CONTRADICTION · CHRONOLOGICAL
Fig Tree Withering Timing
...he said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
This discrepancy is relevant because it questions even minor narrative details. If something as simple as the timing of a miracle differs, it undermines confidence in the Gospels’ reliability. Readers may conclude these texts aren’t flawlessly preserved, challenging claims of inerrancy.
THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
They contend Matthew uses immediate language poetically, while Mark gives the literal next-day observation. Both record the withering, just differently. This is a narrative style choice, not a contradiction.
THE ISLAMIC POSITION
Muslims argue a perfect scripture wouldn’t leave ambiguity. One account suggests instant withering under the account of Jesus, another shows it discovered later. Such inconsistencies imply human tampering, unlike the Quran’s consistent details.
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Fig Tree Withering Timing