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Luke 13:6–9
“[The vinedresser] answered him, ‘Sir, let [the fig tree] alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down’ ” (vv. 8–9).
Jesus frequently told parables to illustrate His teaching, and in today’s passage He gives a parable to expand on the importance of repentance. As we saw in Luke 13:1–5, our Lord explained that the tragedies that happen in the world are reminders of the greater judgment to come on all those who remain impenitent and do not trust in Christ. In the parable of the barren fig tree in verses 6–9, Jesus shows that the opportunity to repent and bear good spiritual fruit will not last forever.
The setting of the parable is a vineyard, though we are to think more of a garden in which many different kinds of fruit were planted, since ancient Jews often grew many kinds of fruit in close proximity to one another. Three years earlier, the owner of the vineyard had planted a fig tree, but it had not yet produced any fruit. Since fig trees in that region typically bear fruit annually, the lack of fruit for three years meant that it would likely never be fruitful. The owner wanted it cut down, for valuable resources were being wasted to sustain the tree. The vinedresser, however, persuaded the owner to give the tree one more year. He would pay special attention to it and then, if it still did not bear fruit, he would cut the tree down (vv. 6–9).
As with most other parables, we do not need to press every detail for symbolism. We should note, however, that here the fig tree represents the crowds of Israel, since Jesus uses the same imagery elsewhere in His teaching (see Mark 11:12–14, 20–21). Jesus was saying that the nation of Israel as a whole had not produced good fruit in quite some time and that the owner of the nation—God Himself—was growing impatient with His people and was on the verge of cutting them down. He would give them one more chance to bear fruit, however, before destroying them. In light of the connection with Luke 13:1–5, the parable basically warns the people of Jesus’ day that God’s judgment would soon fall. They could not put off repentance but must heed the reminder of the coming divine wrath that is seen when tragedies occur.
Most of the Israelites did not heed our Lord’s warning, and thus judgment fell on the nation in AD 70 when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. But that judgment does not exhaust the meaning of the parable. Jesus is coming back at the end of history, and we dare not wait to repent, trust Christ, and start bearing fruit. If we do not do this now, we may not have another opportunity.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Dr. R.C. Sproul writes in his commentary on Luke that “true faith always manifests itself in the fruits of repentance and good works. The good works don’t justify us, but if they’re not there, that’s evidence that there is no real faith. If there’s no real faith, there’s no justification.” We do not have to fear that we will be like the barren fig tree in Jesus’ parable if we seek to do sincere, albeit imperfect, good works.
for further study
- Isaiah 3:10–11
- Amos 6
- Matthew 21:18–19
- Jude 10–13
the bible in a year
- Job 28–30
- Acts 12