The Barren Tree

Introduction

Luke 13:6–9 ESV

6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”

Several Layers of meaning:

Barren trees are worthless

Fig trees

3-5 years to bear fruit

Leviticus, 1st three years, no eating

4th year belongs to LORD, no eating

Greek, tree was in garden being watched

judgement —Cut it down, cut it out; it’s using up the ground

grace/mercy—Let it alone, dig around it; preparing soil

Israel is the barren tree

OT prophets sometimes addressed Israel—the people, not the land/government—using the metaphor of a vine or tree.

Israel continually rejected God’s plans for righteousness and justice. He was letting them know that judgment was coming

Grace and time had been given to them time and again but they continued to rebel.

The gardener pleaded for more time—another year—for fruitfulness, tending to the soil and roots.

Jesus taught of the kingdom some 3-4 years, then they had another 40 or so years before the physical temple was destroyed.

Micah 7:1 ESV

Woe is me! For I have become as when the summer fruit has been gathered, as when the grapes have been gleaned: there is no cluster to eat, no first-ripe fig that my soul desires.

Isaiah 5:1–7 ESV

Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!

Isaiah 65:8 ESV

Thus says the Lord: “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and they say, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,’ so I will do for my servants’ sake, and not destroy them all.

Leviticus 19:23 ESV

“When you come into the land and plant any kind of tree for food, then you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden to you; it must not be eaten.

We could be the barren tree

Jesus used the OT vine/tree metaphor, applying it to NT believers as well

John 15:1–5 ESV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Conclusion

The over—arching message is that believers are to be fruit—bearing people. Those who do not bear fruit run the risk of being cut out.

Open—ended parable. We do not know if the tree bore fruit or was cut down. We are left with a cliffhanger.

Much like the parable, our story is open—ended. What will we do?