{"podcast":{"title":"The Bible Difficulties and Answers Podcast","slug":"the-bible-difficulties-and-answers-podcast-6715880","podcast_index_feed_id":6715880,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/bibledifficultiesandanswers/feed.xml","website_url":"https://bibledifficultiesandanswers.podbean.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17496768/New_Podcast_Logo_ey6s7t.jpg","author":"bibledifficultiesandanswers","episode_count":276,"summary":"I’m your host Lance Smith. Join us each week as we dive headfirst into the most perplexing, intriguing, and downright baffling passages of the Bible—from the chaotic beginnings in Genesis to the mind-bending visions of Revelation. We’re not just reading; we’re unraveling, exploring, and making sense of it all in a way that’s as entertaining as it is enlightening. Whether you’re a scripture novice or a seasoned theologian, get ready for a journey that promises to be anything but ordinary. Fasten your seatbelts; your scriptural adventure awaits!","last_synced_at":"2026-07-24T14:23:23.343816+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bible-difficulties-and-answers-podcast-6715880"},"episode":{"title":"Tuesday Contradictions: Matthew 21:12-20 – Fig Tree, Temple, and Truth: Resolving the Gospel Puzzle","slug":"tuesday-contradictions-matthew-21-12-20-fig-tree-temple-and-truth-resolving-the-gospel-puzzle","published_at":"2026-07-07T06:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bible-difficulties-and-answers-podcast-6715880/tuesday-contradictions-matthew-21-12-20-fig-tree-temple-and-truth-resolving-the-gospel-puzzle","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bible-difficulties-and-answers-podcast-6715880","url":"https://bibledifficultiesandanswers.podbean.com/e/fig-tree-temple-and-truth-resolving-the-gospel-puzzle/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/btyk3j5sw24t5r4g/Tuesday_Contradictions_Matthew_21_12-20_When_did_Jesus_curse_the_fig_tree_and_when_did_the_cursed_fig_tree_dieavzdf-z4td9e-Optimized.mp3","summary":"In this episode Lance Smith examines apparent differences between Matthew and Mark about when Jesus cursed the fig tree and when it withered, arguing the accounts reflect different emphases rather than a contradiction. He explains Mark’s chronological “sandwich” and Matthew’s focus on immediacy, and connects the fig tree’s fruitlessness to a symbolic judgment on hollow religiosity. References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following: buymeacoffee.com/lancesmith The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com Skeptics Annotated Bible: https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/fig_temple.html and https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/fig.html Evidence Unseen: Does this account of Jesus cursing the fig tree contradict Mark’s account? https://evidenceunseen.com/new-testament/matthew/difficulties/does-this-account-of-jesus-cursing-the-fig-tree-contradict-marks-account-mk-1111-15-19-25 The Gospel Coalition: Why Did Jesus Curse the Fig Tree? by Greg Lanier (October 2, 2018) https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jesus-curse-fig-tree/ Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Mark 11 by David Guzik https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/mark-11/ Gutenberg.edu: Making Sense of Jesus Cursing the Fig Tree https://gutenberg.edu/making-sense-of-jesus-cursing-the-fig-tree/ GotQuestions.org: Why did Jesus curse the fig tree? https://www.gotquestions.org/curse-fig-tree.html Catholic.com: Why Does Jesus Curse the Fig Tree? https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/why-does-jesus-curse-the-fig-tree Keel, Perry S. Research Paper: The Temple Cleansing in John 2:13-22 and The Cursing of the Fig Tree in Matthew 21:18-22 (NBST815) Simmonds, Andr…","meta_description":"In this episode Lance Smith examines apparent differences between Matthew and Mark about when Jesus cursed the fig tree and when it withered, arguing the…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":740,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-bible-difficulties-and-answers-podcast-6715880/episodes/tuesday-contradictions-matthew-21-12-20-fig-tree-temple-and-truth-resolving-the-gospel-puzzle/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bible-difficulties-and-answers-podcast-6715880/tuesday-contradictions-matthew-21-12-20-fig-tree-temple-and-truth-resolving-the-gospel-puzzle.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}