Time Is Limted

We live on a world today of soft ethics and soft theology.

People don’t want to hear the truth thy want to hear their comfortable version of the truth.

This is the main reason why the people hated Jesus, He spoke the truth that made people uncomfortable.

Here in the beginning of 13 Jesus preaches about the necessity for Repentance.

The Need for Repentance (vv 1-5)

Here Jesus is asked about a massacre that took place at the temple where Pilate ordered the execution of Galilean pilgrims in the temple and their blood got mixed with the blood of the lamb sacrifice.

During this time and during the OT people believed in retribution theology.

Victims of calamities and misfortunes were guilty of extraordinary sins that they had kept hidden.

John 9:1–2 (ESV)

1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

This was an attractive way to think about life for those who had been spared adversity.

Their goodness, their moral Superiority had spared them.

Jesus refused to play their game.

Instead he answered with the ruthless truth, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?

I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (vv. 2, 3).

Jesus was not denying that sin sometimes brings tragedy, because it does.

But he flatly refused the idea that all tragedy is due to the sins of its victims.

Jesus settled the issue—not all tragedy or crisis is due to one’s own sins.

Repentance Must Have Evidence (vv 6-9)

The parable rests on three symbolisms not readily apparent to the pre-cross crowd of onlookers (who only understood it as a challenge to bear spiritual fruit or be judged).

The symbols became apparent to the apostolic church after the death and resurrection of Christ.

The fig tree represents Israel, as it sometimes did in the Old Testament (cf. Jeremiah 24:1–10; Hosea 9:10; Micah 7:1).

Jesus’ hearers, and us by virtue of our desire to follow him, were to examine themselves through the metaphor of the fig tree.

The owner is emblematic of God the Father, and the caretaker represents Christ.

They are in concert, but, without interrupting their harmony, the owner argues from the logic of righteousness, while the caretaker reasons from the logic of mercy.