”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.’” Luke 13.6-9
Sometimes Jesus tells a parable and then explains it. Other times he tells a parable in the midst of several and the context is fairly obvious to the reader. In this case, Jesus tells a parable which is preceded by a teaching about the absolute need for repentance or suffer the consequences of death.
The parable Jesus tells here is pretty straightforward. It’s about a man who had a fig tree growing in his vineyard but with no fruit on it. So the man says to the one who keeps 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?” But the man who was the keeper of the vineyard said, “Leave it alone for one more year, I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine. If not, then cut it down.”
Some commentators believe the fig tree represents the Jewish nation. Those who have had the chance to believe in Jesus for his three years of ministry but have rejected him as a whole. One solution is for God to bring his wrath upon his people and utter destroy them and to cut them down. But the other is to give them another chance, to fertilize the soil, preach the Gospel, and give them more time to turn to Jesus. Well in the end, the nation rejects Jesus, although some will believe, but as a whole, they reject him as Messiah and crucify him on the cross. As a consequence, God rips the temple curtain in two, and some 30-40 years later, allows the Romans to destroy the Temple sending the Jews into captivity and utterly destroying their way of life and worship.
Did God allow and or cause this to happen? I don’t see why not. He sent his Son, his representative, God in the flesh, and the people rejected him. So God’s consequence for rejecting his Son is punishment and destruction.
Yet the hope comes when the keeper of the garden, perhaps Jesus himself, says, “Leave it for one more year….I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.” This applies to all of us today. God reaches out to each of us, he sends each of us, he spreads his Gospel to the world. Some will believe and others just need more time. Grace says to give them another year. One more minute, one more day, one more year to turn from sin and toward the Savior.
We share in the responsibility of people coming to know Jesus. We also are the ones who help tend the vineyard. We who believe, sow and scatter the seeds that give people an opportunity to hear the Gospel.
Are you sowing? Are you scattering? Are you propagating the Gospel in such a way that those who haven’t heard and haven’t believed are able to do so?
Why not join in the Great Commission and spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth?
”O Lord God, you are so good and faithful. When I am a sinful mess, you hold on to me. You do not let me fall into the pit. Although temptation is often present, you hold me firm. Come now, Holy Spirit, fill me with your revival power. Anoint the ministries that I touch, let the world know you are alive, give all people a chance to believe in you. Thank you Lord for loving me. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen