“But learn the lesson from the fig tree: when its branches gradually become tender and put out leaves, you know that summer is near.
The Lord teaches us to recognize the signs with a simple and watchful mind. Just as a person, seeing in nature the fig tree’s branches becoming tender and the leaves coming out, understands that summer is near, so the disciples should also have been able to recognize the nearness of the signs He spoke of. This does not mean calculating dates without restraint, but it means being attentive in the light of God’s word. Spiritual sobriety is able to discern the character of the times, without falling into fear or into false prophecies.