Faith and Fruit, the Parable of the Fig Tree

Luke 13:6-9 – Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, ‘For three years now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue to deplete the soil?’ But the worker answered him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer on it. Then if it bears fruit next year, very well, but if not, you can cut it down.'”

Why a Fig Tree?

What is the significance of the fig tree anyways? Yeah, I don’t know either. How about a symbol of physical and spiritual health?

Hosea 9:10 – When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the wilderness. I viewed your ancestors like an early fig on a fig tree in its first season. Then they came to Baal-Peor and they dedicated themselves to shame – they became as detestable as what they loved.

1 Kings 4:25 (ESV) And Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan even to Beersheba, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, all the days of Solomon.

Strength, health, security, prosperous times, all related to the fig tree. But let’s dive a little deeper…

According to the Islamic Post, figs have healing properties such as against asthma, bronchitis, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure… the list goes on! It was even said by an ancient herbalist named Galen that if consumed with walnuts and rue before taking a fatal poison, they would preserve against its noxious effects! So, evidently, they help the kidneys filter toxins from the body as well.

This is not unlike the church. We are to be the salt of the earth, the light in the darkness. We are to heal the sick, be the preachers of the Gospel. We are not the cleansers of the souls, rather we are the ones to lead them to the one who cleanses. The fig trees stand among the corrupted and helpless other demon trees. Like sweet gum trees. Sweet gum trees are demon trees. Strictly an opinion of the author.

Now that we know…

Ok, so now we know a fig tree is almost in a sense a symbol of something revered, something almost of a sort of status so to speak. I think we may know why the fig tree was used.

Jesus was talking to Israel and about us – the generation of the New Testament church, and the growth of the church. Obviously, the New Testament church wasn’t even a thing when Jesus was walking the earth, that didn’t happen until Acts chapter 2. But when Acts 2 did happen, that was merely the baby church.

I know, I know. There are plenty of arguments that say that they had way more faith than we do today, I’m not here to pick sides on that one. What I am talking about is the fulfillment of the church on this planet, or at least in God’s eyes, which are the only eyes that really matter.

About the Parable

It can be easy to determine this parable, for the most part anyways. If we don’t use what we have – our resources, our life – for God’s plan, then He will smite us. If we don’t surrender to His will, we will get smitten. (Get smited? Be smote? Smoten?) We will perish. In other words, bear fruit. As Paul stated, to show our faith by our works. So, looking past the obvious, let us take a look at the timing of this parable.

Jesus always had an intent – he was very intentional with his words, and with his actions. He is the Word after all.

It’s like when my brother and I were in business together as electrical contractors. We would explain to our employees that you have to do everything on purpose. That way, you are thinking about what you are doing, considering the effects of what you are doing, doing it safely, and doing it right.

Do it on purpose – like you mean it. So when Jesus would say something, you could take it to the bank that there was meaning behind it, without any shadow of any doubt.

We also have to take a look at the preceding verses. What was being discussed? In chapter 12, Jesus talks about a lot of things, but with one seemingly constant theme. He talks about how blessed the slave is whose master finds him alert, how happy the master is to come home and find his slave working. That Jesus did not come to bring peace and harmony rather great division. Also, the fact that they trust in science so they think they have it all figured out. Wait, what…. Science???

Define science

According to Merriam-Webster, basically it’s a systematized knowledge of something, or my favorite definition – “knowledge or a system of knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws especially as obtained and tested through the scientific method”. Basics of the scientific method? Test, observe, record.

Luke 12:54-56 Jesus also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A rainstorm is coming,’ and it does. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and there is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how to interpret the present time?

He then goes on from science to say – You can’t even judge the things that are good! Not at all saying science is bad, but you have to ask yourself – what is your focus and intention behind the science? Moving in to chapter 13 Jesus asks if since a few Galileans were killed by Pilate it was because of their sin? Or that because a tower just happened to fall on 18 people? Was it perhaps because they were cursed?

He said, nope! For everyone will die if they don’t repent. Obviously, we will all die (except those that will simply be transformed). He is speaking of spiritual death, or more literally an eternal separation from Creator God.

Be workers, be useful

With all that said, Jesus uses this parable to shed light on what He was talking about. You have a tree that is not producing fruit, a master that wants to get rid of it. Kinda like how some of us feel about our wives from time to time. That’s a joke. Really! Geez…

So anyways, when Jesus was speaking about the two tragedies in verses 1-5, what did he say after each one? 13:3 and 13:5 are identical: “No, I tell you! But unless you repent, you will all perish as well!” He is telling us that hey, bad things are going to happen. Check out our post about the Tree of Knowledge which may shed some light on the difference between physical and spiritual death.

In the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5:45), Jesus tells us to be “more like [our] Father in heaven, since He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Both good and bad is going to happen to everyone – saved or not, God’s children or spawns of Satan.

The Gardner

So, who is the gardener? Well, if we are the fig trees, which we are, then who is it that is so concerned that he would attempt to make extra efforts to save the tree? You guessed it – Our Savior King, Jesus!

From a human perspective, born in sin and inherently evil, what our flesh knows (or at least sees) is God’s wrath. He is ready to wipe us out any chance He gets. After all, it was grieved in His heart that He created man!

So now you have this gardener tell the land owner, ‘Wait, I got this. I am going to create a hedge of protection around them, nurture them, and cover them with Our Spirit.’ He made a way to come down, show His Truth by His Word, and be the sacrifice that in itself is the ONLY way we can be saved from our impending destruction – the propitiation for our sins. Then, fill us with His Holy Spirit that empowers us with knowledge, discernment, healing, wisdom…. I think you get the idea. But there is one thing we must do – repent and believe!

Conclusion

Repent or perish. Stop looking so hard at what is going on with you in your life. Are you Blessing God regardless? Are you giving Him praises in bad times? It’s easy to during good times.

The good and bad that happens to us is not a reflection of where we are in Christ. What defines where we are in Christ is our worship and focus on Him during ALL times. We have to set ourselves to the side and make way for the focus and attention to be made on Him. Above all, to repeat myself and as scripture instructs us, repent and believe!