This inquiry began when I noticed that Nathaniel was sitting under a mulberry tree when Philip approached him to become a disciple. But no version of the Bible calls it a mulberry tree.
The Calling of Nathaniel:
137:2.6 Philip now motioned to the group to remain where they were while he hurried back to break the news of his decision to his friend Nathaniel, who still tarried behind under the mulberry tree, turning over in his mind the many things which he had heard concerning John the Baptist, the coming kingdom, and the expected Messiah. … John 1:43-51 (KJV)… Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; … In John's gospel, Nathaniel is sitting under a fig tree, and he says, "thou art the Son of God." But that insight should wait for a later story known as Peter's Confession.
A word search for "mulberry" did indeed include Peter's Confession.
Peter’s Confession:
157:3.4 Jesus had spent long months in training these apostles as to the nature and character of the kingdom of heaven, and he well knew the time had come when he must begin to teach them more about his own nature and his personal relationship to the kingdom. And now, as they were seated under the mulberry trees, the Master made ready to hold one of the most momentous sessions of his long association with the chosen apostles.
158:1.1 Early on the morning of Monday, August 15, Jesus and the three apostles began the ascent of Mount Hermon, and this was six days after the memorable noontide confession of Peter by the roadside under the mulberry trees. As seen above, The Urantia Book mentions mulberry trees twice in the context of Peter's Confession. Trees are not mentioned in the biblical account.
Rustling Sound:
Mulberry trees also make an appearance in Paper 90.
90:2.5 The medicine men put great trust in signs and omens, such as, “When you hear the sound of a rustling in the tops of the mulberry trees, then shall you bestir yourself.”…
2 Samuel 5:24 (KJV) And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: … One could say, symbolically speaking of course, that Nathaniel and Peter heard the rustling of the mulberry leaves when they "bestirred" themselves to a new spiritual insight.
Visit with Nicodemus:
This story doesn't mention mulberry trees, but it has the "rustling of leaves" as metaphorical evidence of spirit activity.
142:6.5 Jesus said: “Nevertheless, I declare to you, except a man be born of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. But you should not marvel that I said you must be born from above. When the wind blows, you hear the rustle of the leaves, but you do not see the wind—whence it comes or whither it goes—and so it is with everyone born of the spirit. With the eyes of the flesh you can behold the manifestations of the spirit, but you cannot actually discern the spirit.”
John 3:5-8 (ASV) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God! That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew. The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Additional Notes:
Hymnary—“There’s a Rustling in the Tree Tops”
Luke 17:6 (NKJV) So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. The Urantia Book contains no equivalent passage for Luke 17:6
❖❖
