Luke 13 - The Fruit Tree That Bore No Fruit!

Luke 13 - NIV

Luke 17 - Enduring Word Commentary

Verses for the Day

6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

Commentary

Jesus told parables to teach people what God is like. He used natural analogies to show spiritual principles, and how they worked in the kingdom of God. Each person in the parable represented someone. The man who planted the fig tree is God. The man who took care of the vineyard was Jesus. The three years could very likely be the three years of public ministry of Jesus. 

As we know Jesus came first to the Jewish people, and the majority of them, especially the religious leaders, rejected him. Despite the many Old Testament prophecies he fulfilled, this did not convince them that Jesus was the Messiah. When Jesus looked over Jerusalem he said they were like, 

"Sheep without a shepherd." - Matthew 9:36

In the Old Testament calls His people Israel, the Vine of God. Look at how similar Isaiah 5:1-6 is to this story. 

"I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. 2 He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. 3 “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. 4 What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? 5 Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. 6 I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it.”

Jesus also used this metaphor in John 15:1-2,5 when he said, 

"I am the vine and your are the branches. Anyone who remains will bear much fruit. Fruit that will last. Apart from me you can do nothing."

Here are some of the principles we might draw from this parable Jesus taught.

1. God expects his people to bear fruit. Our basic purpose in life is to bear fruit and give glory to God. 

2. When God sent Jesus, he gave us what we needed to bear fruit. If we rely on and stay connected to him, WE WILL BEAR FRUIT. 

3. God is patient when we do not bear fruit, but there will be a time of judgment. Jesus interceded with got them three more years, but there was still a judgment a year later. 

4. There are two aspects of repentance. First the repentance. when we come to faith in Jesus. Second, the daily repentance we need to die to sin and rise to new life in Christ. 

So you might say the warning has a dual meaning. One, for those who have not come to faith in Jesus. Second, those who are believers and are planted in the Vineyard (the church) and are not any bearing fruit.  

Application

1. Are you bearing fruit in the Vineyard? One way to look at this might be the fruit of the Spirit which is, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control". Or, it could be the fruit of using your spiritual gifts for ministry. 

For instance, if you have the "gift of teaching", the fruit would be you leading people to a deeper understanding of the bible and application of it in their lives. 

If you have the "gift of evangelism", your gift might lead to the fruit of people who come to Christ.

2. What spiritual practices do you engage in order to stay and remain in the Vine, Jesus? Being God's Word is a great one. As Jesus said, 

"Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." John 14:23

Prayer: 

Jesus, as we remain in you, may we bear much fruit for you. Help us to bloom in the Vineyard where you have planted us. Continue to prune our character, so that we will bear even more fruit. Bring our friends who have not repented to believe in you and accept your mercy and grace. Amen.