Section 53: The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

Section 53
REPENTANCE ENJOINED
PARABLE OF THE BARREN FIG-TREE
LUKE 13:1-9


The end of chapter 12 focuses on eternal thinking and preparing for the future kingdom.  Chapter 13 begins with Christ addressing some of the questions of the crowds about tragic human events.  Tragedy goes on around us all the time, sometimes hitting nearer than others.  It's good to hear Christ's clarification here--that sin and punishment do not work in such wooden ways.  It's also good to reflect that humans have been looking for distractions and justifications in current events for thousands of years.  Why are we so apt to consider the lives of others and their shortcomings above our own or over-wallow in our misfortunes?

"The incident is recorded nowhere else, but is in entire harmony with Pilate’s record for outrages. These Galileans at a feast in Jerusalem may have been involved in some insurrection against the Roman government, the leaders of whom Pilate had slain right in the temple courts where the sacrifices were going on. Jesus comments on the incident, but not as the reporters had expected. Instead of denunciation of Pilate he turned it into a parable for their own conduct in the uncertainty of life."  -Robertson's Word Pictures

"Jesus taught the crowds that calamity can happen to anyone because all are human. Jesus cited two common instances about destruction. The first concerned some Galileans who were killed by Pilate while they were offering sacrifices. The second concerned 18 seemingly innocent bystanders in Siloam who were killed when a tower… fell on them. Jesus’ point was that being killed or not being killed is no measure of a person’s unrighteousness or righteousness. Anyone can be killed. Only God’s grace causes any to live. " -Courson

"Whoever they were, it was a sad story; yet such melancholy accidents we often hear of: for as the birds are caught in a snare, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them, Ecc 9:12. Towers, that were built for safety, often prove men's destruction." -Matthew Henry

"If we will be judging, we have enough to do to judge ourselves; nor indeed can we know love or hatred by all that is before us, because all things come alike to all, Ecc 9:1." -Matthew Henry

Lessons from the Fig Tree

The fig tree in this parable is directly connected to the nation of Israel, so we should be careful about stretching the context too far, though the general principles of fruit bearing and advantages given to us as Christians seem naturally to extend to the Church as well as to Israel.

"The advantages which this fig-tree had. It was planted in a vineyard, in better soil, and where it had more care taken of it and more pains taken with it, than other fig-trees had, that commonly grew, not in vineyards (Those are for vines), but by the way-side, Mat_21:19. This fig-tree belonged to a certain man, that owned it, and was at expense upon it. Note, The church of God is his vineyard, distinguished from the common, and fenced about, Isa_5:1, Isa_5:2. We are fig-trees planted in this vineyard by our baptism; we have a place and a name in the visible church, and this is our privilege and happiness. It is a distinguishing favour: he has not dealt so with other nations." -Matthew Henry

"Note, Those who do not do good commonly do hurt by the influence of their bad example; they grieve and discourage those that are good; they harden and encourage those that are bad. And the mischief is the greater, and the ground the more cumbered, if it be a high, large, spreading tree, and if it be an old tree of long standing."-Matthew Henry

"Some have not yet grace to repent, yet it is a mercy to them to have space to repent, as it was to the old world to have 120 years allowed them to make their peace with God." -Matthew Henry