A: Mark does not comment on when the fig tree withered away. He only states that the disciples saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. It involves no contradiction for the following events to occur:
(a) Jesus curses the fig tree
(b) the disciples hear what Jesus says,
(c) the fig tree withers away, and
(d) the disciples later notice that the fig tree has withered away.
A question remains about how suddenly or not-suddenly the fig tree withered. Matthew uses a word that is not the usual word for immediately -- the Greek word parachrema -- but which does describe an immediate action. The impression I get is that the fig-tree immediately drooped, but by the next morning -- where Matthew 21:20 picks up the scene without a break, and where Mark 11:20 picks up the scene with a break -- it was not just droopy but entirely shriveled -- i.e., as Matthew says, the fig tree withered away right after Jesus cursed it, but by the next morning, the fig tree had withered away to its roots, as Mark 11:20 says.
But another interpretation is possible. The fig-tree was off in the distance from the path where the disciples were -- Mark notes that the disciples heard what Jesus said without commenting on what they did or didn't see -- so it is also possible for the entire tree to have immediately shriveled up altogether, and for the disciples to have noticed this only later.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
