The Parable Of The Barren Fig Tree – Luke 13:6-9

by Chris Simmons

We read in Luke 13:6-9, “And He began telling this parable: ‘A certain man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it, and did not find any. And he said to the vineyard-keeper, “Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?” And he answered and said to him, “Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.”’”

The context of this parable in Luke chapter 13

In Luke 13:1-5, we read that some reported to Jesus about some “Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.” As a whole, the Galileans were notoriously wicked and were known for the tumults and uprisings they caused, according to historians such as Josephus. As far as the historical context is concerned, it is also noted that at this time, Pilate and Herod (who had jurisdiction over the Galileans) were at odds with each other (Luke 23:12). It is reasonable to conclude that Pilate would have some hostility towards Herod’s subjects. It is also likely that some Galileans had incited some trouble in the temple while sacrifices were being offered and Pilate responded by having his soldiers attack and slay them; thus their blood being “mingled with their sacrifices.” It is news of this recent event that those in attendance that day reported to Jesus.

Whether from other words they had spoken to Jesus or simply because He knew their hearts, Jesus’ response indicates that those who asked had “supposed” that these events happened to the Galileans because they were such wicked people as just punishment for their sins. In His reply, Jesus also noted another catastrophe in which eighteen people were killed when the tower in Siloam fell and asked if those in the audience thought that tragedy happened because of their great sin. To both situations Jesus answers “no” – that what happened to them was not because of their sin. And twice, Jesus turns the focus back on those who asked by saying to them “but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” The parable that followed was therefore for the purpose of getting those Jews who asked the question to focus on their own spiritual condition before God. It is to be our purpose in studying this parable to turn our attention to our own spiritual condition before God.

A brief history of fig trees in the Bible

Jesus used as the foundation of this parable something all Jews were very familiar with. Figs were an important part of the diet of the Jews and fig trees were prominent in the promised land from the time they spied out the land (Numbers 13:23). They are one of the reasons the promised land was described as a prosperous and “good land.” (Deuteronomy 8:7-9).

The fig tree therefore came to symbolize peace and security within the land that God had blessed them with (I Kings 4:25; II Kings 18:31) and was even used prophetically in reference to the time of the Messianic kingdom (Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10). On the other hand, the Old Testament prophets used the depiction of a fig tree lacking figs to represent apostate conditions worthy of God’s divine judgment (Jeremiah 8:13; Habakkuk 3:16-18).

Key principles of the parable of the barren fig tree

Repentance – Jesus was focusing on the need for man to repent in order to be pleasing to God. Luke 13:3 is often cited as a key passage in the discussion on the topic of repentance. We need to appreciate the context in which it was spoken. Another key point of this parable is that of God’s patience, but it is Peter who ties these two points together in II Peter 3:9 where he wrote, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (cf. II Peter 3:15).

Bearing fruit – The application to the Jews of that day was that if they didn’t respond to the Lord’s message, the opportunity would be given to another to bear fruit (Matthew 21:43). The fruit they were to bear began with repentance (Matthew 3:8). The application for us is that God expects each of us to “bear fruit” in our lives (John 15:16; Romans 7:4) which is born out of our relationship with His Son (John 15:4-5) and His word (Luke 8:15). God expects some return from us as stewards of His blessings (cf. Matthew 25:14ff) which requires that we work for His sake (Colossians 1:10). There is much fruit to bear in our lives which includes “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

God’s patience – In this parable, the vinedresser who is represented by Jesus, asks the land owner to allow more time for the tree to produce fruit. Jesus’ mission was not to bring judgment upon man but to provide both the teaching and the sacrifice that would allow man to once again bear fruit. Jesus said in Luke 5:31-32, “‘It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.’” We must not take “lightly” God’s patience (Romans 2:4) and appreciate the time God has given to us to make things right with Him. That is why Peter exhorts us to “regard the patience of our Lord as salvation” (II Peter 3:15).

Accountability – Jesus referenced some time in the future when there would be a reckoning as to whether the tree produced any fruit or not. As some point, God will exercise judgment upon those who bear no fruit. We read of Jesus commenting about an individual fig tree in Matthew 21:19 where the writer says about Jesus, “seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, ‘No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.’ And at once the fig tree withered.” Both John and Jesus taught in Matthew 3:10-11 and 7:19 that “every tree … that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” God will “settle accounts” with each one of us and we will be held accountable for the fruit that we should have produced (Matthew 25:19ff). God has done everything possible to enable us to be productive (Isaiah 5:4; Romans 8:31-32) and He expects us to produce good fruit (Isaiah 5:2). God will exercise judgment upon those who fail to produce (Isaiah 5:5-6).

The fact is, we all bear some kind of fruit in our lives and we will be known by what our fruit is. So, if we wish to be approved by God, we need to focus on making the tree what it needs to be. Matthew 12:33, “either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.”