WWUTT 2416 The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9)

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It is said throughout the Gospels that if one is not producing fruit, God will cut them off.

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So we must turn from our sin to the Lord Jesus Christ that we may be forgiven and produce good things when we understand the text.

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This is When We Understand The Text, a daily Bible commentary that we may be equipped for every good work in Jesus Christ our

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Lord. Please tell others about our ministry at www .utt .com.

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Here once again is Pastor Gabe. Thank you, Becky. In our study of the Gospel of Luke, we just started in on chapter 13 last week, so we're going to pick up where we left off.

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And I'm reading here the parable of the barren fig tree, verses 6 through 9, hear the word of the

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Lord. And Jesus told this parable, a man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.

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And he said to the vinedresser, Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and I find none.

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Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground? And he answered him, Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.

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Then, if it should bear fruit next year, well and good, but if not, you can cut it down.

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Now, remember that this parable comes right after Jesus had been told about some

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Galileans who had been sacrificing in the temple. And as they were sacrificing, Pilate, just as a measure of his power and his contempt for the

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Jews and their God, sent some soldiers into the temple to kill those Galileans and mix their blood in with their sacrifices.

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Wasn't because they deserved it. It was just because Pilate was bored one day and wanted to wanted to show that he wasn't afraid of the

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Jews or their God. And this was shocking to the Jews, not just because of how gruesome and tyrannical

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Pilate could be, but because the Jews thought that if something like this were to happen to a person, it must be because they did something really bad.

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However, in this circumstance, this was a group of Galileans who were sacrificing in the temple.

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They were asking God forgiveness for their sins. So why would God allow something like this to happen to those

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Galileans? What evil could they possibly have been guilty of? And that's why when

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Jesus responded to this news, he doesn't respond with grief or woe.

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He says to them, do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other

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Galileans because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

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And then he also drew upon a recent event when the tower in the wall of Jerusalem, the

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Tower of Siloam is what it was called when it fell and it killed 18 people.

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Jesus said, do you think that those people were worse sinners than everybody else in Jerusalem?

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No, Jesus said. But I tell you, unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

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Now, this was a very personal address in the sense that Jesus could have been pointing at anybody, you, unless you repent, you will likewise perish.

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And we can certainly find personal conviction and a direct exhortation in that when we read it as well.

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But this parable here, this is about a group of people. So this is not an individual address.

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Now, this is Jesus talking to all the Jews, and it could be said the same exhortation given to this parable, unless you repent, unless the

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Jews repent, they will all likewise perish. So let's go through this parable here.

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We'll find in this also some application for us, not just limited to the Jews, but let's see the context in which this is given.

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Verse six, Jesus told this parable, a man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.

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Now, the fig tree was typically a symbol of Israel. Probably one of the most well -known accounts is in that week before Jesus goes to the cross, he comes upon a fig tree and he curses it.

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He's expecting to find fruit on it. He wants to eat some figs. There aren't any figs. So he curses the fig tree and says, may you never produce fruit again.

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The next day they pass by that fig tree and the disciples are astonished to see it withered and dead.

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And that was supposed to represent Israel who was not producing fruit. And so it would soon come that judgment would befall them.

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This was prophesied even by John the Baptist who had said his winnowing fork is in his hand, talking about Christ and saying that the axe is laid at the root of the trees.

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So here comes the master to cut down this no good tree that is not producing fruit.

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And he says to the vine dresser, verse seven, look for three years now, I have come seeking fruit on this tree and I find none.

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Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground? Because if you have a tree in the ground that's not producing any fruit, then it's just sucking up the nutrients that other plants need.

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We could also be using that plot for something else. So what do you think God will replace that tree with?

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And we'll we'll get to that here in a moment. But first of all, Jesus says for three years,

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I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree. What's the significance of three years?

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That's a common number three that we see come up in the Bible over and over again. Of course, we know

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God is triune. And so he's represented by three persons in the one God head, God, the father,

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God, the son and God, the Holy Spirit. For that reason, you'll see a lot of things presented in threes in the book of Revelation.

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As I've heard Votie Bauckham say about that book, it's like a waltz, like one, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three.

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Just read the very beginning of Revelation and see how many triplets you see come up there.

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So what might the number three symbolize? Well, we know the number seven is the number of completion.

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Becky and I had talked about that on the podcast even this past Friday. It's a perfect number.

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We call it the number of God. The number three is something like that as well. But three can also have another significance to it.

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What's the significance of the number three? I've read several commentaries on this and different theologians come up with some different explanations.

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I think the one that I read the most often was that the three years are in reference to the three years of Jesus earthly ministry, because that's as long as his ministry was from the time that he was baptized to the time that he died and rose again from the dead.

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That was just three years. Now, Jesus accomplished an incredible amount in that three years, as the apostle

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John said in his gospel. If all the things that Jesus did in his earthly ministry had been written down, there would not even be enough books in the world to contain all of it.

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So it could be that the three years is in reference to Jesus earthly ministry, and he's giving time for the

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Jews to repent, which they won't do. And so then something else is going to happen at the end of that three year period of time.

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It could also be that the three years are actually three epochs or ages that are in reference to the three periods in Israel that were marked by the high priests and the judges and the kings.

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And during the time of the high priests, Israel rebelled against God. During the judges, Israel rebelled against God.

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During the kings, you had 40 kings between Israel and Judah, and only eight of them were righteous.

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And the people of Israel turned from God and worshipped false gods and were deserving of the judgment that God brought upon them when he brought the

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Assyrians and the Chaldeans to judge Israel and Judah, respectively. So that could also be the reference.

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The three years is in reference to these three ages. Here's what I believe that the three years is in reference to.

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Three can also be a number of testing. Just think of the fact that when

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Peter denied Jesus, how many times did he deny Jesus? Denied him three times.

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And so Jesus said to Peter, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.

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Peter even denied that. I would never do this. I will go with you to death. But when it came down to it,

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Peter did exactly as Jesus said that he would. And he denied that he even knew him.

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And so this was kind of a picture of this testing that was coming upon Peter.

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So I think that the number three here applies in that way. It's a period of testing.

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And how is Israel responding in the midst of that testing? They're not turning from their sin to Christ.

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Even at this particular time, you have great rebellion that's going on in Israel.

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They're not reading the word of God. They're stuck on their own traditions. Jesus has had to rebuke them because they value the traditions of men over the instructions, the exhortations, the laws of God.

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Instead, they're going by their own way. So God has given Israel more than enough chances and opportunities to repent and follow him and obey his word.

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But the people continue to rebel. They are not producing fruit. So the master says, cut this tree down.

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Why should it use up the ground? And the vinedresser answered him, sir, let it alone this year also until I dig around it and put on manure.

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Now, don't read into that too deeply. There's nothing gross that's supposed to be signified by that, simply that I'm going to take care of this tree so that it has an opportunity to grow.

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And if it does, then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good. But if not, then you can cut it down.

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And again, this parable is about Israel. Whereas previously, verses one through five, that was more of an individual address.

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You, unless you repent, you will likewise perish. Well, here Jesus points the finger at Israel.

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Unless you, the Jews, repent, you will likewise perish.

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This is the judgment that is coming upon them. Now, like I said before, with the tree,

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Jesus is saying, if it's not going to produce fruit, uproot it because it's just using up the ground and we can put something else there instead.

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What else would God put there? Well, this is kind of a picture of something that Paul also reflects upon in Romans chapter 11.

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You have the picture of the cultivated olive tree. So let me read a little bit here in Romans 11, starting in verse 11.

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So I ask, did they, the Jews, stumble in order that they might fall? By no means.

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Rather, through their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles. So as to make

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Israel jealous. Now, if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the

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Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean? Now I am speaking to you

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Gentiles in as much then as I am speaking as an apostle to the Gentiles.

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I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow

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Jews jealous and thus save some of them, Paul says. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

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If the dough offered as first fruits is holy, so is the whole lump. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.

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Okay, so if the root of this tree is holy, then everything that is connected to the tree will be holy as well.

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Verse 17, but if some of the branches were broken off and you, although a wild olive shoot were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches.

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If you are, remember, it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.

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So what are we seeing here in this picture of the cultivated olive tree? Well, the Jews had been in rebellion against God, so God cut them off.

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Now they can be grafted back in. We'll get to that here in a moment as we continue in Romans 11. But the Gentiles who are wild olive shoots have been grafted into this tree where the other branches used to be.

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So new branches have been grafted in and the Gentiles are now part of that tree. The root is

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Christ and it is growing and it is flourishing. Verse 19, then you will say branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.

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That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith.

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So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

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Note then the kindness and the severity of God's severity toward those who have fallen. But God's kindness to you provided you continue in his kindness.

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Otherwise, you too will be cut off. And even if they, if they do not continue in their unbelief will be grafted in for God has the power to graft them in again.

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For if you were cut from what is by nature, a wild olive tree and grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree?

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So Paul is saying here that the Jews and the Gentiles can be grafted into this tree together.

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The Jews were cut off, but they can be grafted back in. For us who are Gentiles, who were wild olive shoots and have been grafted in, we must not be arrogant about this.

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We must not look at the Jews and think, oh, you guys messed up. So now we get a shot. But rather, we must also fear

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God because if we do not continue, then we can also be cut off from this great tree as well.

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So here you have this picture of the Jews being cut off, the Gentiles being grafted

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Same sort of thing is going on in this parable in Luke chapter 13. If the tree is not going to produce fruit, cut it down and put something else in its place.

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And that will be the opportunity for the Gentiles to receive the promises and the blessings of God, which will be given to them by faith in the

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Lord Jesus Christ. And then the Jews, likewise, can still share in those blessings again if they turn from their sin to Christ and they will be grafted in again.

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So that's the picture that's going on here with the cultivated olive tree in Romans 11.

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But even with the parable of the barren fig tree in Luke chapter 13, this tree is going to get cut down because it is not bearing fruit and something else is going to be put in its place.

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But like I said in the beginning, we don't read this just as a warning to Jews. There still can be a warning to us as well.

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There can be a warning to the whole church in this. And that is, we must continue in faithfulness.

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If not, we can be cut off and removed as well. Now, this is the picture for this is given in a different sort of a way in the book of Revelation.

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The churches are represented by lampstands in Revelation chapters one through three.

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And Jesus will give a warning to a rebellious church and say, if you do not repent, then

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I will remove your lampstand. In other words, the very light that you have will be gone.

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The Holy Spirit will not be with that church anymore. And the light that they show to the world will have been snuffed out.

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That will be the judgment that will come upon them if they happen to be unfaithful.

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Listen to what Jesus says to the church in Laodicea in Revelation 315. I know your works.

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You are neither hot nor cold. Would that you were either cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold,

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I will spit you out of my mouth. And that's just simply to say you are far from the source. You're not hot water.

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You're not cold water. You're just lukewarm and gross. And so I will spit you out of my mouth for you say,

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I am rich. I have prospered. I need nothing. Not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

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I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich. And white garments so that you may clothe yourself in the shame of your nakedness may not be seen.

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And salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love,

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I reprove and discipline. So be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

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If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him and he with me.

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The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne as I also conquered and sat down with my father on his throne.

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He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.

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So Christ loves us. And because he loves us, he's going to call us to repentance.

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Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline. So be zealous and repent.

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And this goes back to the exhortation that we had before in verses one through five of Luke 13, unless you repent, you will likewise perish.

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And we have this opportunity now to turn from our sin to the Lord Christ. First John 1 9, if we ask forgiveness for our sins,

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God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Two verses later, chapter two, verse one, my little children,

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I write these things to you that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the father,

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Jesus Christ, the righteous. We should still be in pursuit of holiness, and we should be in pursuit of that all the time.

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If we sin, it's not that we've been cut off. So beware of that.

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Just because you've sinned doesn't mean that's it. Now I've been cut off. How am I ever going to be grafted back in again?

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How can I get my roots back down into this ground and be able to produce fruit? Just because you sin doesn't mean you got cut off.

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In fact, the conviction that you feel over your sin is Jesus doing that very thing that he promised he would do for those whom he loves.

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I reprove and discipline. So listen to that conviction when you feel it, that you would seek

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God's forgiveness. You would know that he has forgiven you, and you would continue to walk in the righteousness of Christ that we have been given.

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We must grow in holiness. We must. We must be producing fruit. And if we are not producing fruit, ultimately, it means that we were never really rooted in Christ to begin with.

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If you are in Christ Jesus, turn from your sin, desire his holiness, and grow in that.

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Grow in it. It is God who provides the growth, as also said in 1

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Corinthians 4. Heavenly Father, we thank you for what we've read, and I pray that it would be for us a reminder that we would turn from those things that pollute, turn from those things that rot and destroy, and that we would root ourselves in Christ, that we may grow, that we may be nourished, that we may produce an abundance.

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As Jesus said to his disciples, you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the

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Father in my name, he may give it to you. And that's a promise that is given to us as well.

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And so, God, we ask of you that you would convict us of our sin, that we would turn from our sin, that we would turn to Christ and desire his holiness, that we may walk in it and grow in it until the day of Christ.

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It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Pastor Gabe keeps a regular blog, sharing personal thoughts, alerting readers to false teachers, and offering commentary on the church and social issues.

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You can find a link to the blog through our website, www .tt .com. Thank you for listening and join us again tomorrow as we continue our study in God's Word when we understand the text.