Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

Luke 13:1-9

Jesus used parables to teach people. Parables are very short stories that help us to understand things
more clearly. When you listen to a parable of Jesus, or when you read any other Scripture, you should
think about the characters in the story, their relationship, and how the story relates to who Jesus is
talking to and what He is talking about.

We must always start by observing who, what, when, and where. Then we can interpret what we think
was going on between Jesus and His audience at that time. Finally, we can apply this interpretation to
ourselves, here and now.

- v. 1-5
o Observation
 Jesus is talking to a crowd and teaching them. Some people there tell Him some
news about Galileans who the Roman governor Pilate had murdered in
Jerusalem.
 Jesus uses this example to say that everyone is a sinner, and that these people
were no worse than any of His audience. He reminds the audience of the people
who died when the tower near the pool of Siloam fell over—these people were
not more or less guilty of sin than anyone else.
 Since this is true, what does Jesus tell His audience to do? Save money for the
future? Have fun now while they can? Do something to make people remember
them later? No, He tells them to repent.
o Interpretation and application
 We don’t know why people wanted to bring up this news, but we do see that
Jesus used it to make a point.
 He pointed out that we do not have control over their life and death. Therefore,
that should motivate us to think about our relationship with God. No one can
have a right relationship with God without repentance.
 Why do we need to repent?
o Our sin cannot be erased without someone paying the price.
Jesus paid the price for our sin. Everyone can receive that free
gift of forgiveness when we repent of our sin.
o Repentance means turning from our sin, and turning to God.
We tell Him sorry for rebelling against Him, and we make Him
the Lord and King of our life.
 Let’s apply this to the recent death of Michael Jackson. I think if we told Jesus
that Michael Jackson died, He would respond in the same way. Do we really
 think that we are any better off facing death than Michael Jackson? Are we
ready to pay the price of our sin?
 Isaiah 53:6 says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has
turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us
all.”
- v. 6-7
o Jesus tells a parable to reinforce His point and make it clear. Remember why Jesus used
parables? To help people understand what He was saying.
o I believe this parable was directed at the Jewish people, because Jesus was sent to
minister primarily to the Jewish people. However, I also believe we can apply it to
ourselves as an example of how God deals with us and leads us to repentance.
o Observation
 The first thing we see is the owner has a fig tree. He owns it and has it cared for
in his vineyard. He regularly goes to inspect it, expecting to see some fruit. Jesus
doesn’t say the owner expects a lot of fruit—it seems that even a little fruit
would do!
 The owner has been checking this tree himself for three years. In all this time,
the fig tree has not shown any fruit at all. That is bad enough, but even worse,
the fig tree is taking up space and nutrients in the soil that could have been
useful for other plants.
 Eventually, the owner’s patience with the fig tree comes to an end. It must be
cut down.
o Interpretation and application
 We must remember that Jesus is telling this parable in the context of the need
for repentance. It is urgent that we repent as soon as possible.
 God owns us like the man owned the fig tree and expects fruit in our lives.
 He plants us in His vineyard: The Bible says in Acts 17:26 that God
determined the times and places for men to live, so that we would seek
Him and find Him.
 He created us for a purpose: He wants to have a relationship with us,
and out of that relationship we will bear fruit that demonstrates we are
His disciples.
o John 15:1-8 says, “"I am the true vine, and my Father is the
gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,
while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will
be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the
word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in
you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the
vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am
the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in
him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is
thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown
into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words
remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing
yourselves to be my disciples.”
 God is patient with us.
 Like the owner of the fig tree, God is patient with us and gives us time
and repeated opportunities to know Him. He gives us many years to
produce fruit, not just three.
 We face judgment.
 If we don’t repent and turn to God, we will face judgment for which we
cannot blame God. God’s desire is not for anyone to perish, but for
everyone to come to repentance.
 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some
understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to
perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
- V.8-9
o I like this part of the parable. Thank God He didn’t just stop there!
o Observation
 The man who works in the vineyard asks for one more chance for the fig tree.
He wants to try especially hard to help the fig tree produce some fruit. He
intends to break up the hard ground around the tree and mix in some manure
to fertilize it.
 If the fig tree finally produces some fruit the next year, then all will be well!
 However, if it still does not produce fruit, there is nothing more that can be
done.
o Interpretation and application
 The man who works in the vineyard is like Jesus Christ, who works to do
everything He can to save us. I like what the old Methodist Bible commentator
Adam Clarke says about Jesus in this case, “He is constantly employed in doing
everything that has a tendency to promote their salvation.”
 What does Jesus do for us?
 He sacrificed Himself to cleanse us from sin so that we can serve God.
He made it possible for us to bear fruit. Without Jesus’ sacrifice, we
would certainly have to pay the penalty for sin ourselves. There would
be no question of our being cut down like a barren fig tree. But, thank
God, that we can have a relationship with God and serve Him through
Jesus!
o Hebrews 9:13-14 says, “The blood of goats and bulls and the
ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially
 unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How
much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our
consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve
the living God!”
 He intercedes on our behalf. God is always thinking of us and longing for
our return to Him. He never wants us to fail or fall away. He will never
reject you when to turn to Him. There is nothing we can do to earn
God’s love, but there is nothing we can do to take it away. God is the
lover of our souls, always calling us back to Him.
 He sends His Spirit to convict us of sin and to gently lead us back to Him.
Like the man who tends the vineyard, the Spirit of Jesus works in us to
break up the hard ground of our hearts and to nourish us spiritually. He
does everything He can to bring us to repentance.
o Romans 2:1-5 says, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who
pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you
judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who
pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's
judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So
when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the
same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? Or
do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance
and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward
repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your
unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for
the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be
revealed.”
o When we understand this point, we will see that we do not
deserve any credit for good deeds in our Christian life. It is God
who is working in us to will and to act according to His good
purpose. When we have a relationship with God, the Holy Spirit
will naturally produce the good spiritual fruit as described in
Galatians 5:22-23: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
 God is eager to receive us back. The owner would be satisfied with a little fruit,
not holding it against the fig tree that it didn’t produce fruit in the past.