Luke 13:6

Luk_13:6-9

A certain man had a fig-tree

The barren fig-tree

I.

THE FAVOURABLE POSITION IN WHICH THIS TREE WAS PLACED. In a vineyard; not on some neglected waste-ground. Under culture and care. This is the condition of those favoured with the privileges and blessings of the gospel dispensation. This is especially the condition of those who are members of the Christian Church.

1. Who have been professedly brought out of the world into the Church.

2. Who are favoured with the spiritual means and ordinances of the gospel.

3. Who are the subjects of the especial and rich promises of the new covenant.

4. Unto whom the graces and blessed influences of the Holy Spirit are freely imparted.

5. Who are the objects of the Divine care and complacency. We are directed--

II. To THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE PROPRIETOR. He came seeking fruit (Luk_13:6). This expectation was reasonable. God expected this from the Jews. He required them to be more wise, and holy, and obedient, than the heathen who surrounded them. God requires this from all favoured with the privileges and blessings of the gospel economy. He particularly requires and expects it from His own professing people--the members of His Church. He expects--

1. Their hearts to yield the fruits of holy graces.

2. Their lips to yield the fruit of thanksgiving and praise.

3. The fruits of obedience in the life.

4. The fruits of usefulness, by the employment of their powers and talents in His service.

III. THE PROPRIETORS DISAPPOINTMENT.

IV. THE COMMAND THE PROPRIETOR ISSUES. Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? (Luk_13:7).

1. This sentence was not a hasty one. There had been three years care, and labour, and forbearance. God exercised His great long-suffering towards the Jews. So to men in general. So to fruitless professors in the Church. To all God manifests patient and enduring forbearance.

2. A sufficient reason is assigned for the order given. Why cumbereth it the ground? It was worthless in itself. It occupied precious ground. It took up the nutritive portions of the soil, that useful fruitful trees required.

V. THE REQUEST THE VINE-DRESSER PRESENTS. He said, Lord, let it alone this year also, etc. (Luk_13:8). He denies not the allegations of the owner. He vindicates not the final continuance of the tree. But he entreats--

1. For a short period of suspense of the sentence. One year. One year only! One round of the seasons. One years showers and sunshine.

2. He engages to give it special attention. I will dig about it, and dung it (Luk_13:8). I will try and search out the cause, and use all reasonable means to remedy it. He further adds--

3. His willingness then to obey the order of the proprietor. This is not only implied, but directly stated. If it bear fruit, well--well for the tree, the proprietor, and the vine-dresser; And if not, then thou shalt cut it down (Luk_13:9). This pleading for the cumberer has often been verified in the prayers of the parent, the friend, the minister; but it is true in the highest and best sense of the Lord Jesus. He ever lives to intercede. (J. Burns, D. D.)

The barren fig-tree

I. Notice THE SITUATION OF THE TREE, the place where it stands. It is in Gods vineyard, and our Lord tells us how it came there. The vineyard was not its natural situation. It did not spring up there, nor was it brought there by accident. God Himself had it planted there. An emblem, brethren, of our situation at this hour, and of the way in which we came into it.

II. See next WHAT IS EXPECTED FROM THIS TREE. Is it that it shall take root and grow where it is planted, and receive the showers of heaven as they fall on it? We may say, Yes; but God says, No, this will not satisfy Me; what I want of it is fruit--not wide-spreading branches and luxuriant foliage; the wild fig-tree of the desert will give me these. I must have of that tree something answering to the situation in which I have placed it, and to the care and pains I have bestowed on it. I come to it seeking fruit. And what is this fruit? It is not those things which some of us perhaps have now in our minds, the social and moral virtues, charity, honesty, and such like. These are all good in their way, but these are fruits of natures growth. The wild fig-tree will produce them. The heathen and idolater will bring them forth. The tree our Lord speaks of is a tree in a vineyard, a planted and cultivated tree, and something more than fruit of this common kind is expected from it. God wants fruit from us corresponding to the privileges He has bestowed upon us; not only more fruit than any heathen could render Him, but fruit of another kind-Christian fruit, such fruit as nothing but the gospel of Christ can produce, and none but men planted in His Church, and brought under the influence of that gospel, ever yielded Him.

III. And now go on to another point in the parable--THE SCRUTINY THIS FIG-TREE DRAWS ON ITSELF. Observe, the owner of the vineyard does not forget the tree when he has planted it, nor does he sit at home waiting for his servants to bring him the produce of it when there is any; he is described as coming again and again into his vineyard, and going up to this tree and examining it. He came and sought fruit thereon; he was anxious about the matter, anxious, not only to gather the fruit if he could find any, but also not to overlook it if there should be some. None watch us like God. We do not see Him as He stands by our side; the great Observer of us is invisible and His scrutiny a silent one; we think no more of Him perhaps than a tree in our garden thinks of us as we walk by it; but He marks every one of us every hour with the most searching attention. He listens to our words, He acquaints Himself with our doings.

IV. Observe THE MARVELLOUS PATIENCE OF GOD WITH THIS UNFRUITFUL TREE. Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none. There is surprise, you observe, expressed in this language; surprise, it may be, at the unfruitfulness of such a tree in such a place; but still more, it is surprise at Gods patience towards Him, that these words seem chiefly to express. The Lord speaks in them as though He Himself were wondering at His own patience.

V. But mark THE DISPLEASURE EXPRESSED AT LAST AGAINST THIS UNFRUITFUL TREE. It is a displeasure which has long been kept under. It comes upon us after long forbearance with us. It is something which has triumphed over great love and great patience; not the flowing of a stream that has always had a free course, moving along in an unobstructed channel, it is a river bursting through harriers which have long damned it up, and pouring forth its accumulated waters in a desolating heap. Look here. The patient owner of this tree becomes all at once determined on its destruction. For three years he goes up to it, searching among its leaves for fruit; he comes away disappointed, but yet silent. There is no blaming of the tree, no complaining of it. The people in the vineyard, who have witnessed all this, may have ceased to notice it, or if they still notice it, they may say, That tree is safe. Unfruitful as it is, for some strange reason our master loves it, and so well does he love it that he will never remove it.

But all at once comes the command, Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And what follows? Is the tree at once levelled? No; for notice--

VI. THE INTERCESSION MADE FOR IT. The dresser of the vineyard answering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it and dung it; and if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. Here, doubtless, a heavenly scene is laid open to us. There is but one Mediator who can interpose effectually between God and man. Ministers, parents, and friends, may say concerning this or that sinner, Lord, let him alone; but Christ is not thinking here of any of these. He has Himself in His thoughts; He is anticipating His employment at His Fathers right hand whither He is going. He is the vinedresser who pleads for this worthless tree to save it from destruction. And how natural and touching are the terms in which His intercession is made! Not one word does He utter against this barren tree. Not one word does He say of all the labour He has bestowed upon it. With a wonderful pity and condescension, He seems to trace its long unfruitfulness to His own neglect. Lord, let it alone. The fault may be mine. I have not done for it all I might. Henceforth I will do more. It shall become the special object of My labour and care. And then comes in these words a glance at all the glorious consequences that would follow. If it bear fruit, well, our translators say, but there is no word answering to well in the original. Our Lord does not say what would follow the fruitfulness of this tree. He breaks off as though He could not say. It seems as though all the glory and delight resulting to His Father and Himself from a sinners salvation had rushed into His mind and silenced Him. If it bear fruit--O, the happiness for that poor sinner, and O, the unutterable joy for Thee and Me! But, mark you, it is only a year that the Intercessor asks for this tree, one year, a limited season. After that, He says, He will interpose no longer; and more--He will acquiesce in the sentence of its destruction; Thou shalt cut it down. I know not, brethren, how this language may strike some of you, but there seems to me something very fearful in it. Who is it that promises here to acquiesce after a little in the entire destruction of every unfruitful hearer of Gods truth among us? It is none other than He who has shed His hearts blood for our salvation, and who has all our life long been pleading that we may be spared. It is painful to have a kind earthly friend give us up, but to be given up, and given up to certain destruction, by the blessed Jesus, the kindest of all friends, One who bears with and loves us as none but Himself can bear and love--think what we will of it, there is something appalling in this. It is like a father who has cherished fondly a son, a worthless son, while all around have been calling out for justice on him--it is like that fathers being at last forced to say, I can hold out no longer. I can do no more. Let justice have him. (C. Bradley, M. A.)

The parable of the barren fig-tree

I. FROM THE SCOPE OF THE PARABLE WE MAY NOTE--

1. That temporal judgments inflicted on some should excite others to fear Gods Divine wrath and vengeance.

2. No person ought to be rash to censure others on whom temporal judgments befall: there is no knowing either love or hatred by anything that is under the sun.

II. EXPLAIN THE TERMS.

1. By a certain man, is meant the great God.

2. By vineyard is meant the Church of God.

(1) The Church is taken out of the field of this world.

(2) Walled or fenced in.

(a) Defended by special providences, etc.

(b) By holy angels.

3. But why does our Lord compare professors of religion to fig-trees?

(1) He may allude to the practice of those who had vineyards in the land of Canaan, in which they frequently planted not only vines, but fig-trees.

(2) It may be because a fig-tree that brings forth good figs requires much heat of the sun. So professors of Christianity cannot thrive so as to bring forth good fruit, but under the Divine and warm influences of the Sun of Righteousness, and the blessed gospel of Gods grace.

(3) Because no tree is commonly more fruitful than the fig-tree.

(4) A fig-tree bears choice fruit.

(5) Fig-trees bear fruit all the year (see Jer_17:7; Psa_92:12-14).

(6) There are some barren fig-trees; they are not of the right kind, but seem a bastard sort of plants. So some professors, who, though they are planted in Christs vineyard, yet are barren or fruitless; they are not true believers, but mere counterfeits, professors, that have the name of spiritual fig-trees, but not the nature.

4. Came and sought fruit thereon.

(1) God takes notice of every particular person that is planted in His vineyard.

(2) God expects fruit from each.

(3) If there be but one member in the Church that is fruitless, God will soon find him out.

5. By three years, I understand to be meant that time God is pleased to afford to a people, a certain time being here mentioned to denote an uncertain.

(1) The first year may denote the beginning of the means of grace, which God affords to men.

(2) The second year, the proper time that fig-trees bear fruit, if not the first year, then it is expected that it brings forth fruit the second.

(3) Or it may imply that God expects sinners should bring forth quickly after they sit under the means of grace.

(4) Moreover, it may denote that the means of grace may not be of long continuance.

(5) Also it may signify Gods patience.

6. Cut it down, &c. God will not always bear with fruitless professors.

(1) God may direct His speech to His Church, and to the subordinate vinedressers. Cut it down by excommunication.

(2) Or God may speak to Jesus Christ. Smite his root, let him wither.

(3) Give him up to his own hearts lust.

(4) Leave him to delusions.

(5) Death.

Inferences:

1. Let such as are planted in Gods vineyard tremble if not fruitful in grace. The Church will be no sanctuary to such.

2. Some who are in Christs vineyard were never planted there by God.

3. Men may have leaves, and even the appearance of fruit, and may seem to grow and flourish for a time, yet, nevertheless, may not bring forth the true and saving fruits of the Spirit.

4. The barren soul shall not stand long in Gods vineyard.

7. The reason why this barren fig-tree is cut down.

(1) It is good for nothing.

(2) Another tree might grow where it stands.

(a) Barren professors cumber poor ministers by their cross and peevish spirits.

(b) They cumber the spirits of their pious parents.

(c) They cumber the minds of serious Christians, members of the same Church, who are ashamed to hear of their pride, passion, idleness, &c.

(d) They are a sad incumbrance to the whole vineyard.

(e) They are cumbersome to God Himself (Isa_1:14).

(f) They grieve and afflict the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(g) They grieve the Holy Spirit.

8. Let it alone this year also.

(1) Barren souls are spared through Christs prayer and intercession.

(2) God is slow to anger, unwilling immediately to cut down unfruitful professors.

9. Why does Christ intercede for sinners?

(1) Because He died for them.

(2) Because He ever lives to make intercession with the Father.

(3) Because He knows that if He interceded not, no sinner could live a moment longer. (B. Keach.)

The fig-tree spared another year

I. OF THOSE WHO HAVE A PLACE IN THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, SOME ARE BUT BARREN PROFESSORS. Even among the twelve there was a traitor; and Christ has forewarned us that there will always be hypocrites mingled with His people. By the barren fig-tree, however, is meant, not only the plausible hypocrite, but all merely nominal Christians; all who, having the means of grace, do not improve them. Yes, my brethren, all of you are included, who, while you attend in this house of God; while you bend the knee before Him; while, sabbath after sabbath, you hear the gospel-sound, listen to its warnings, its invitations, its free and gracious promises; to whom, monthly, are offered the sacramental pledges of redeeming love: still continue far from the kingdom of God; by your life and conversation show, that you are none the better for the opportunities you enjoy; still live in indulged sin, or, at least, bring forth no fruit to the glory of God; are still careless, irreligious, worldly, vain.

II. THE BARREN PROFESSOR CANNOT ESCAPE THE SEARCHING EYE OF GOD. He sees the heart and inmost thoughts. He cannot, and will not, be mocked.

III. GOD EXPECTS FRUIT FROM US. And justly so.

1. Ask yourselves, then, brethren, do you bear fruit answering to your profession of repentance? Are you risen from an unconverted state, and walking in newness of life?

2. Do you bear fruit answerable to your profession of faith? You profess to believe in Him who has bought you with His blood. Are you living no more to yourselves, but to Him who died for you?

3. Is the fruit you bear suitable to the opportunities and means of grace which you enjoy? Highly are you favoured, brethren; you are members of a pure Church; you assemble to a pure form of worship. The Word of God, the sacraments are yours; to you is the gospel preached. Might not the Lord of the vineyard have laid the axe to the root? Why is it thou art spared? Because God is patient long suffering, merciful, and He would have thee repent.

IV. OBSERVE THAT IN JUDGMENT GOD REMEMBERS MERCY. Well might justice say, Cut it down. But there is an Advocate in heaven. Behold One interceding at Gods right hand: Let it alone this year Also, till I shall dig about it and dung it: and if it bear fruit, well. Blessed be God, for us mercy hath rejoiced against judgment. We are yet spared; and to what end hath Christ Jesus been thus long-suffering? It is that He may show yet richer goodness; that He may try more abundant means. Let it alone, till I shall dig about it, and dung it. And if it bear fruit, well. All care and pains will have been well bestowed, if, after all, the sinner bear fruit to God. Gods mercy will be magnified; His grace exalted.

V. And now, lastly, OBSERVE THE SURE DOOM OF THOSE WHO CONTINUE STILL UNFRUITFUL:--If not (if the tree then bear no fruit), then after that thou shalt cut it down. It is, then, possible to weary out the patience of God Himself. It is possible, by a hard and impenitent heart, to let the day of grace go by. There may, there will come a time, when mercy shall cease to plead, and leave room for judgment only; when Christ Himself will give up His intercession. O, awful state I when the Saviour Himself withdraws; when His Spirit, grieved, resisted, quenched, finally quits the stony heart. Then follows death-like insensibility--a fearful apathy to all spiritual things, or, it may be, a daily growth in all iniquity, till at length the sinners cup is full. (E. Blencowe, M. A.)

The barren fig-tree

I. THE PLANTATION OF THE FIG-TREE.

1. This certain man denotes God. To Him everything belongs. The earth is His, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. But the Church is peculiarly His, as it is called by His name, and formed to show forth His praise.

2. But who is intended by the fig-tree? It cannot be a real Christian. All the truly regenerate are fruitful. They are not equally, but they are really, fruitful. The character here intended is a man placed in the external and visible Church, and enjoying all the privileges of such a favoured situation. It was once the highly favoured Jew. It is now the highly favoured Christian, blessed with all the religious advantages of Judaism, multiplied, improved, perfected: it is now the highly favoured Briton, born not only in a land of freedom and science, but of gospel grace. It is thou who wast brought up in a godly family, and favoured with the prayers, the instructions, the examples, the tears, of pious parents. It is thou who hast a name and a place in His sanctuary, from Sabbath to Sabbath, where thine eyes see thy teachers: and thy ears hear a voice behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left.

II. THE COMPLAINT OF THE PROPRIETOR.

1. His observation.

2. His disappointment.

3. His patience. These three years. Why did He not complain the first year? Why did He not destroy it the second year? Why does He bear with it to the end of the third? Why?--To teach us-that judgment is His strange work--that He delighteth in mercy; that He waiteth to be gracious; that He is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

III. THE SENTENCE OF DESTRUCTION--Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? Here we see--

1. That they who derive no benefit from the means of grace are detrimental.

2. Unprofitableness under the means of grace is exceedingly provoking to the Most High. And can we wonder at this when we consider what a waste it is of time; what an abuse it is of privilege; what a contempt it is of the Divine goodness; what a disregard it is of the soul and eternity I Sin is to be estimated not by its grossness, but its guilt. And what aggravates guilt? The light we possess; the obligations we are under; the restraints we break through.

3. God possesses justice as well as mercy; and though He bears long, He will not bear always. Sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily; and, as the consequence, the heart of the sons of men is often fully set in them to do evil. But how absurd, as well as dangerous, is such perverse reasoning! Is forbearance forgiveness? No.

IV. THE INTERCESSION OF THE VINE-DRESSER.

1. He pleads for the suspension of the stroke. Let it alone this year also. Thou hast borne with it long, I own, already; oh! bear with it a little longer. And why is He so desirous of sparing the sinner a little longer in this world? Because, in order to our having the grace of repentance, it is necessary that we should have space for repentance: because while there is life there is hope; but when once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, opportunity is over, importunity vain.

2. He engages to use additional means to produce fertility--Till I dig about it, and dung it. The Word shall be preached with more fervour than before. The minister shall be particular in describing his case, in alarming his fears. Friends shall warn, admonish, invite. Conscience shall awake and reprove. Disappointments shall show him the vanity of the world. Sickness shall invade his frame. Death shall enter his family, and smite a connection by his side. The day in which he lives shall be dark and cloudy. He shall hear of distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; mens hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And can he retain his ungodliness through such a year as this?

3. Here is the supposition of future produce. If it bear fruit, well. Well for the owner (Joh_15:8). Well for the vine-dresser, as his labours will be rewarded. Well for the vineyard; it will be adorned, enriched, and replenished. Well for the tree itself, as it will escape the punishment of barrenness, and obtain the blessing of fruitfulness.

4. Here is the doom of final impenitence. Even the patience of the Saviour may be exhausted. (W. Jay.)

Judgment threatening, but mercy sparing

I. To all unprofitable, untruthful sinners, we utter this hard, but needful sentence: TO CUT YOU DOWN WOULD BE MOST REASONABLE. It is right and reasonable to fell barren trees, and it is just as right and reasonable that you should be cut down.

1. This will appear in the first place, if we reflect that this is the shortest and the surest way to deal with you; it will cost the least trouble, and be most certainly effectual in removing you from the place to which you are an injury rather than a benefit.

2. Another reason makes the argument for judgment very powerful, namely, that sufficient space for repentance has already been given.

3. Sinner, I argue thy case somewhat harshly, thou thinkest. All this while there has been no sign of improvement whatever in thee.

4. But there are other reasons why Cut it down is most reasonable, when we consider the owner and the other trees.

(1) First of all, here is a tree which brings forth no fruit whatever, and therefore is of no service. It is like money badly invested, bringing in no interest; it is a dead loss to the owner. What is the use of keeping it? The dead tree is neither use nor ornament; it can yield no service and afford no pleasure. Cut it down by all manner of means. And even so with thee, sinner; what is the use of thee?

(2) But there is a worse consideration, namely, that all this while you have been filling up a space which somebody might have been filling to the glory of God. Where that barren tree stands there might have been a tree loaded with fruit.

(3) Moreover, and to make bad worse even to the worst degree, all this while ungodly men are spreading an evil influence.

II. Our second most solemn work is to remind thee, O impenitent sinner, that FOR GOD TO HAVE SPARED YOU SO LONG IS A VERY WONDERFUL THING. That the infinitely just and holy God should have spared you, unconverted man, unconverted woman, up till now, is no small thing, but a matter for adoring wonder.

1. Let me show you this. Consider, negatively, God is not sparing you because He is insensible towards your sins: He is angry with the wicked every day.

2. It is not because the offence is at a distance, and therefore far from His observant eye.

3. Mark, sinner, He has spared you not because He was unable to have destroyed you. He might have bidden the tiles fall from the roof, or the fever might have smitten you in the street; the air might have refused to heave your lungs, or the blood might have ceased its circulation in your veins. The gates to death are many. The quiver of judgment is full of sharp arrows. The Lord has but to will it, and your soul is required of you. You will be no more missed than one sere leaf is missed in a forest, or one dewdrop in a thousand leagues of grass. Judgment needs but a word to work its utmost vengeance, and withal you are so provoking that the marvel is that Divine severity has spared you so long. Admire and wonder at this longsuffering.

4. Remember that this wonder is increased, when you think of the fruit He deserved to have had of you. A God so good and so gracious ought to have been loved by you.

5. And ah, my hearers! I have to touch upon a very solemn part of the business now, when I notice again that some, perhaps, here present have been guilty of very God-provoking sins. Shall God be always provoked? Shall mercy be preached to you for ever in vain? It is a marvel, it is a wonder that these God-provoking sins have so long been borne with, and that you are not yet cut down.

III. And now, WHAT IS THE REASON FOR ALL THIS LONGSUFFERING? Why is it that this cumber-ground tree has not been cut down? The answer is, because there is One who pleads for sinners. But what has been the secret cause that you have been kept alive? The answer is, Jesus Christ has pleaded for you, the crucified Saviour has interfered for you. And you ask me Why? I answer, because Jesus Christ has an interest in you all. (C. H.Spurgeon.)

Lessons from the fig-tree

1. This parable cuts up all pleas of negative goodness. Unproductiveness is decidedly criminal.

2. This parable calls on you to examine yourselves, whether you be barren or fruitful; and to follow out the result aright, whatever it may be.

3. This parable calls on us all to be thankful to the Lord for sparing us hitherto. It gives this call to us without exception, and especially if any of us have been spared in the time of great danger, restored from severe sickness.

4. Let none of us so abuse Gods sparing mercy as to presume on it for the future; but let us all improve the present season without delay, and hold ourselves in constant readiness for death. (James Foote, M. A.)

The barren fig-tree

The principles underlying this parable are, briefly, these: That much will be required of those to whom much has been given; that, if those to whom much has been given fail to meet that which is required of them, sentence of destruction will be pronounced against them; and that, though the execution of this sentence may be deferred at the intercession of Christ, it will certainly be carried out if there be no repentance and amendment manifested.

I. GOD HAS PLACED US IN THE MOST FAVOURABLE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR THE BRINGING FORTH OF FRUIT. The privileges of the Jews were small in comparison with those which we enjoy. They had the prophets; we have the Son of God. Let us never forget that responsibility is proportional to privilege.

II. GOD EXPECTS EXCEPTIONAL FRUIT FROM A TREE ON WHICH HE HAS BESTOWED SUCH EXCEPTIONAL ADVANTAGES. If we have so much more than others, we ought to be just so much better than they. The fruit in this case is that of character--what we are rather than what we do: what we do only in so far as that is the genuine outcome and spontaneous revelation of what we are. Righteousness, meekness, fidelity--in a word, moral excellence springing from our faith in Christ, and our devotion to Him--that is the fruit which God expects to find in us as the occupants of His vineyard.

III. GOD PRONOUNCES SENTENCE OF DESTRUCTION ON ALL WHO, HAVING HAD SUCH PRIVILEGES, BRING FORTH NO FRUIT (see Joh_15:6;Mat_7:19). The Jews are one example of this; the seven Churches in Asia are another. If we wish to secure permanent prosperity, we must remember that we can do so only by maintaining constant fruitfulness in works of faith and labours of love, and holiness of character. When these disappear, and barrenness sets in, then there will come the sentence, Cut it down.

IV. THIS SENTENCE, PRONOUNCED ON THE BARREN FIG-TREE, IS NOT AT ONCE CARRIED INTO EXECUTION. For all such respite as interposes, in any case, between evil desert and its immediate punishment, men are indebted to the intercession of Christ.

V. A RESPITE IS NOT A PARDON. Only a postponement. Take care not to regard Gods forbearance, which is meant to give space for repentance, as an actual manifestation of indifference, or approval. Guilt after such forbearance, and against it, will be greater than before. (W. M. Taylor, D. D.)

Of Christ seeking fruit, and finding none

Those who enjoy the means of fruitfulness should bring forth fruit; those who are planted in the Lords vineyard, and have a standing under the means of grace, should be fruitful. This is clear in the words, and indeed in every part of this parable.

1. They are planted in the vineyard for this purpose. That is the proper place for fruit-trees; another place than the vineyard would serve them, if they were not set there for fruit.

2. The Lord, who gives them place here, expects it. He is said to come and seek fruit (Luk_13:6-7). It is that which he has just cause to look for.

3. He heinously resents it when he finds no fruit, and expresses his resentment to the dresser of his vineyard. It is an abuse of his patience; the longer he bears with such barrenness the more it is abused. It is a provocation that he will not bear long with. After three years forbearance, he passes that severe sentence, cut it down.

4. It is an injury to the place where they stand. They cumber the ground, that is the reason of the sentence (Luk_13:7). It takes up that room which might be better employed; it sucks away that moisture which would make others fruitful; it overdrops the plants that are under it, hinders the spreading and fruitfulness of others. A better improvement might be made of the ground; it is a loss to the owner of the vineyard, when such a plant is suffered, καταργεῖ; which may signify the spending the heart of the ground to no purpose (Luk_13:7).

5. Those who have most tenderness for such, can have no ground to seek a long forbearance of this barrenness. The dresser of the vineyard will venture to beg no more forbearance than one year, after that he yields it up to excision (Luk_13:8-9).

6. All labours and pains, all care and culture, in digging about and dunging it, is lost upon it. Those whom the Lord employs to use all means for their improvement, have nothing left them in the issue, but occasion of sad complaint, that they have laboured in vain, spent their strength for nought Isa_49:4).

7. Such will certainly be ruined. Where fruit is not found, nothing can be expected but cutting down. The lord of the vineyard will not spare them, and the dressers of the vineyard will not longer intercede for them. All in a little while agree in that fatal conclusion, cut it down. All these, and each of them, make it evident, that those who are planted under the means of grace, are highly concerned to bring forth fruit. The most pertinent and profitable inquiry, for further clearing of this truth, will be, what fruits it is they should bring forth? What we are to understand by fruit, and that fruitfulness which is so much our duty? And of this I shall give you an account by the quality, quantity, and continuance of it. To these heads we may reduce those severals, whereby the Scriptures express to us what this fruit is.

I. FOR QUALITY. It must be good fruit. Grapes, not wild grapes.

1. Real. A show, an appearance of fruit will not suffice. If it be not real, it has not a metaphysical goodness, much less a moral or spiritual. The fig-tree in the gospel made some show of fruit; but Christ finding none upon it really, He cursed it, and it withered (Mat_21:19). It must not be like the apple of Sodom, which has nothing to commend it, but only a fair outside. Fair appearances may delude men, and pass for better fruit with them than that which is good indeed. But God is not, cannot be mocked; it is He that comes to seek fruit, and it is not the fairest shows will satisfy Him, it must be real.

2. It must be such as imports a change of the soul that brings it forth.

3. It must be distinguishing fruit; such as no trees can bring forth but those that are good, and such as will make their goodness apparent (Mat_7:16; Mat_7:20); such as may approve ye to God and your own consciences to be trees of righteousness, the planted of the Lord, and such as may make this known to men too, so far as by visible acts it may be known; such as may carry a conviction with them to the consciences of others, that you are indeed what you profess yourselves to be, such as will leave them no just exception against it (1Pe_3:16).

4. Seasonable. That it may be good fruit, it must be brought forth in due season (Psa_1:1-6.; Mat_21:41). The lord of the vineyard looks for fruit in his season (Mar_12:2; Luk_20:10). There is a season for everything (Ecc_3:1), and then, if ever, it is good.

5. Sound. A fair skin is not enough to commend fruit for good, if it be rotten within. And so is our fruit, if the inward temper and motions of the heart be not correspondent to the outward actions and expressions.

II. For the QUANTITY. It ought to be much (Joh_15:5; Joh_15:8). There should be--

1. A fulness of fruit. Those that enjoy the means, must not only bring forth fruit, but be fruitful; should bear abundance. Heart and life should be filled with it (Php_1:11).

2. A proportionableness to the means of fruitfulness, to the plenty and power of them. So much as will answer the care and pains is taken with them. If a man take more pains, and be at more charge in opening the roots of a tree, and dunging it, and pruning it, in fencing and watering it, and it bring forth less or no more fruit than another that has no such care and pains taken with it, it will scarce pass for a good, a fruitful tree. That is barren ground, which brings forth less, after all care and culture, than that which has less tillage.

3. An increase. Those who enjoy the means of fruitfulness, must grow more and more fruitful. The longer they stand in the vineyard, and continue under the means of grace, the more fruit they should bear. You expect not much of a tree the first year; but after it is of standing to bear, you expect that it should every year increase in fruitfulness, and bring forth more and more. So the Lord expects from us.

4. Variety. Their fruit must not only be much of some sort, but of every sort. They must not only abound in some kind of fruit, but must bring forth fruits of all kinds.

III. For CONTINUANCE. It must be lasting fruit. Of which in three particulars.

1. The fruit they bear must continue, It must not wither and come to nothing before the Lord of the vineyard come to reap it.

2. They must continue bearing fruit. The good ground did approve itself to be good, because it brought forth fruit with patience (Luk_8:15). They only are good and fruitful ground, who persevere and hold out in bearing fruit.

3. They must be bearing it always; not only semper, as a tree that fails not of fruit once a year, but ad semper, as if a tree should bear fruit all the year long.

Use 1. This leads us to take up a lamentation for the barrenness of the place, the unfruitfulness of the people of this land.

Use 2. For exhortation. If those that enjoy the means of fruitfulness ought to bring forth, then are you highly concerned to take notice of it as your duty, to be fruitful, and to comply with the Lord herein. (D. Clarkson, B. D.)

The parable of the fig-tree

I. Those whose lot it is to live within the pale of the visible Church, are a highly favoured people. Compared with the rest of mankind, they are like an enclosed field or garden, in the cultivating or adorning of which the proprietor lays out great pains and expense.

II. God requires, and has a right to expect, that those who are so highly favoured should bring forth fruits of a corresponding kind. It is the peculiarity of the gospel that privilege precedes duty, but it is always taken for granted that duty shall follow.

III. There is often great ground for lamentation and complaint, that those who are favoured by God, in point of privilege, fail in rendering Him homage. How many are there who despise the goodness, and long-suffering, and forbearance of God! How many are there who know not this the day of their merciful visitation!

IV. God is justly and sorely provoked by such conduct. Cut it down, says He, why cumbereth it the ground? What is the use of its remaining longer, but to fill up room in that garden on which I have bestowed so much pains, to intercept the light of the sun from the other trees that are bearing fruit, to draw away the sap from them?

V. God is pleased to spare unprofitable members of the Church, and to extend their day of grace, notwithstanding all their provocations. (T. McCrie, D. D.)

Bringing forth fruit

Every man is expected to be fruitful in some way or other; there is no situation in which a man cannot bring forth some good fruit. Servants may bring forth good fruit before their superiors. I heard, the other day, of a servant, a godly person, who wished to change her place. Has your master been unkind? Did he not give you wages enough? No; he gives more than I shall have elsewhere; but they are so wicked, I cant bear their ways. I would rather work harder, with less wages, than stay to see their evil doings. Dear brethren, I pray this for you--that God would teach you to hate sin wherever you see it, and that you would not jest at it, or wink at it. I wish to make you all good Christians under the influence of that grace that can alone make you wise to salvation. Masters, you may do much good. I once heard an anecdote of a poor servant maid. She went to live in a house, but after some time wanted to leave her place. She was recommended to stay, as they were religious people. Oh, said she, I will go to no such house as this again; for, while master and mistress pretend to be very pious when they are out, they are devils at home. Let me rather go where the righteous are a sneer, and where righteousness is utterly despised. I tell you that true righteousness creates heaven in mens houses; and where the fear of God is there is righteousness in every department, and it is the glory of the family circle.

(Rowland Hill, M. A.)

The figless fig-tree

In regard of God, we ought to be fruitful. First, for that He hath deserved it. Secondly, He seeks for it. Thirdly, and when He finds it, He counts Himself honoured and glorified by it. First, HE HATH

DESERVED FRUIT FROM US, in that He hath bought us at a dear rate from our vain conversation, to serve Him all our days in holiness and righteousness; He hath chosen us to be a peculiar people unto Himself, zealous of good works, and make choice of us before others, that we should be fruitful, and that our fruit should abide and abound. He hath made us His own workmanship, by the effectual calling of grace, and

created us to good works to walk in them. He hath planted us, hedged us about, manured, us, watered us with the sweet dews of His Word and gospel from heaven; trimmed us with His pruning hook of judgments and corrections. And what could He do more for us that He hath not done?

God hath set in hope, planted in hope, watered in hope, of some answerable return, and shall it be denied? or canst thou imagine that God hath took all this pains with thee, and bestowed all this cost upon thee, that thou shouldest bear green boughs or gay blossoms only? Secondly, HE

HATH SOUGHT IT OF US, as our text speaks. Now seeking implies divers things: First, an earnest desire to find the thing sought for, as Luke

Mat_13:45. Such an earnest desire hath God to find fruit on us, whom He hath planted in His Church, as appears by those pathetical speeches which He uses, Deu_5:29; Deu_32:29; Psa_81:13;

Hos_6:4. And in this chapter, Luk_13:34; Luk_19:41-42. By all which, and many such like, it appears that He doth seek seriously and fervently for fruit, and is much grieved when He is deceived in His expectation. Secondly, Seeking imports diligence and frequency. It is no rare but a continued act. So Son_3:1-4; Luk_15:8; 2Ti_1:17. Thus God comes and seeks for fruit, not once, not twice, and then gives over, but He comes often. Thirdly, Seeking implies mildness and gentleness, Thirdly, WE SHOULD BRING FORTH FRUIT, FOR THAT GOD

HOLDS HIMSELF GLORIFIED BY IT. Herein is My Father glorified (saith Christ) that you bear much fruit (Joh_15:8). Secondly, We ought to have a special regard to the credit of the gospel, which is the doctrine of

Gods grace, and teacheth men to be fruitful, in denying all ungodly lusts, and in living soberly, righteously, and godly in this evil world (Tit_2:11-12). Thirdly, God will have a special care of us. The Israelites in their conquests were forbidden to lift up an axe against any tree that bare fruit Deu_20:19-20). God will provide for all fruitful Christians in public calamities (Eze_9:4). Fourthly, It shall be unto us according to our fruit (Jer_17:10).. We read that Xerxes adorned the plane-tree, and hung it with many rich and precious jewels, because He delighted in the shade thereof; much more will God adorn fruitful trees, for that He delights in the fruit thereof. In this life He will reward with glory and honour. A fruitful Christian carries a heaven in his heart, joy and comfort Son_7:7), a happy and blessed communion that is between Christ and him; and hereafter there is a blessing abides him for Heb_7:8). And thus you have heard what reason we have to be fruitful, both in respect of others, and of ourselves as well as others. Lastly, If we cast our eyes upon the whole creation, and every creature therein that God hath made, we may be stirred up and provoked to fruitfulness. The heaven, the earth, the sea, and all therein, are fruitful in their kind; and shall man be barren and fruitless, for whom all these are fruitful? (N. Rogers.)

God the Owner of the vineyard

Now briefly of the owners peculiar interest and propriety therein. It is His vineyard. How His? Is He the owner and possessor of no more but that? and the fig-tree mentioned thereon growing? The whole earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof; the round world, and they that dwell therein, saith the Psalmist (Psa_24:1), and yet in regard of the affection that He bears unto the Church, He doth in a manner count Himself owner of nothing but this. The Church is the peculiar inheritance of the Lord, He doth more respect it than He doth all the world besides. The Lords portion is His people, Jacob is the lot of His inheritance, saith Moses (Deu_32:9); they are His peculiar ones (Exo_19:5-6); His glory (Isa_46:13); Hisornament (Eze_7:20); His throne (Jer_4:21); His diadem Isa_62:3); His Hephzibah (Isa_62:4); His only delight is in her.

1. He hath chosen them from the rest of the world. Only the Lord hath a delight in thy fathers to love them, and He chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day, said Moses to Israel Deu_10:15). The Lord hath chosen Zion, He hath desired it for His habitation saith David (Psa_132:13-14). Ye are a chosen generation saith Peter (1Pe_2:2). God chooseth for His love, and loves for His choice; they are called His by election.

2. He hath purchased His inheritance with a great price; the whole world cost Him not so much as His Church did, it was bought with blood. He hath entered into a league and covenant with His Church, to become their God, and take them for His people, and so He hath not with the world besides (Hos_2:13; 1Pe_2:10). Man is frequently resembled to a tree in Scripture; so Job_19:10; Dan_4:10-11; Dan_4:14; Dan_4:20; IsaJe 11:19; Eze_17:24; Mat_3:10; Mat_7:17-19; Mat_12:33. The resemblances are many; take we notice of some.

1. In respect of shape, a tree hath its root, trunk, or body, boughs, branches, and smaller twigs issuing from thence. Mans head is his root, his body answereth the trunk or stock of a tree, his arms and legs are his boughs and branches, his fingers and toes the smaller twigs. Only here is the difference, man is arbor inversa, a tree turned upside down, saith the philosopher. For the root or head of a tree standeth on the earth, and extendeth itself towards heaven in the stock, boughs, and branches of it. But man (this mystical tree) hath his head upwards, as his root; and his branches and boughs grow downward to the earth: to teach us (saith one) whence we have our sap, moisture, and nourishment, not from the earth below, as the tree hath (which was Esaus blessing), but from the dew of heaven, which was the blessing of Jacob (Gen_27:28-29).

2. In respect of growth, there is some good resemblance. A tree is first tender in the twig, then stiff in the stock; and lastly, withered and doating in the age of it.. So man in his childhood and infancy is flexible, easily inclining to virtue or vice, as he is taught and instructed. Like wax, he is apt to receive any impression that shall be put upon him, and (as Pliny speaketh of the fir-tree) the nearer it is to the root, the more smooth it is, and less knotty. So the nearer man is to infancy and childhood, the less sinful and freest from vicious courses; but when he once comes to be stiffened, and confirmed in the strength of his stock by man-age, then he waxeth more tough and violent in his courses (as did Rehoboam and Joash): the cider we grow, usually the worse we are. Adam was worse in his breeches than he was before; so is it with his sinful posterity. And as man grows thus in his youth, so he is drooping in his age. Let him be as strong as the oak, as tall as the cedar, as straight as the pine-tree, as green and flourishing as the laurel or bay-tree; when age seizeth on him, his strength is weakened, his tallness abated, his straightness crooked, his greenness withered.

3. There are several sorts and kinds of trees; some greater than others, and some taller; some straighter, some broader; some younger, some elder; some barren, some fruitful; so is it amongst men. All are not of the same rank and quality, some are of high degree, others low (Psa_61:2). Some exalted, others brought down. Saul was a tall tree, higher than others by the head and shoulders. Zaccheus was a low tree, lower than the people by head and shoulders. Absolom was a goodly green, straight tree, none in Israel to be compared with him for beauty. Mephibosheth was a tree lame and crooked from his childhood, by a fall that he got out of his nurses arms. Some are fruitful, others unfruitful. Of which more hereafter.

4. In respect of outward state and condition the resemblance holds. High trees are subject to greatest dangers, being exposed to the violence of the winds, blasts of lightning, the dints of thunderbolts, and usually the higher the less fruitful. Low trees are subject to the browsing of beasts, trampling down with feet, and twenty other annoyances. The tree of a middle stature is chiefly safest, and beareth the best fruit. Thus it is with man. Those in high place he open to the winds of alteration, to the lightnings of disasters, to the thunderings of envy and malice. How are the mighty overthrown (said David in his epitaph for Saul). Oh! how are they fallen? how often are they split with the weight and greatness of their own boughs?

5. Trees are not without their diseases, as Pliny showeth, nor is man without his. The same author tells us that, to that time, three hundred several diseases were discovered, which man was subject unto (some philosophers say two thousand, and that there is two hundred to which the very eye of man is incident). Sure I am, there is no tree subject to so many diseases as the body of man is.

6. In respect of the use, man may be resembled unto a tree; some trees are for building, others for burning, being once felled. So it is with all mankind, being felled by death; some are for the building up of that house which is not made with hands (2Co_5:1), others for fuel in hell, their end is to be burned (Heb_6:8). Other resemblances we might acquaint you with, but I must observe measure. Let not this that hath been said be passed over without some useful application. (N. Rogers.)

A fig-tree

It was no ordinary nor trivial tree, but of a noble and generous kind (called upon by other trees to be king over them), and brought forth sweet and delicious fruit (Jdg_9:10). Why a fig-tree should be mentioned rather than any other tree, some reasons may be rendered, as this in general: The fig-tree was very common in Judea, and frequently planted in their vineyards, for that the vine delighteth much in its neighbourhood and shade; and thence is it that we so frequently find them joined together in the Scripture (Deu_8:8; 1Ki_4:25; Psa_105:33; Joe_1:7; Joe_2:22; Amo_4:9; Hag_1:12). More particularly, in reference to the synagogue of the Jews, and that state, the fig-tree, above other trees, did best set forth their condition. The fig-tree is a succulent plant, full of leaves and luxuriant branches; so did that nation come out, and spend its sap in outward observations and ceremonies, contenting itself with the fair leaves of out ward profession, crying out, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, drawing near with their lips when their hearts were far off. Again, the fig-tree is the first that buddeth, but the last whose fruit is ripe; the Jews budded long before the Gentiles (and it is to be prayed for that the time of their ripe fruit may be hastened), but the fulness of the Gentiles must come in before their ripening can be expected, as the apostle shows (Rom_11:25-26). In reference to the Christian Church under the New Testament, the fig-tree is named in respect of sundry properties, wherein it doth hold resemblance.

1. The fig-tree is full of sap and moisture, it is the most juiceful of any tree, the root of it doth abundantly feed it; so doth Christ His Church, He is the Root of it, and on the Root depends the firm standing thereof, and the life of every branch; from this Root we have our radical moisture, from His fulness we derive grace, and grace for grace (Joh_1:16).

2. The fig-tree is fruitful above other trees. It hath fruit one under another, insomuch that one fig thrusts off another, through its abundance. The Egyptian fig-tree (saith Sclinus) bears fruit seven times in a year; pull off one fig, and another breaks forth in the place thereof very shortly after. So fruitful is the Church of God and every sound member of it; they are filled with the fruits of righteousness (Php_1:11).

3. The fruit of the fig-tree is a most delicious fruit: Shall I leave my sweetness? said the fig-tree (Jdg_9:11). And such is the fruit ofevery good Christian, acceptable and pleasing both to God and man. What the apostle speaks of the works of charity (Php_4:8; Heb_13:16) may be said of every other gift and grace, it is an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing unto God; we are a sweet savour unto God (saith the apostle). The fruits of our graces are Gods dainties (Son_6:2).

4. The fig-tree is forward in putting forth; it foretells a summer, as our Saviour shows (Mat_24:32). Gods people are a willing people Psa_110:3). Forward to every good work that God requires to be Gal_1:16; 2Co_8:10; 2Co_9:2). Even in this sense the godly may be said to be Primitive Dei, the first-fruits of God. And this their forwardness promiseth a summer; it brings a blessing upon a nation.

5. The fig-tree makes not so glorious a show as do other trees, it neither blooms nor blossoms, and yet bears abundantly: so is it with the sound Christian, he makes not that show that the hypocrite doth, but he is more fruitful (Mat_6:3-4; Mat_6:6; Luk_18:11-14). The harlot exceeds the chaste matron in gaudy attire, as the Church of Rome doth ours.

6. The fig-tree best bears the brunt of winter storms, and is freest from summers thunder (saith Pliny), that never strikes it. Sure it is that the godly Christian is best armed for hard weather, and best enabled to go through variety of conditions (Php_4:12-13). Nor do the thunderbolts of an angry God ever strike him; that thunder and lightning which comes from the throne comes through the rainbow, the covenant of grace and mercy, before ever they come at him (Rev_4:5).

7. Amongst all trees there is none whose leaf doth so much resemble the hand of a man as doth the fig-trees. The leaf of the asp resembles the tongue, but the leaf of the fig-tree, mans hand. Christianity sets us to work; it stands, not in a verbal profession, but in action (Mt Joh_13:17; Jam_1:22). (N. Rogers.)

Trees

The heathens of old were idolatrous in multiplying gods to themselves, even to the number of thirty thousand (saith Hesiod); whatever they best liked, that they created a god, and so of whatever they most feared. Of a clap of thunder they made a Jupiter, of a tempest at sea they made a Neptune, of an earthquake they made a Pluto, &c. And to these their created gods they erected temples, altars, and consecrated the goodliest and fairest trees that they met withal; which ancient practice of dedicating this and that kind of tree to several gods as proper and peculiar to them was always observed (saith Pliny), and yet remaineth to this day. Thence Lucian took occasion to deride the practice of those times, feigning their idol-gods to sit in Parliament, and every one making choice of that tree which he most fancied. Jupiter makes choice of the oak for its strength, Apollo of the bay-tree for its greenness, Neptune of the poplar for its length, Juno of the eglantine for its sweetness, Venus of the myrtle tree for its beauty. Minerva sitting by, demanded of her father Jupiter what might be the reason, that seeing there were so many fruitful trees, they all made choice of those trees which were fruitless. He answered her, Ne videamur fructu honore vendere, that we may not be thought to chaffer our honour away for fruit. Well, said Minerva, do you what you please; I, for my part, make choice of the olive for its fatness and fruitfulness. All commended her choice, and were ashamed at their own folly. This you will say is but a fiction; and it is no other, but it discovered the folly of men of that generation, and so it may do of ours. In elections and choices fruitful trees are least of all regarded. The ambitious he seeks after unprofitable honour, high place, rule, and government, and would be advanced above the rest of his brethren; he affects the cypress for its tallness (a tree that great men much esteem of, and nourish in their walks, but it is hardly made to grow), and when it is come up, the fruit is good for nothing, the leaves of it are bitter, the scent strong, neither is the shade thereof wholesome. The young gallant is for the double-coloured poplar, all for form and compliment. Oh, there is much of a gentleman in that, the leaves of this tree are soft, and full of down, which soon flies away like the down of the thistle into the air; this tree is an emblem of dissimulation. The flattering courtier likes well the clasping ivy, which yet is an enemy to all trees and plants, it undermineth walls, and is good only to harbour serpents and venomous creatures, insomuch that Pliny wonders it should be honoured by any, or counted of any worth; and yet heathen emperors have used to make them garlands of it, and wear them on their heads. Rehoboam too much affected these ivy codds (1Ki_12:8). And it is the fault of greatness. The covetous worldling prefers the ash to all other trees; he loves to bear the keys, and delights in being the jailer of his wealth. The body and bulk of this tree is hard and tough, and the leaves unwholesome to any beast that doth not chew the cud. In short, some choose for beauty, some for sweetness, some for greatness, some for greenness, but where is he or she that makes Minervas choice, to choose for fruitfulness? As Samuel said of the sons of Ishai (one having a goodly stature, another a goodly countenance), Surely now the Lords anointed is before me. So we think of these goodly and tall trees (but fruitless in grace), if honour comes, wealth comes, beauty comes, &c., This is the anointed of the Lord; this must be he. But God seeth not as man seeth; man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart, as was told Samuel. (N. Rogers.)

Acceptable fruit

Others there are that bring forth fruit as well as buds and leaves, and yet their fruit shall not be accepted.

1. For that it is not natural and kindly fruit, but degenerate. In the creation every seed and plant brought fruit after its kind; so it is in the regeneration, good trees bring forth fruit answerable to the stock wherein they are engrafted, and the sap they thence receive, and the profession that they make; but these men walk after the lusts of the Gentiles, and bring forth the fruits of the flesh (such as those mentioned, Gal_5:19), no manner of way answering to the seed that hath been sown in them by the ministry of the Word, which they have heard, and the doctrine which they have been taught.

2. Say it be fruit of a better kind, yet it is not seasonable fruit. It may be that they are ten or twenty years in blooming, so long before they come to any good resolution to leave their vicious ways and courses; and then they trust to latter springs and showers for the perfecting and ripening of it, and so neglecting the due season of fruit, it happens that, with Esau, they find no place for repentance, though they seek it carefully with tears.

3. Their fruit is not sound fruit, but rotten at the core (however it be goodly and fair to look upon), like those apple-trees in Assyria (of which Solinus writes), the fruit whereof is yellow as gold, but being touched is rotten; or like the apples of Sodom, beautiful to the eye, but being touched they fall to cinders. Zealous they seem outwardly, when they are cold at heart or else lukewarm. Their aims and ends in all their devotions is self.

4. Their fruit is not fair, it is shrivelled up, either in some few duties of the first table, as hearing, reading, praying, &c., but in the duties of the second table they are very tardy (Isa_58:3; Isa_58:5-6). So the Pharisees made long prayers, and under that pretence devoured up widows houses Mat_23:14), and such is the fruit of all hypocrites. Or else they are observant in the duties of the second table, with neglect of the first (as Mat_23:23), and such is the fruit of the civilian and moral man.

5. Their fruit is not lasting; it holds good for the summer season of prosperity, but when the winter of adversity and persecution comes, it fails Luk_8:13). And such is the fruit of the temporary believer and time-serving Christian; his fruit lasts not all the year, not during term of life, when, as a good fig-tree is never without some figs hanging on the tender boughs, winter nor summer, a good Christian, like the palm-tree spoken of, Psa_92:12, grows fat and flourishing even in old age. Let these and all such other be advised not to flatter themselves nor suffer themselves by vain pretences to be undone. It is not a fair blossom, a green leaf, nor fruit of outward profession, external reformation, common illumination, or any

of the like nature, that will satisfy Gods expectation. He looks for fruit, and good fruit too, from every fig-tree, and at your hands He will require it. Wherefore, be exhorted to be fruitful Christians, that you may answer Gods expectation. Let your fruit be the fruit of righteousness (Php_1:11), fruit unto holiness (Rom_6:22), fruit unto God Rom_7:4), that is, to the glory and praise of God, and such as He will accept of. Now that this use may be the more profitable, I shall acquaint you with three particulars.

1. With the properties or qualifications of that fruit that shall find acceptance.

2. With the means that must be used for the producing of fruit so qualified.

3. With the motives that may stir us up to the bringing forth of such fruit. Of each of these briefly, and in order. (N. Rogers.)

A fig-tree planted in his vineyard

That the Church is a spiritual vineyard is a truth that hath strong confirmation from Scripture. In the Old Testament we find it so styled (Psa_80:8-9; Psa_80:15; Son_8:11-12; Isa_5:1; Isa_5:7; Jer_2:21). The like in the New Mat_20:1-2; Mat_21:28; Mat_21:33; Mar_12:1; Luk_20:10). But why is it resembled to a vineyard, rather than to another thing? It is compared to many other things in Scripture, besides a vineyard, as to a house, to an orchard, to a garden enclosed, to a field in tillage, to a threshing-floor, &c. But of all other resemblances of earthly things none doth so fully express and set forth the nature and condition of the Church as this of a vineyard, which, that it may appear the better, let us take notice of some particulars, wherein this spiritual vineyard, the Church, doth hold resemblance with the other.

1. A vineyard is a place separated and enclosed from other grounds. No vineyard is naturally a vineyard; hand and heart must go to make it so. The Church is called and separated from the world, both in life and conversation, as appears, Lev_20:24; Lev_20:26; Num_23:9; Deu_14:2; Joh_15:19.

2. No vineyard is in its perfect glory so soon as it is taken in. Her plants being set, come not presently to perfection and growth, but by degrees. So it is with the Church (Eph_4:11-12). Divers workmen and labourers are ordained to be employed about it, for the perfection of it, even after it is planted.

3. A vineyard, when it flourisheth and is come to some perfection, is a place of great delight, both in respect of the pleasant smell that it yieldeth, and comfortable shadow that it affordeth; so is the Church (Hos_14:6-7). The smell of it is like unto a field that the Lord hath blessed. Her vines and tender grapes give a good smell (Son_2:13-14). Her graces are compared to things most sweet (Son_4:13-14).

4. To a vineyard it may be compared in respect of the fertility or fruitfulness thereof. It bears much fruit, and fruit of the best kind. A vineyard is stored with divers plants (one plant maketh not a vineyard); and those plants are laden with fruits, they bring forth in bunches and clusters, and not a berry here and another there, but the load is such that the branches bear, that it seems many times to exceed the strength of the branch that bears them. The Church is fertile of children; there are multitudes of them that believe. So fruitful is the Church of children as that she wonders at her own increase, and saith, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell. Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children and am left desolate (Isa_49:19-20; Isa_54:1).And as a vineyard is more fruitful than any other plantation, so it yieldeth the best fruit of any other. No fruit is more delectable to the taste, nor more comfortable to the heart, than that which comes from the grape. And what fruit can be compared with the fruit that a Christian bears? All other fruit that grows without this fence is but sour and bitter, seem it never so fair and glorious to the eye, yet it is but hedge fruit, or like unto the grapes of Sodom and clusters of Gomorrah (Deu_32:32).

5. A vineyard is a well-ordered place, there the hillocks may be seen equally swelling, the stakes pitched in a good height and distance, the vines handsomely pruned, the ground cleanly kept, and well hoed, all things are well ordered in it. And so is it in the Church, insomuch that Balaam himself could not but admire at it, and in a rapture cry out, How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israeli As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the rivers side, etc. (Num_24:5-6.)

6. To a vineyard the Church may be compared, in respect of the imbecility and weakness of it. No possession, said Cato, requires more pains about it than a vineyard cloth. Corn comes up and grows alone of itself, without the husbandmans care (Mar_4:17). But the vine is a frail kind of plant, it must be supported, sheltered, daily dressed and attended, else it soon waxeth luxurious, and is in danger to grow wild, after it once waxeth wanton.

7. A vineyard is very subject to be annoyed and wasted by the beasts of the wood and foxes of the field, which love to burrow under it, and delight to be cropping and pilling of her plants, and eating of her grapes, as Solomon intimates (Son_2:15). So is the Church, her enemies are many that conspire against her (Psa_83:2-13). (N. Rogers.)

Mans ingratitude

The ill requital that we have made to God for all the good we have received from Him hath been in part discovered. Now give me leave to discover unto you the vileness of this vice, ingratitude, that we may shun it and hate it; and the rather, because we have been foretold that it is one of those sins that renders these times perilous. And so, first, take notice that it is a compounded sin; it hath many poisonous ingredients in it which makes it extremely evil, and amongst others these--

1. Ignorance, and such an ignorance as whereunto mercy is denied Isa_27:11). He that made them will show them no favour, being a people of no understanding, it being wilful and affected. Thus God complains of Israel, Israel doth not know (Isa_1:3), and Ho

2:8.

2. Idolatry. Ingratitude doth not only pass by without notice-taking of good bestowed, but ascribes all to others. Thus Israel ascribed all their plenty, their bread, their wine, their wool, their water, dec., to their lovers or sweethearts, that is, to their idols and false gods (Hos_2:5).

3. Pride is another sinful ingredient that goes to the composition of it. Their hearts were exalted, saith God of ungrateful Ephraim, therefore have they forgotten Me (Hos_13:6). And this is rendered as the reason why Hezekiah returned not to God according to that he bad received--His heart was lifted up in him (2Ch_32:25).

4. Envy, that is the daughter of pride, and will wait upon her mother; where the one is the other will be; we grudge no men the praise of their kindness but whom we envy and hate. And by experience we have found that true, which Tacitus saith of extraordinary favours, which, lighting upon ill minds, cause hatred instead of love.

5. There is much of sacrilege in it. The ungrateful man robs God of that honour which is due unto Him, and which He hath reserved to Himself, nor will He give it to any other. God is content that we should have the good of all, but the praise of all He looks to have Himself.

6. There is atheism in it. Thus those ungrateful wretches, mentioned by Job, whom God hath blessed with temporal abundance, ask, What is the Almighty that they should serve Him (Job_21:25). Secondly, it is a sin that all law condemns. The law of nature is against it. For naturally every effect is brought back to its cause (as all waters come out of the sea, so all return thither again). Now God is the cause of all things and persons, therefore, whatsoever we have and whatsoever we are must be ascribed unto Him. (N. Rogers.)

The dressing of the vineyard

For the better accomplishing and perfecting whereof there are three principal virtues (as implements) which are necessarily requisite in these dressers of the Lords vineyard.

1. Skilfulness and ability to do this work that he is called unto. This is required (2 Timothy if. 2; 1Ti_3:2).

2. Faithfulness and sincerity--He that hath My word, let him speak My word faithfully, saith God (Jer_23:28).

3. Care and vigilancy--Be diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds, saith Solomon (Pro_27:23). (N. Rogers.)

Cumberers of the ground

Barren professors are cumbersome; unprofitable burdens they are to the vineyard of the Lord.

1. They are sterile and barren in themselves, and in that respect cumbersome, and a burden to the earth.

2. As they do no good, and are cumbersome in that respect; so they do much harm, and so become unprofitable burdens, and that many ways.

(1) To the soil whereon they grow, the very earth is the worse for a fruitless fig-tree. It was the sin of man, at first, that caused God to curse the earth to thorns and thistles, and ever since He hath turned a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of those that dwell therein. The sins of those within the pale, are they for which a land doth mourn Hos_1:4). So is it in the vineyard of the Lord. Let a barren and unprofitable fig-tree have his standing, wheresoever the ground shall be the worse and not the better for him. Let Rehoboam be rooted among the kings in the land of Judah, and the shields he finds of gold he will leave of brass. Let Balaam be numbered among the prophets, and Judas among the apostles; and the vineyard of the Lord shall find cause enough to say of such a fig-tree, that it cumbers the ground. The Church suffers by the growth of such trees; it loseth her heart and fatness. Her beauty and glory is much blemished by the growth of such plants in it.

(2) Such barren trees are cumbersome and burdensome to other trees and plants that grow, or might grow, in the vineyard; and that divers ways.

(a) A barren tree possesseth the place of a better, and by its good will would not suffer any to grow near it. The best rooms at feasts, the chief seats in synagogues, proud Pharisees will take up; nor is there any place for better guests till they be removed lower, and commanded to give place, and so room made, by their removal, for others that are invited. The like may be seen in Davids case, who was annointed to be king over Israel long before his instalment. Saul sat yet upon the throne, and David must be content to stay a while for that, till Saul be removed; and, that being done, then he shall be planter and seated in his room, in Hebron. So whilst Judas supplies the place of an apostle, honest Matthias shall be kept out; his place must be voided, before another take his bishopric (Act_1:20). The Jews they must be broken off before the Gentiles be grafted in (Rom_11:9). And whilst those ungrateful farmers of the vineyard held their lease it could not be taken by others, who would gladly have hired it, and rendered the fruit thereof in due season (Mat_21:43).

(b) Such as are barren and unprofitable in their places, devour not only equal nutriment with him that beareth, but many times starve other inferior plants within their reach; drawing away the heart and fat of the soil with their suckers and feeders. What a breadth beareth some great ash or oak! How far do their roots spread, albeit underground and unseen? Yet it may be perceived by their soaking of the ground and drawing away nourishment from corn and plants that are near unto them. It is thus with many an unprofitable and barren Christian, he is a soaker, and that in respect both of things that concern this life and a better; and so cumbersome. Such are to be found in the Church. In private families likewise there are many such burdensome plants to be found; many a fair estate is consumed by pride and luxury, voluptuousness and prodigality.

(c) They are troublesome and cumbersome to other plants by their unprofitable shade, over-topping and over-dripping them, and keeping the influence of heaven from them, so that they cannot enjoy the warm beams of the sun, which brings healing with it under its wings.

(d) They are cumbersome, in harbouring under their branches things hurtful to ether plants. None shall be harboured under their shade unless it be a stinging nettle, or some sullen weed, or some venomous and poisonous creature.

(e) They are burdensome to the Lord of the soil, and owner of the vineyard, who complains of such barren plants (Isa_1:14; Isa_1:24; Isa_7:13,Amo_2:13). God complains of their burden; they are cumbersome unto Him; He finds a pressure under them; He is dishonoured by them and cannot long endure it.

(f) The dressers of the vineyard are burdened and cumbered by them. Christ, the principal Dresser, laments the barrenness of Jerusalem Luk_19:41; Mat_23:34; Joh_11:38). Christ groaned, as it seems, under the Jews malice. (N. Rogers.)

The patience of God

Be persuaded to make the right use of the patience and long-suffering of the Lord, as the apostle directs (Rom_2:4), and let it lead thee, as it were by the hand, to true repentance, remembering--

1. How long God hath trusted thee with His patience, and given thee time to make thy peace, and sue out thy pardon. Should a traitor that is condemned as thou art have a reprieve granted him for half so many years as thou hast lived (albeit he had no promise granted of a final pardon), upon his good carriage and behaviour; how thankful would he be, and how happy would he think himself in that.

2. Forget not how many have suffered for those sins that thou art guilty of long since; who had not that patience showed unto them that thou hast had, but were taken away and carried to execution, upon the very act of their sinning, as Zimri and Cosbi, who were smitten in the act of their lust; Ananias and Sapphira in the very act of lying, &c.

3. In not making the right use of Gods patience and profiting by it thou despiseth it; and in despising it thou despiseth goodness. (N. Rogers.)

Gods patience not inexhaustible

Gods patience hath a period; it hath its bounds and limits beyond which it will not pass. For proof, read Amo_8:2 --The end is come, I will not pass by them any more; that is, I will have no more patience towards them. So Jer_1:11-12 --I will hasten My word to perform it; that is, to make good the judgments that I have denounced. And that text should still be sounding in our ears--

An end is come, an end is come; behold it watcheth for thee, behold, it is come it is come (Eze_7:5-16) Should God always bear with sinners, He should suffer in all His attributes; His justice would be wronged and blemished, which by no means will endure that the wicked should be held as innocent (Exo_34:7; Jer_44:2). He is a jealous Exo_20:5; Deu_4:26). Now, should God perpetually bear with sinners, it would be a disgrace unto Him. His jealousy will not endure that sin should ever go unpunished (Psa_50:21; Mal_3:15). He is a most wise God, God only wise (1Ti_1:17). Albeit, He bears and spares and shows mercy to sinners, it is ever moderated with wisdom. He forbears as long as there is hope (Jer_51:9). But when men become incurable, His wisdom will not suffer Him to bear any longer (Isa_1:5). He is a good God; and being good, Hemust needs love goodness and hate iniquity (Psa_45:7). Now, God should not be good, if He should be ever good to those that will never be good; His goodness will not suffer Him ever to spare those that hate and despise goodness. So we might show of His other attributes. (N. Rogers.)

Privilege not prescriptive right

However legal or usual the presence of a fig-tree in a vineyard may be, it is not, as in the case of a vine, a matter of course, and Christ must have had a reason for introducing it, and the reason can only be found in the didactic significance of the emblem. What, then, was the reason? On our view of the drift of the parable it is not difficult to answer the question. The fig-tree is chosen to represent Israel as a tacit yet effective protest against the notion of her possessing a prescriptive right to occupy in perpetuity the place she held in Gods favour. The supposition is directed against the pride and self-importance of an elect race, prone to think that Israel and Gods kingdom were synonymous, or as intimately and essentially related to each other as are vineyard and vine. To have used the vine as an emblem of Israel might have seemed to concede this claim, but by selecting the fig-tree as an emblem Christ said to His countrymen in effect, Ye have no natural or necessary place in the sphere within which Gods grace manifests itself, like a vine in a vineyard, without which the vineyard can hardly be conceived: Ye are but a fig-tree in the vineyard, legitimately, suitably enough there, yet there by accident, or by free choice of the owner, and there only so long as ye serve the purpose for which He put you there. (A. B. Bruce, D. D.)

One vineyard

It was one; not vineyards, many; and from hence we may conclude that the Church of Christ is one, and but one. The multiplicity of particular churches do not hinder the unity of the catholic; all these are but parts of it, as one tree that hath several arms and branches. Many stones make bus one house, many houses one city, many cities one kingdom; so, many men one particular congregation, many congregations one visible Church, many Churches one catholic one. Or as the ocean-sea is but one in itself, yet running by divers countries and coasts, hath the name according to the coast it runs by; as the English Sea, the Irish Sea, the German Sea, &c., yet all but one sea. So we distinguish of Churches, yet all is but one and the same, one catholic Church and no more. It is very true, that God is resembled to man in Scripture. He likeneth Himself to man, and speaks after the manner of men unto us. Yet we have somewhat more to take notice of, for God is pleased not only to liken Himself to man, but He takes upon Him the profession of an husbandman, resembling Himself to a careful and painful vinitor, that had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard, &c. (N. Rogers.)

The fruitless fig-tree

I. THE FIG-TREE WAS FAVOURED. NO other fig-tree was so favoured. For it was not there by chance like a berry-bush in the woods, or a tree on the top of an old tower, the seed of which had been carried on the wings of the wind, or by a bird that, on the way to its nest, frightened by a hawk, had dropped its mouthful. The owner had deliberately planted this tree in his vineyard. You are planted, not in the open unsheltered waste, but in the Church of Christ, and in a Christian home. You are not like a little dying boy, who said to the Christian friend visiting him, O sir, do ye think I would hae ony chance wi God? ye see I canna read ony; or like an untaught carter I knew, who used to give a boy a penny to read to him blads o the Bible. That dying boy, that carter, was like a fig-tree growing on the road-side. You are like a fig-tree planted in a vineyard. What could have been done for you that has not been done?

II. THIS FIG-TREE WAS FRUITLESS, THOUGH SO FAVOURED.

III. THIS TREE, FAVOURED THOUGH FRUITLESS, IS YET SPARED. Many poets speak of trees as having life, as thinking, feeling companions, for whom they cherish an almost human attachment. The trees of our boyhood are dear to us, because interwoven with memories of bright days. I have known a wood spoiled, because the proprietress would not permit the cutting down of trees which she regarded as the friends of her girlhood. She seemed afraid of wronging the spirit in the woods. The feeling is natural. The keeper of the vineyard had planted the fig-tree, and watched its growth. It is his own, and he has a longing, lingering feeling for it. He wont give up hope of it. President Garfield, when a boy, was wonderfully saved from drowning. Providence thinks it worth while saving my life, he said to himself, when he stood panting and dripping on the deck of the canal boat, and the fire of noble resolve then began to burn within him. Lord Clive and Wallenstein, in boyhood, made some wonderful escapes, and burst forth into an exclamation that surely they were reserved for something great. Many have had the same feeling.

IV. THE FIG-TREE, FAVOURED THOUGH FRUITLESS, AND SPARED, IS YET TO BE JUDGED. Gods patience is most wonderful, it goes far beyond all our thoughts and dreams, but it has limits. To be fruitless is a greater calamity than befell those slain by Pilate at the altar, or buried under the tower of Siloam; it is the only real calamity; for it is to be an eternal failure. (J. Wells, M. A.)

The penalty of ignoring the end of existence

Just as when any article, as a pen, a watch, an engine, or anything else which will not work, or answer the end for which it was made, is thrown aside as useless; or as a fruit-tree which will not bear fruit is cut down as a cumberer of the ground, so those who do not answer this end of their existence--glorifying God--may be set aside or otherwise punished. (H. R. Burton.)

A warning to useless lives

I. CONSIDER THE COMPLAINT ALLEGED IT IS THAT OF UNFRUITFULNESS. Fig-trees are generally three years before they bring forth any fruit to perfection; but this was perpetually barren, and likely to remain a cumberer of the ground.

1. Observe the patience and forbearance of God in His conduct towards the barren fig-tree, the barren and unprofitable professor. He endures with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction.

2. Though the Lord suffers long and is kind, He strictly observes all our conduct, and keeps an account of the advantages we enjoy, and the use we make of them.

3. Great as is the danger of unfruitfulness, nothing but heavenly culture, nothing but Divine influence can produce in us the fruits of righteousness.

4. Divine forbearance, though long continued, will finally have an end. Though He bears long, He will not bear always. The longer the storm has been gathering, the heavier it will fall; the longer the sword has been whetting, the sharper it will cut, and the deeper it will wound. Longsuffering on Gods past, if it do trot lead to repentance, will be followed by more grievous suffering on our part.

II. THE DOOM THAT IS PASSED UPON THE BARREN FIG-TREE: Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground.

1. A sentence like this is sometimes passed against unprofitable characters, even in the present life.

2. The barren fig-tree is cut down at death, when it is not only cast out of the Church, but out of the world.

3. The stroke will fall still heavier in the day of judgment, when the barren tree shall not only be cut down, but cast into the fire.

III. THE REASON GIVEN FOR THE AWFUL SENTENCE; THE FIG-TREE WAS NOT ONLY UNPRODUCTIVE, BUT INJURIOUS; it cumbereth the ground.

1. It was unprofitable, and so is every sinner that does not bring forth fruit unto God.

2. The fig-tree was injurious, as well as unprofitable; for it encumbered the ground, and occupied a place which might be filled to more advantage. (B. Beddome, M. A.)

Unfruitful professors cut down as cumberers of the ground

I. To show WHO ARE THE UNFRUITFUL IN GODS VINEYARD, TO BE CUT DOWN.

1. Dead trees. They being still in their natural state, are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins. The gospel is the means of life to a dead world, called therefore the word of life (Php_2:16). It is by it that the Spirit of life is conveyed into the dead soul. This Spirit is received by the hearing of faith. Thereby faith comes whereby the soul is united to Christ the fountain of life. But alas! many continue dead under quickening means, destitute of the Spirit and of faith. So they cannot bring forth the fruits of holiness, they can do nothing that is truly good, more than a dead man can move and act.

2. Rotten trees. Dead souls are spiritually rotten also. They are altogether become filthy. This speaks reigning vanity and worthlessness, as the rotten tree is light. How many such are in Gods vineyard, whose mind is vain.

3. Withered trees. When the tree has lost all sap and is withered away, it cannot bring forth fruit, but must be cut down. Many that sometimes looked green and promising under the means of grace, have lost all now. Their convictions are stifled, their affection to the things of God is gone, and the gospel is become tasteless to them.

4. Barren trees, that have leaves but no fruit.

5. Degenerate trees bringing forth evil and noxious fruit. To such God says, Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? These bring forth the fruits of the flesh in abundance, that are deadly like the wild gourds of the wild vine.

II. How AND IN WHAT RESPECTS DO THESE CUMBER THE GROUND.

1. They take up room, precious room, that might be better occupied.

2. There is no advantage to the owner from that part of the ground which they occupy.

3. There is no comfort to the vine-dressers from that part of the ground such occupy, though otherwise much might arise from it, if it was planted with other trees. The pains of the labourers is lost upon such trees.

4. The sap of the ground which barren trees draw to them, of which they are yet nothing the better, might nourish fruitful trees. Lastly, they hinder the fruitfulness of other trees in the vineyard; drawing the sap from them. So they are not only not profitable, but hurtful.

III. INQUIRE WHY CUMBERERS OR THE GROUND ARE SPARED SO LONG.

1. For to try if they will mend.

2. For the prayers of the godly.

3. For the sake of their seed designed for vessels of mercy.

4. That impenitent sinners may be wholly inexcusable. There is a measure of iniquity to be filled up, and so long the Lord will bear with sinners, and no longer (Rom_2:5; Gen_15:16). It remains--

IV. To CONSIDER THE IMPORT OF CUTTING DOWN. It denotes--

1. Patience at an end.

2. Never fruit more to grow upon them.

3. The sharpness of the stroke.

4. The suddenness of the stroke.

5. The destructiveness of it.

6. The casting of it out of the vineyard.

7. That the barren tree is to be cast into the fire.

Uses.

1. The unfruitfulness under the gospel prevailing in our land, forbodes a time of hewing and cutting down. Our privileges have been signal ones, our misimprovement signal; so will our stroke be likewise.

2. Impenitent sinners have a dangerous station in Gods vineyard. A barren tree may be much safer in the wood than in the garden.

3. Take heed what part ye act in Gods vineyard. Be concerned to know for what use you are in it. Beware of being cumberers of the ground.

4. Lay no more weight upon external Church privileges than they will bear. Happy are they that dwell in Gods house, if they learn the true manners of the house. But if in Gods house they live ungodly lives, it had been better for them they never had known it. Lastly, consider what fruit ye bring forth under the means of grace; and do not overlook the privileges which you enjoy. Ministers sow the seed, Christ Himself will look after the fruit, and will notice who bring forth the fruit of a preached gospel, and who cumber the ground. (T. Boston, D. D.)

These three years

Three years

He comes to particular man three years. First, in youth. I have planted thee in My vineyard, given thee the influence of My mercies; where is thy fruitfulness? Alas! the young man sends him away with a Nondum tempus ficorum--It is too early for me to fall to mortification; would you put me to penance before I have had the leisure and pleasure to offend? He is ready to send Christ away in the language of that foul spirit, Art Thou come to torment me before my time? But whose charge is it to Remember thy Creator diebus juventutis?. Then the conquest is most glorious, because then it is most difficult. You say, It is never too late; but I am sure it is never too soon, to be gracious and holy. Secondly, in middle age; and now the buying of farms, and trying of beasts, the pleasures of matrimony, the cares for posterity, take up all the rooms of the soul. Men rather busy themselves to gather the fruits of earth than to yield the fruits of heaven. Here is strength of nature and fulness of stature, but still a defect of grace. Perhaps Christ hath now some fair promises of fruits hereafter, Let me first go bury my father, then (Luk_9:61). Thirdly, in old age. Now the decay of body should argue a decay of sin. The taste finds no relish in riot, the ears cannot distinguish music, the eyes are dim to pleasing objects, very desire fails: now all things promise mortification. He that cannot stir abroad in the world, what should he do but recollect himself, and settle his thoughts on the world to come? Now fruits, or never. Not yet; morosity, pride, and avarice, are the three diseases of old age. Men covet most when they have time to spend least; as cheating tradesmen then get up most commodities into their hands when they mean to break. Still He comes seeking fruit, and is returned with a Non invents. But doth He forbear all trees thus long? No; some are snatched away in the flower and pride of their life; yea, they be not few that will not allow themselves to live, but with riot and intemperance hasten their own ends, before they have well begun or learned what life is; like bad scholars, that slubber out their books before they have learned their lessons. That instead of Non est fruetus, we may say, Non est ficus, the tree itself is gone. And that goodly person, which like a fair ship hath been long a-building, and was but yesterday put to sea, is to-day sunk in the main. We do not eat, drink, and sleep, and take such refections of nature, ut non moriamur, that we might not die--that is impossible--but that we should not die barren, but bear some fruits up with us to Him that made the tree. (T. Adams, D. D.)

God and man dealing with unfruitfulness

A farmer, who had turned his attention to the raising of fruit, said to a friend as they sat at table, I have cut down over fifty peach-trees to-day. Why is this? Because the fruit was not good. The peaches were too small. Afterwards, walking through the orchard, the friend saw where the trees had stood, and also the spot where, after being cut down, they had been burned. This procedure brought to his mind at once the Saviours parable of the fruitless fig-tree. Oh, if God dealt with men as they deal with the trees in their orchards, what a fearful destruction of our race would ensue.

Fruit

Nothing is created for itself, but so placed by the most wise providence, that it may confer something to the public good, though it be but as the widows two mites to the treasury, The poorest creature yields some fruit, wherein it doth imitate the goodness of the Maker. We know not readily what good serpents and vermin may do; yet certainly they have their fruit, both in sucking up that poison of the earth, which would be contagious to man; in setting off the beauty of the better pieces of creation--for though the same hand made both the angels in heaven and theworms on earth, yet the angels appear the more glorious, being so compared- besides their hidden virtues abstracted from our knowledge. Of stones they make iron, rubbish serves to raise bulwarks, the small pebble for the sling, worms and flies are baits for fishes; everything iS enabled with some gift for the universal benefit, and so to produce those fruits is their natural work. The sun comes forth of his chamber like a bridegroom, fresh and lively; and rejoiceth as a giant, to run his diurnal course, to lighten us with his refulgent beams, to generate, cheer, and mature things with his parental heat: this is his fruit. In his absence, the moon and stars adorn the canopy of heaven, reflecting their operative influence to quicken the lower world: this is their fruits. The curled clouds, those bottles of rain, thin as the liquor they contain, fly up and down on the wings of the wind, delivering their moist burdens upon the earth, teats whereon the hungry fields and pastures do suck; yet they expect no harvest from us: this is their fruits. The subtle winds come puffing out of their caverns, to make artificial motions, wholesome airs, and navigable seas; yet, neither earth, air, nor sea return them recompense: this is their fruits. The earth, in a thankful imitation of the heavens, locks not up her treasures within her own coffers; but without respect of her private benefit, is liberal of her allowance, yielding her fatness and riches to innumerable creatures that hang on her breasts, and depend upon her as their common mother for maintenance. Of the beasts that feed upon her, kine give us their milk, sheen their wool; every one pays a tribute to man, their usufructuary lord: this is their fruits. Fruit-bearing trees spend not all their sap and moisture upon themselves, or the increase of their own magnitudes; but the principal and purer part of it is concocted into some pleasant fruits, whereof neither they nor their young springs ever come to taste; but they proffer it us, and when it is ripe, they voluntarily let it fall at their masters feet. Never did the olive anoint itself with its own oil, nor the vine make itself drunk with its own grapes, nor the tree in my text devour its own figs: yet they all strive to abound with fruits. Let me raise your meditations from earth to heaven: the holy angels there are called ministering spirits; those royal armies fight for us against our enemies; like nurses, they bear us up in their arms, and, though unseen, do glorious offices for us: this is part of their fruit. The blessed Trinity is always working: Hitherto my Father worketh, and I work (Joh_5:17). The Father by His providence and protection, the Son by His mercy and mediation, the Holy Ghost by His grace and sanctification; all dividing the streams of their goodness for the best behoof of the world. The more anything furthers the common good, the more noble is its nature, and more resembling the Creator. The earth is fruitful; the sea, the air, the heavens are fruitful; and shall not man bring forth fruits, for whom all these are fruitful? While all the armies of heaven and earth are busied in fructifying, shall man, of more singular graces and faculties, be idle, a burden to the world and himself? Both the Church of God for the propagation of piety, and the world itself for the upholding of His state, require our fruits. If happiness consisted in doing nothing, God, that meant Adam so happy, would never have set him about business; but as paradise was his storehouse, so also his workhouse: his pleasure was his task. There is no state of man that can privilege a folded hand. (T. Adams.)

No fruit

None? Haply not so thick with fruits as the vines of Engedi; every land is not a Canaan, to flow with milk and honey. But yet some competent measure, enough to pay the landlord rent for the ground it stands on; no, none. If there be none to spare, whereof the owner may make money, yet sufficiat ad usum suum, ad esum suum--that he may eat the labours of his own hands; no, none. If the number be not as the sand, yet let there be a remnant (Rom_9:27). If there cannot be a whole harvest, yet let there be a tenth (Isa_6:13). If not a tenth, yet let there be some gleanings (Mic_7:1); and that is a woeful scarcity. If the gleanings be not allowed, yet let there be here and there a fig, a grape, a berry, on the outmost branches (Isa_17:6), that the plantermay have a taste. It is too defective, when non florebit ficus--the tree doth not flourish; but quando non erit uva in vitibus, non ficus in ficulneis Hab_3:17)--when there shall not be a grape on the vine, nor a fig on the tree (Jer_8:13), this is a miserable sterility. Something hath some savour, but none is good for nothing. Indeed, all trees are not equally loaden; there is the measure of a hundred, of sixty, of thirty; an omer and an ephah; but the sacred dews of heaven, the graces of the gospel, bless us from having none! I find none. None? Peradventure none such as He looks ,for, no fruits delicate enough for the Almightys taste. Indeed, our best fruits are never perfect and kindly ripened; still they relish sour and earthly, and savour of the stock from which they were taken. They are heavenly plants, but grow in a foreign and cold climate; not well concocted, not worthy the charges and care bestowed upon us. Set orange or fig-trees in this our cold country, the fruit will not quit the cost of the planting and maintaining. But the complaint is not here of the imperfection or paucity of fruits, but of the nullity: none. Some reading that text with idle eyes, that after all our fruits, we are still unprofitable trees (Luk_17:10), because they can find no validity of merit in their works, throw the plough in the hedge, and make holiday. But shall not the servant do his masters business, because he cannot earn his masters inheritance? Shall the mason say, I will share with my sovereign in his kingdom, or I will not lay a stone in his building? Net good fruits have their reward; though not by the merit of the doer, yet by the mercy of the accepter. Sour they be of themselves, but in Christ they have their sweetening; and the meanest fruits which that great Angel of the Covenant shall present to His Father, with the addition of His own precious incense (Rev_8:4), are both received and rewarded. In their own nature they may be corrupt; but being dyed in the blood of Christ, they are made pleasing to God: yea, also profitable to the Church, and useful to men, seem they never so poor. Even a troubled spring doth often quench a distressed soldiers thirst; a small candle doth good where the greater lights be absent; and the meanest fruit of holy charity, even a cup, though it be not of the juice of the grapes out of the vineyard, but of cold water out of the tankard, in the name of Christ, shall have its recompense (Mat_10:42). But here the complaint is not of the meanness or fewness, but of the barrenness--none at all. (T. Adams.)

Unfruitfulness aggravated by privilege

Howsoever God may endure barrenness out of the Church, in want of means, yet He will never endure it under means. It is better for a bramble to be in the wilderness than in an orchard; for a weed to be abroad, than in a garden, where it is sure to be weeded out, as the other to be cut down. If a man will be unprofitable, let him be unprofitable out of the Church. But to be so where he has the dew of grace falling on him, in the means of salvation, where are all Gods sweet favours, to be a bramble in the orchard, to be a weed in the garden, to be noisome in a place where we should be fruitful, will God, the great Husbandman, endure this? Whatsoever is not for fruit is for the fire Mat_3:10). (R. Sibbes.)

Nominal Christians

A gentleman once entered a hall with his little son, when they saw a number of well-dressed people, some of them standing together in groups, while others sat at their ease. The lads attention was arrested by a pleasant-looking man, in gaudy dress, and he inquired of his father who it could be. Ask the gentleman who stands near you, answered the father, with unmoved gravity. If you please, said the boy, addressing the stranger, can you tell me who that gentleman opposite is? No answer was given, and the lad looked amazed. At last the father said to him, Those things which so much resemble men and women are only wax figures. There is no life in them, natural as they appear. Fair to look upon, they are without soul; all outside, and nothing else. Are mere nominal Christians much more than these wax figures? We may admire the artistic skill which can fashion matter into forms of beauty; but what are all the outside appearances of religion in the deceitful Pharisee compared with the holiness of life in the heart of the true believer? Happy would it be for us if we all sought for the fruit of good living in our own lives before God Himself comes to seek it. The ancient Greeks used to quote the proverb that The feet of the avenging deities are shod with wool, intimating thereby the noiseless and unexpected manner in which they approach their victims. Thanks to Gods tender forbearance, He always gives us timely warning before the fatal blow is struck. The parable of the barren fig-tree, from which the text is taken, was designed by our blessed Lord to be a warning to the Jewish nation, whose mercies, had been so many, but whose day of grace was so soon to end. It is, however, no less applicable to all, of every age and country, who have the opportunity of receiving the means of grace, and of securing the hope of glory. (J. N. Norton, D. D.)

Fruitless lives

How many who are called Christians live lives so utterly fruitless that they might have such obituaries written of them as this: While professing to be followers of Him who went about doing good, they were never known to go out of their way to speak kindly to the poor and the friendless, or to invite any stranger to church. Fields of usefulness close to their own dwellings were often pointed out to them, but they showed no ambition to be imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. An enlarged charity may hope that theirs is the blessedness of those who die in the Lord, but we cannot add (in the apostles expressive words of commendation) that they rest from their labours, and that their works do follow them. (T. Adams.)

Lord, let it alone this year also

The sentence suspended

I. THE INTERCESSION OF JESUS--ITS MERCIFUL NATURE.

1. The ground of the plea is in Himself. God spares the sinner for Jesus sake.

2. The prospective efficacy of the plea lies in what the Saviour has done for the sinner. Thoughts of peace concerning him have revolved within His breast. He has laid down the plan of his recovery. A life of the sweetest virtue, and the most complete self-sacrifice, has been expended to work out the plan.

II. THE INTERCESSION OF JESUS--ITS SPECIAL END. The roots are at fault; the sinners heart must be changed.

1. The power of the means. Historically the record is grand; intrinsically the power is the same to-day. The stoutest hearts have been broken, and the most guilty consciences have been washed.

2. The stubborn heart may relent. Unprolific trees have been started, some by a very hard winter, others by a very warm summer, to yield fruit. Once the sap was thrown into its proper channel the tree continued to bear. So Gods dealings with men are means to move the heart. Even Ahab is not beyond His reach. The furnace of affliction has melted many. God sent His people to Babylon, and said, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people? All other means had failed. There are, therefore, probabilities of side influences producing such changes in mens condition, so as to leave with us possibilities that the truths of the gospel will in the end produce the greater changes unto life.

III. THE INTERCESSION OF JESUS--LIMITED AS TO ITS TERMS. But if not, thou shalt cut it down. This is the solemn voice, not of righteousness, but of the intercession itself.

1. Such a state of impenitence is fearful to contemplate. The end of it is the hardest part. The uninterrupted course of wickedness leads to inevitable destruction.

2. The sentence carried out. Cut it down. We would gladly close our eyes and not witness the scene, but the authority of the text bids us still look on. God ceases to be a Father, Christ is no longer a Brother, the light is put out for ever, the soul is cast into outer darkness, and the heart pierced with a thousand regrets. Cut it down, being fruitless; burn it, being useless. Let such a warning as this serve to quicken thought, so that we may observe the time of mercy. (The Weekly Pulpit.)

Mercy in sympathy with righteousness

The restriction of the intercession of the vinedresser for a prolongation of the experiment to a single year indicates Christs own sympathy with this Divine rigour. He is the vinedresser, and His ministry of grace and truth is the means whereby it is faintly hoped Israel may yet, at the eleventh hour, be made spiritually fruitful. But, full of grace though He be, He neither expects nor desires an indefinite extension of Israels day of grace. He knows that though God is long-suffering, yet His patience, as exhibited in the history of His dealings with men, is exhaustible; and that in Israels case it is now all but worn out. And He sympathizes with the Divine impatience with chronic and incurable sterility. For though He preaches with enthusiasm a gospel of grace, He does so with the aim of producing in the recipients of the good tidings holiness, and in the conviction that belief in the gospel is the most efficient cause of holiness. A kingdom of God must be a kingdom of righteousness, and if Jesus presented it to view as a kingdom of grace, it was because He believed that was the most direct way of reaching the ideal. It was made a kingdom of grace to begin with, that it might become a kingdom of righteousness to end with. In this respect there is absolute agreement between Christ and Paul. The Herald of the kingdom, not less energetically than the apostle of the Gentiles, repudiates the idea that men might sin with impunity because grace abounded. The intercession put into the mouth of the vinedresser is a solemn act of repudiation, similar in import to Pauls protest in the sixth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans. Let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it; and if it bear fruit next year, well; and if not, thou shalt cut it down. (A. B. Bruce, D. D.)

The mercy of new probation

I. HERE ARE SET FORTH THE CONDITIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF LIFE UNDER THE GOSPEL.

1. The individuality of Gods gracious dealings.

2. A picture of gracious provisions enjoyed.

3. The responsibility involved in the possession of gospel blessings.

II. THE MISUSE OF GOSPEL PRIVILEGE AND OPPORTUNITY AS IT IS HERE DECLARED. Instead of fruitfulness there was barrenness. The gospel grace proves in many instances to have been all in vain. Faults are not corrected. Sins are not put away. The new life is not lived. Salvation is not enjoyed.

1. Now this resultlessness of the ministry of the Word does not imply any necessary defect in its human presentation, especially where barrenness is seen side by side with growing strength and abundant fruitfulness. Neither does it imply any withholding of any single gracious or Divine element necessary to the result. Neither does it imply any decree or principle limiting the application of what is admitted to be an adequate and universal remedy. When we ask why men are and remain unsaved under the sound of a faithful and full gospel ministry, we cannot find refuge either in the Divine intention, in the character of the provision, in the mode of its presentation, or the absence of the power of the Holy Spirit of God. We exhaust all possible reasons, and have to come back to one, and one only--human wilfulness. The will-not of unbelief makes the grace of God of none effect.

2. The second thing here is the Divine patience with these unfruitful hearers.

3. The mischiefs which attend the unfruitful and are wrought by them. Why cumbereth it the ground also? The also was left out of the older version, and the sense thereby weakened. The idea expressed is not only that the tree is useless, but that it is also baneful. The word cumber means now to occupy a place disadvantageously. But it had a more extensive sense of old, and the word here really means that it marred, poisoned, did mischief to the soil. Its shade was injurious. But also it drew to itself the fatness of the soil, the nourishment which other trees needed, and impoverished both them and it.

III. THERE IS A SPECIAL TIME OF GRACE, WITH A CERTAIN CATASTROPHE IF IT BE NOT IMPROVED TO GOOD PURPOSE.

1. The benefits of intercession on behalf of those who are unbelieving and fruitless.

2. The extended season and increased facilities for fruitful growth which are thus afforded. (The Preachers Monthly.)

The secret orderings of the souls life

O could there be laid out before our eyes the secret and wonderful workings, the incessant and anxious care, of which the inner life of any one soul is the object, how should we be lost in amazement at the unmerited, the marvellously constant, love of God! Who can speak as he should of the intricate, the minute ordering of the events of daily life, so disposed and governed that each may do its part in training us for our true rest? Who can tell of the secret drawings of love, the hidden inspirations, the discipline of sorrow, the lessons of chastisement, which are brought to bear upon us one by one? God speaks to us at one time amid the sweet breath of heavenly consolation, at another in the midst of the furnace of affliction; He multiplies around us the means of grace; He brings us within the influence of holy seasons, or places, or persons; He presents to us motives which are strong enough to overcome anything but the most hardened impenitence; He pursues us with the solicitations of His love; He does everything short of taking from us our freewill, that will whose power freely to choose its own highest happiness of necessity involves the alternative of rejecting it. And when apparently nothing more remains to be done, when even the energies of Divine love seem to have exhausted themselves in vain upon the hardness of a heart which is resolutely bent upon sin; even in that supreme moment, that crisis of the souls destinies, when the cry goes forth from the Eternal Justice, Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? there rises up from the depth of Divine compassion which dwells in the heart of the Redeemer the pleading petition for a yet further extension of the day of grace, Lord, let it alone this year also. Some healing remedy may yet be found, some appeal may even yet obtain an entrance--the door before which the Lord has been so long standing and knocking in Divine patience and sorrow may even yet be opened to Him, that He may enter in and sup--the dresser of the vineyard will once more dig about the fruitless tree and dung it--and if it bear fruit--well. If it bear fruit--well. Yes, my brethren, but there is an alternative, a possibility, terrible to dwell upon, but which yet forms an important part of the teaching of this parable, and one which we may not overlook. If not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. Yes, there arrives a moment hidden in the eternal councils of the Most High, at which even the voice of the Great Intercessor ceases to plead, and acquiesces in the righteous judgment of God. (S. W. Skeffington, M. A.)

This year also

The interceding vine-dresser pleaded for the fruitless fig-tree, let it alone this year also, dating, as it were, a year from the time wherein he spoke. Trees and fruit-bearing plants, have a natural measurement for their lives: evidently a year came to its close when it was time to seek fruit on the fig-tree, and another year commenced when the vine-dresser began again his digging and pruning work. Men are such barren things that their fruitage marks no certain periods, and it becomes needful to make artificial divisions of time for them; there seems to be no set period for mans spiritual harvest or vintage, or if there be, the sheaves and the clusters come not in their season, and hence we have to say one to another, This shall be the beginning of a new year.

I. The beginning of a new year SUGGESTS A RETROSPECT. Let us take it, deliberately and honestly. This year also--then there had been former years of grace. The dresser of the vineyard was not for the first time aware of the fig-trees failure, neither had the owner come for the first time seeking figs in vain. God, who gives us this year also, has given us others before it; His sparing mercy is no novelty, His patience has already been taxed by our provocations.

1. Years of great mercy.

2. Years of sharp affliction.

3. Opportunities for usefulness, which have come and gone.

4. Unfulfilled resolutions.

II. The text MENTIONS A MERCY. This year also--a grant from infinite grace, as the result of loves pleadings, and in pursuance of loves designs.

1. The wicked man should count that the Lords longsuffering points to his salvation, and he should permit the cords of love to draw him to it. O that the Holy Spirit would make the blasphemer, the Sabbath.breaker, and the openly vicious to feel what a wonder it is that their lives are prolonged this year also! Are they spared to curse, and riot, and defy their Maker? Shall this be the only fruit of patient mercy? The procrastinator who has put off the messenger of heaven with his delays and half promises, ought he not to wonder that he is allowed to see this year also? The believer is kept out of heaven this year also in love, and not in anger. There are some for whose sake it is needful he should abide in the flesh, some to be helped by him on their heavenward way, and others to be led to the Redeemers feet by his instruction. Surely, for the sake of souls, for the delight of glorifying our Lord, and for the increase of the jewels of our crown, we may be glad to wait below this year also.

III. This year also IMPLIES A LIMIT. Even when Jesus is the pleader, the request of mercy has its bounds and times. There will come a last year to each one of us: therefore let each one say to himself--Is this my last? (C. H.Spurgeon.)

Another year granted

I. PROLONGED LIFE IS MAINLY VALUABLE FOR THE ENLARGEMENT OF SPIRITUAL OPPORTUNITY.

II. THE NEGLECTED OPPORTUNITY FURNISHES REASON WHY THE VERY INTERCESSOR HIMSELF WILL ACQUIESCE IN OUR CONDEMNATION. (S. Robins, M. A.)

Gods forbearance of the barren fig-tree

I. THE VINE-DRESSERS PETITION AND REQUEST.

1. The matter of the request--Lord, let it alone. It is the special duty of faithful ministers and pastors and labourers in Gods vineyard, to divert and keep off that wrath, vengeance, and judgment which He threatens, and which is near to their people (see Joe_1:13; Joe_2:17; Isa_62:6-7). The ground hereof is this.

1. Because ministers are middle persons, as it were betwixt God and the people: they mediate and deal betwixt both; as it is declared expressly of Exo_19:1). This is one thing which makes for this work to be performed by them; and then, which we may add hereunto, the affection which does belong unto them from this relation. This it makes for it also. When a child is in any danger, who should sooner speak for it than the father? When a sheep is ready to be swallowed up, who should sooner interpose than the shepherd? When a city is ready to be betrayed, who should sooner bestir himself than the watchman and governor of it? Why thus it is now with those who are ministers and pastors of the Church. They are fathers, they are shepherds, they are spiritual watchmen, and what not to work them, and to engage them hereunto. This very expression in the text carries an argument with it, wherein they are called dressers of the vineyard, who are much concerned in the safety of those trees that belong unto it, as a piece of their own handy-work. This it first of all shows us, how that ministers not only serve to instruct Gods people, but to protect them; not only to show them their duty, but to keep off their ruin.

2. The determination of the time for the exercise and continuance of this forbearance--This year also.

(1) This implies that He had for some time let it alone already (see Gen_6:3; 2Ch_36:15-16). This the Lord is pleased to do upon divers considerations.

(a) Out of His nobleness, and royalty, and generosity of mind, as we may so express it. To show that He does not take pleasure or delight in the death of sinners, as He hath sometimes told us. He loves not to destroy there where He can any way spare.

(b) The Lord does thus with many people, that thereby He may leave them so much the more inexcusable, and may be justified in His proceedings against them, when He comes to judgment indeed; that all mens mouths may be stopped, and that they may believe so much the more fully in God.

(c) Sometimes, to exercise this patience of the vine-dressers themselves, which labour and take pains about these fig-trees, God will hereby sometimes prove them, and God will sometimes hereby trouble them; as St. Paul observes it in himself, from the non-proficiency and impenitency of the Corinthians (2Co_12:1-21. ult). And by His own patience and forbearance of such persons, God will leave them His ministers to a spirit of patience and forbearance in themselves, in conformity to Gods own example.

(2) This implies a further desire of continued patience and forbearance; which proceeds upon these grounds.

(a) That speech, love, and affection, which they bear unto them. Hatred is all for destroying; and that out of hand. But love, it is desirous of sparing, and preserving of the party beloved, as long as it can.

(b) There is ground for this desire and request of ministers in the behalf of their people, from that hope which they are willing to conceive of their amendment and reformation.

(c) This disposition in ministers proceeds out of respect to themselves, and a holy jealousy and suspicion which they may conceive of their own neglectfulness.

II. THE CONDITIONS WHICH THIS PETITION PROCEEDS UPON. These are twofold. The one is taken from himself Till I shall dig about it, and dung it. And the other is taken from the fig-tree, upon supposition, either of amendment or incorrigibleness. If it bear fruit, well; if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. We begin first of all with the former, viz., that which is taken from himself--Till I shall dig, etc. Where there are two things observable of us.

1. The phrase or expression.

2. The doctrine or notion which is contained under it, and is exhibited to us from it. For the First: The phrase or expression. We may here take notice of the nature and condition of a ministers work and employment; which, because it is expressed to us by digging and dunging, is hereby signified to be a very difficult and laborious service. Now, Secondly: For the thing itself, or notion. Taking this passage in the scope and connection of it, there is so far hereby signified and intimated unto us the efficacy and advantage of the ministry to such a purpose as is here expressed. Till I shall dig about it, and dung it; as who shall say, that would do it. From whence we may note thus much: That the labour and pains of the ministers is a means whereby God hath sanctified and appointed for the good and edification of the people. If anything do them good, and make them to be that which they should be, this is that which must do it--preaching and taking pains with them. The second is taken from the fig-tree, by way of a double supposition. Either, first, of future fruitfulness. If it bear fruit, well; or, secondly, of further incorrigibleness; and, if not, then, &c. First, to speak of the former; to wit, the supposition of future fruitfulness. If it bear fruit, well. This word, well, it is not expressed in the original text, but it is necessarily supplied here in our English translation, to make the sense complete. First, Well: that is, well for the Lord and Master of the vineyard: well for thee; it shall be well. So, when the fig-tree bears fruit, it is well for him that owns it (Pro_27:18). And so it is here; when a people prove fruitful, God Himself is so much the better for it. This must not be taken strictly and rigorously, but by way of dispensation. God reckons and accounts Himself profited when we do that which is our duty before Him; when we are active and fruitful in goodness, and answer those gracious opportunities and advantages of being better which God in goodness affords unto us, we do thereby the more honour God and express His grace in us, as it becomes us to do. Herein is My Father glorified, in that ye bear much fruit, says Christ Himself to His disciples (Joh_15:8). Secondly, Well: that is, well for the husbandman and dresser of the vineyard. Well, that is, well for thee. It is well for the minister when the people thrive in goodness, and are fruitful in every good work: namely, upon this account; because he sees some good success and effect of his labour amongst them. Thirdly, well for the vineyard, and the rest of the trees in it. One barren and unfruitful fig-tree may spoil a whole set and row of trees besides. It prejudices other plants which are near it. On the other hand, when any are fruitful, and active, and zealous in goodness; their zeal, it provokes many others so much the more to piety. And so it is well for the vineyard. Lastly, and more especially; well, for the fig-tree itself. It is well for every particular person, when of barren, he comes to be fruitful in every good work (Psa_128:2). And so much may suffice to be here spoken of the first supposition mentioned; to wit, of future fruitfulness, in these words, If it bear fruit, well. The second is, of further incorrigibleness; in these; and if not, then, after that, thou shalt cut it down. Which words, after that, seem to carry a double reference and respect with them. The one is to the Lord of the vineyard; patience and forbearance towards it. After that; that is, after that thou hast let it alone for one year longer, as I desire of thee; if after that it shall still prove unfruitful, then do thus and thus with it. The second is, to the vine-dressers pains and labour about it. After that, that is, after that I have digged about it, and dunged it; if after that it shall yet prove no better, but remain barren and unfruitful still; then, I say, no more of it, but this; that thou shalt cut it down. And here, again, this expression--Thou shalt cut it down, it hath a double emphasis with it. First, an emphasis of prediction; and secondly, an emphasis of permission. An emphasis of prediction Thou shalt cut it down, that is, thou wilt cut it down: there is nobody that can hinder thee. An emphasis of permission--Thou shalt cut it down; that is, thou mayest cut it down; there is nobody will hinder thee. From both together, we have these two points observable of us: First, that a peoples continued unfruitfulness, after Gods long expectations from them, and forbearance of them, makes His judgments to fall unavoidably and irrecoverably upon them. After that, thou wilt cut it down; it is a word of prediction or commination. Secondly, that a peoples continued unfruitfulness, after long enjoyment of the means and labours of the ministers amongst them, it takes off the prayers and intercessions of the ministers for them. After that, thou mayest cut it down. And so it is a word of permission, or submission, to the will and mind of the Lord of the vineyard. (Thomas Herren, D. D.)

The use of prolonged discipline

I think something may be gained here by descending into the particulars. One of these agricultural operations imparts to the tree the elements of fruitfulness, and the other enables the tree to makes these elements its own. Digging gives nothing to the tree; but it makes openings whereby gifts from another quarter may become practically available. The manure contains the food which the plant must receive, and assimilate, and convert into fruit; but if the hardened earth were not made loose by digging, the needed aliment would never reach its destination. Similar processes are applied in the spiritual culture: certain diggings take place around and among the roots of barren souls, as well as of barren fig-trees. Bereavements and trials of various kinds strike and rend; but these cannot by themselves renew and sanctify. They may give pain, but cannot impart fertility; the spirit much distressed may be as unfruitful as the spirits that are at ease in Zion. These rendings, however, are most precious as the means of opening a way whereby the elements of spiritual life conveyed by the Word and the Spirit may reach their destination. The Lord, who pours in the food for the sustenance of a soul, stirs that soul by His providence, so that grace may reach the root and be taken in. As the constituents of fruit, held in solution by air and water, cannot freely reach the plant whose roots lie under a long unbroken and indurated soil, so the grace of God contained in the preached gospel is kept at bay by a carnal mind and a seared conscience. It is when afflictions rend the heart, as a ploughshare tears up the ground, that the elements of life long offered are at length received. It is thus that providence and grace conspire to achieve the purpose of God in the salvation of men. In this work mercy and judgment meet; and saved sinners, on earth and in heaven, put both together in their song of praise (Psa_101:1). (W. Arnot.)

Pleading for a respite

If any particular circumstance might be considered as making a more deep, lasting, and serious impression than others, it was a dream which I had when at school. I felt the apprehension of the approach of the last great judgment day. After I had perceived vast multitudes of the human race appearing before the throne of Christ, some being approved, and others rejected, I at length beheld my beloved father and mother, and several of the family. I heard them distinctly examined, and as distinctly heard the Judge say, Well done. At this period my whole soul was filled with horror, being conscious that I was not prepared to pass my final scrutiny. At length my name was announced, and I felt all the agonies of a mind fully expecting to be banished from the presence of God. The Judge, then, in language which struck me with mingled shame and hope, said, Well, what sayest thou? I fell at His feet, and implored mercy, and prayed, Lord, spare me yet a little longer, and when Thou shalt call for me again, I hope to be ready. With a smile, which tranquillized my spirits, the Lord replied, Go, then, and improve the time given thee. The extreme agitation awoke me; but so deep was the impression, that I have never forgotten it. (Herbert Mends.)

More time for repentance

John Hardonk, while on shipboard, dreamed one night that the day of judgment had come, and that the roll of the ships crew was called except his own name, and that this crew were all banished; and in his dream he asked the reader why his own name was omitted, and he was told it was to give him more opportunity for repentance. He woke up a different man. He became illustrious for Christian attainment. (Dr. Talmage.)

Fruit sought by God

The first thing which strikes us, perhaps, in the transaction, is ITS INDIVIDUALITY. There must have been many vines and many fig-trees in the vineyard; but the story is told as if the whole vineyard were for that one tree alone; and as if the great Proprietor concerned Himself only with it. Whether we recollect how soon He began, or how often or how long He has been, He does not forget, He has catalogued it, and registered it. Behold--it implies that the person addressed is very conscious how lengthy the time has been, and how very anxious and very patient the Dresser has been--Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: cut it down. Oh! it is a very humbling recollection--those years of love and care--it is very humbling, if it is not more, those years of unfaithfulness and emptiness which God all along has been counting. And observe it--it is the Dresser who has been the searcher, and He who did all for you is the one who has been looking for something from you. And the true measure of the emptiness is the extent of the culture. Had the dressing not been what it is, the wonder would have been less. WHAT IS FRUIT? What is it which is to a man what the figs are to the fig-tree? I answer, first, it would be something appropriate to his nature, accordant with his being. For men do not gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles. And what is the nature of the being of a man? Physical, intellectual, impassioned, spiritual. Such, then, must fruit be, real and tangible, visible and felt, reasonable, thoughtful, balanced, affectionate, earnest, spirit going forth to spirit, assimilating itself to God. And it must be fruit in its season. We do not expect mans fruit at childs age. There may be separate fruit for a man, and separate fruit for a woman. And every man has his own special fruit, which he ought to bear. And next, it must be in the man as it is in the natural tree. The tree takes up of its own soil, and by a strange process of transformation, what it took up in one form, earthy, comes out at last in another--for beauty and for usefulness--heavenly. So must it be in a man. What he is to give to God is not angelic service, but human. He must draw it from the earth, but it assumes a character different, not its own. How does that take place? The sap flowing from the root through the stem, runs into the branches, and there diffusing itself to every tendril, makes a deposit, and so forms fruit. Just so, the Holy Ghost, flowing from the eternal love of the Father, through the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, makes His way to every grafted member in the mystical body, and goes out into every, the weakest, the minutest, part of man--each feeling, each thought, each word, each motion, making holiness. But many a storm, and many a sunshine; many a dark night, and many a bright day; many a wind, and many a rain, and many a chill, go to do each their own proper work, till the blossom is set; and when it is set, on and on, till the bud becomes fruit, and this fruit, till it is sweet. It must have its own true, proper flavour. So it is with you. You must pass through all the changes of your moral atmosphere, you must know various discipline, till, little by little, by that sap, which is the Spirit of God, coming to you through Jesus Christ, you get love, the love of God, the sweet savour of love, without which nothing is fruit. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)

Fruit, or no fruit

Now supposing the predestined interval pass away, and you are not a fruit-bearer? There will be no more notice, it will come quietly, solemnly, instantaneously, abrupt, irrevocable, Cut it down.

Then the axe will be laid at the root, and you will go up to your bed, and you will begin to decline and fade away. Or a blow will do it in a moment, and you will lie down, a thing that has never fulfilled its intention of life; then how is it to live for ever? But if otherwise, if you begin now, in any degree, really to live for God, and repay Gods care, and honour Him, what will you have then? There is no answer given in the original. We have put in well. God had left it a blank, for every one to fill in just as he likes; and we cannot fill it in with too much. But let it stand, well. If it bear fruit, well. Well, all health, all joyous health for the soul, well. Well will it be to live well, to die well, to meet God well. Well will it be to go on bearing more fruit for ever and ever. Well will it be for you to be eternally happy, and Christ to see of the travail of His soul in you, and to be satisfied. Well. Then what is the conclusion? Do not go on living a useless life. Let God have some satisfaction in you. Begin at once. Do something. Let there be some fruit seen--at home, in your temper, in your intercourse, in your daily conduct, in your own family. Let there be more fruit in our own closet, in more real communion with God in private. Let there be a fruit in the world, in something taken up and done definitely for the Lord Jesus Christ. Let there be a fruit in the Church--truer worship, more frequent use of ordinances, more sympathy and love shown to all the brethren. And let there be a fruit--fruit best of all, in your own soul--more of Jesus there--a humility, a tenderness, a holy singleness, which shall show Jesus, just as the grapes shows the vine. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)

Fruitfulness the gauge of value

Years ago in Men tone they estimated the value of land by the number of olive trees upon it. How many bearers of the precious oil were yielding their produce? That was the question which settled the value of the plot. Is not this the true way of estimating the importance of a Christian Church? Mere size is no criterion; wealth is even a more deceiving measure, and rank and education are no better. How many are bearing fruit unto the Lord in holy living, in devout intercession, in earnest efforts for soul winning, and in other methods by which fruit is brought forth unto the Lord? Jesus looks for fruit (Mar_11:13), His operations upon us are intended to produce fruit (Luk_13:9), and if there be none in a Church we may expect to hear Him say of it as He did of old--And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: and I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 13:6-7. And he spake also this parable — With a view to awaken them more effectually to a deep and serious repentance: A certain man had a fig-tree in his vineyard — And because it was planted in good soil, he came and sought fruit thereon — Having good reason to expect it. Observe, he did not send, but came himself, which manifested his great desire to find fruit. Thus God came in the person of his Son, to his vineyard, the Jewish Church, Isa 5:1-7, seeking the fruits of righteousness. Observe, reader, the God of heaven requires and expects fruit from those that have a place in his vineyard, that are favoured with his word and ordinances, and the various means of edification and salvation. The leaves of an outward profession will not satisfy him; the crying Lord, Lord; nor will the blossoms of beginning well and promising fair suffice: there must be fruit; fruits meet for repentance, and proper to manifest that the gospel is not heard, and the ordinances of God administered and attended, in vain. And found none — Little or no fruit did the Lord Jesus find produced by the Jewish people when he came to visit them. There was profession, indeed, in abundance, but little fruit. And it is an awful consideration still how many enjoy the privileges of the gospel, and yet bear no fruit to God’s glory; neither ceasing to do evil, nor learning to do well, perhaps in almost any one instance; but going on in their old course of sin and vanity, unchanged, unreformed, both in principle and practice. Then said he to the dresser of his vineyard — To the vine-dresser, as Dr. Campbell renders it. We may either understand God the Father by him that had the vineyard, and Christ by him that kept and dressed it; or Christ himself is he that hath it, and his ministers are the keepers and dressers of it. Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree — The length of time it has been barren, while it has been favoured with all advantages for being fruitful, shows that it is good for nothing. Cut it down — Root it out, and throw it away; why cumbereth it the ground? — That is, not only beareth no fruit, but taketh up the ground of another tree that would bear some. This is spoken either by God the Father to Christ as the dresser of the vineyard, to whom all judgment is committed, or by him to the ministers of his gospel, who are in his name to declare this doom. “Many have supposed that the three years here mentioned allude to the time of Christ’s personal ministry, which, as most have computed the chronology of the New Testament, had now lasted three years; but it is certain the patience of God bore with them much longer than another year. Grotius, therefore, thinks it more probable it may refer to the nature of a fig-tree, which, if it bear at all, generally begins to do it within three years after it is planted; but might certainly be looked on as barren, if it had disappointed the expectation of the planter three years together, after the time in which it should have yielded fruit.” — Doddridge. Or, perhaps, the years in this parable may denote the whole duration of the Jewish dispensation. God came seeking fruit of the Jews in one space of time before the Babylonish captivity; in another, after their restoration; and in another again, in and by the preaching of John the Baptist, and of Christ himself. “But though this parable was originally meant of the Jews, it may be applied to unfruitful professors of religion in every age; for it exhibits a rule observed in the divine administration which should strike terror into all who enjoy spiritual privileges without improving them. Every man is allowed a certain time of trial, during which he enjoys the means and helps necessary to piety. If he continues ignorant of God’s visitation, despises the riches of the divine mercy, and goes on obstinately in sin, these advantages are commonly taken away from him, his day of grace ends, the utmost term of God’s patience is passed for ever, the Divine Spirit, being grieved, is provoked to depart, and the man is delivered over to a hardened heart, after which his repentance and salvation become impossible.” — Macknight.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Parable of the Fig tree, Luk_13:6-9.

Our Lord now completes both the discourses, namely, of the myriads and its present appendix, with a parable Which contains the substance of the a whole, and closes with the awful sentence “cut it down.” The whole discourse pointed its warnings first at the individual sinner, and then at the collective body, or the organic or governmental system. And these all unite in one; for the same warnings were applicable to each case. The nation is indeed the corporate person; the destiny of the individual is involved in the fate of the nation.

6. A certain man—The man is Jehovah; the fig-tree is the Jew, national or personal; the vine-dresser is the Redeemer. This is a parable in words, as the cursing of the barren fig-tree was the same parable in action. See note on Mat_21:18-23.

He came—This He is the same as the owner in the parable of the wicked husbandman, namely, God the Father Almighty.

Sought fruit—Fruit is a very common and very expressive image of men’s moral actions; springing as both do from the natural vigor of the being by which they are produced. But they differ in one important point, that the fruit is a necessary inevitable product, whereas a good or evil deed is free and responsible.

Found none—In the beautiful passage of Isa_5:1, where the same sad truths are illustrated under the image of a vineyard, the planter not merely finds no true fruit, but he finds the opposite, namely, an evil product. There was not only omission of good, but commission of bad.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CRITICAL NOTES

Luk_13:6. A certain man had a fig-tree.—This parable is peculiar to St. Luke, and tells of impending destruction because of long-continued abuse of God’s mercy. The fig-tree is the Jewish nation, the vineyard is the Church, the owner of the vineyard is God, and the vinedresser is Christ (or. according to another interpretation, Christ is the owner, and the vine-dresser the Holy Spirit). It is hard not to see some reference in the seventh verse to the three years of Christ’s ministry. This is not, however, fatal to the identification of the owner with God, and of the vine-dresser with Christ, as in Christ’s coming to seek fruit God might be said to come. The objection to the identification of the vine-dresser with the Holy Spirit is that it represents Christ as one to be interceded with—a view of His character quite contrary to the spirit of the New Testament. It is useless to say that we should not press the parable too far by such identifications, as in the parables expounded by Christ Himself (those of the Sower and the Tares) every detail is shown to be significant.

Luk_13:7. Three years.—Apart from the allusion above noted, the time here specified is that within which a fig-tree, if it is going to bear fruit, should show some signs of fertility. Cumbereth.—Lit. “make of none effect,” “make idle.” It takes the place of a tree that might yield some fruit, and impoverishes the ground by drawing nutriment from it.

Luk_13:8. Lord.—I.e., “sir.” Dig about it.—I.e., dig holes for casting in manure.

Luk_13:9. Well.—This word is supplied to fill up the broken sentence. There is great solemnity in the significant gap left in the speaker’s words—in the suggestion that amendment is barely possible, but that a certain time will be allowed to see if it will take place. After that.—Omitted in R.V., but of course the words are understood in any case.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Luk_13:6-9

The Barren Fig-Tree.—No doubt this parable, in its primary reference, set forth the then state of the Jewish people—the pains that had been spent upon them, the meagreness of spiritual results that had been yielded by them, and the certainty of Divine retribution if there were not a speedy change in their condition. But the solemn lessons which it contains are equally applicable to every individual whose life has been subjected to religious influences, and who has failed to yield the fruits of righteousness.

I. The worthless tree.—Note that it enjoyed special advantages. It was planted in good soil, and it was attended to by one who both knew how to apply, and was diligent in applying, helps to its growth and fruitfulness. It was not a tree growing wild among the rocks, or on the road-side, which the passer-by might strip of its scanty fruit, and which no one would be surprised at finding devoid of figs, even in the season when they were naturally to be expected. Nor can we fail to see the spiritual meaning of this. From those who are outside the influences of religion little can be expected. But from us, who are placed in the most advantageous conditions; who have been taught the truth as it is in Jesus from our earliest years; who have enjoyed all the helps and privileges the Church can give; to whom God’s Word is so familiar that we are in danger of losing reverence for it;—much is expected. There was no fruit upon this fig-tree. Yet it was not dead; and was probably all the more richly clothed with pretentious foliage because it bore nothing. Instead of being a fruit-bearing tree, it had become a tree of the ornamental kind, and—for it represents a being with moral responsibilities—it had no right to make the change. It was not planted for ornament, but to yield fruit; if it did not yield fruit, it had no claim to its place in the vineyard. In it, therefore, we have a picture of the mere profession of religion, as contrasted with genuine, vital religion. The person whom the fig-tree represents is in the Church; he has all the advantages of that position; he clothes himself in the guise and uses the language of the Christian. But one thing is wanting. He yields no fruit; no one is any the better for his existence; he exercises no good influence. Even in the case in which he is not a mere deceiver, masquerading as a religious person, all the privileges and blessings he enjoys go to his own nourishment—to feed his own self-complacency—and he is of no use or service to God or man. He is never known to do a generous, kindly, Christ-like action, or to assist in any good cause. And this is the great test of the value of a life. The goodness Christ requires is something that imparts itself and not something that merely pleases the eye. It yields fruit, which serves to feed and nourish the spiritual life of others.

II. The patient owner.—He is impoverished and disappointed by the fruitlessness of the tree. Its fruit would have value for him as an article of food and merchandise, and he is all the poorer for its absence. In the same way, and in as absolute a sense, we belong to God, our life has been ordered for us by Him, the place we occupy is that which He has assigned to us, and it is adapted to the purpose for which He has chosen it—viz., that of our yielding the fruits of righteousness and holiness. Some may be more favourably situated than others, but all have it in their power to yield some fruit. Note the patience and perseverance of the owner: “Behold, these three years I come, seeking fruit on this fig-tree.” More than three annual visits are implied. The fig-tree bears three times in the year—in early spring, in summer, and in autumn—fruit of different degrees of lusciousness and value. So that we are at liberty to think of the owner of this fig-tree as coming time after time during these three years, to see if there were any signs of fruit. Our Master also is patient. If He were not, what would become of us? If He did not know how to wait, which of us would not, long ago, have come under His sentence of condemnation? He comes to us every season—that is to say, whenever new circumstances occur in our lives, when there are fresh influences brought to bear upon us, or we pass into a new phase of experience. A great sorrow or a great joy befalls us, we are put into different conditions, and He comes in due time to see what gain we have made. And He is not easily discouraged, even if the condition of matters that meets His eye is unsatisfactory. He comes time after time to see if there is in summer what there was not in spring, if in autumn what was not in summer. He is slow unto anger, and time after time re-visits the tree, in spite of previous disappointments. And if we pass to the spiritual side of things, we see that He does more than visit the tree periodically. He Himself creates those new circumstances, He arranges those new events which are to our lives what the changes of season are to the tree. He sends them for the very purpose of exciting to fruitfulness, and every time that He has thus dealt with a life, or acted upon it, He draws near to it, to see if at last it is beginning to yield fruit. When, after protracted patience, there is no prospect of fruit, His sentence is simple and clear: “Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?” The decision of the owner is all the more serious for the reason which he alleges. The tree is useless. It has been planted there to bear fruit; it does not bear it, and there is no reason for any longer preserving it. It is taking up the space which might be occupied by a fruitful tree; it is not only doing no good, but it is hindering good from being done. The spiritual truth which is thus pictorially set forth is a very solemn one. God is patient, but there is such a thing as exhausting even His patience, and as making further long-suffering ridiculous. He waits long, but a time may come when He will be forced to leave to their fate those who are resolutely set upon disappointing Him.

III. The loving intercessor.—The owner has pronounced the sentence of condemnation, but an intercessor is found in the vine-dresser. He has a love for all the trees that are within his care; he loves this tree, not only for the fruit which it may yield, but also for its own sake. However, it is very noticeable that it is only a respite that he asks for. The success of his intercession is beforehand and by himself subordinated to the success of his undertaking. I will do so-and-so with it, and try all in my power to correct the defect; but if failure attend my efforts, I will not have a word to say in its behalf. There is a deep spiritual meaning in this. We are the subjects of intercession, but this intercession has conditions attached to it. There is One who loves us profoundly—loves us for our own sakes, independently of what we may become, or, to use this figure, of the fruit we may bear. But at the same time He knows that eternal life can only be given to those who live unto God, and who, by their fruits, give evidence of the genuineness of their faith in God and love for Him. He intercedes for us—that is, He asks for time to make use of every means within His power for stirring us up to be fruitful in all good works. The vine-dresser in the parable would have had no ground to stand upon, no reason to plead, if he had put in a word for sparing a tree that had proved itself hopelessly barren. And so in the spiritual side intercession avails in the case of those who, though backward and disappointing at first, yield to the heavenly influences brought to bear upon them, and begin to live unto God. The mercy which is shown to the penitent, whatever may have been the depth of their guilt, warrants no inference of mercy being shown to those who are finally impenitent. The plain, definite, solemn warning which the parable contains is, one may say, one of the means which the Heavenly Vine-dresser uses to make us bestir ourselves. The words are calculated to shake us out of indifference, and to urge us to begin at once to bear fruit towards God, in a devout and holy life.

SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE Luk_13:6-9

Luk_13:6-9. The Unfruitful Fig-Tree.

I. The vineyard.

II. The fig-tree in a vineyard.

III. The fig-tree visited.

IV. The fig-tree doomed.

V. The fig-tree spared.

I. The promise of fruit.

II. Patient waiting.

III. Deserved condemnation.

IV. Loving intercession.

The Lessons of the Fig-tree.

I. For the Jewish Church. 1. Its privileges.

2. Its unfruitfulness.

3. God’s forbearance.

II. For the individual Jew.

III. For the individual Christian.—

1. The value of Church membership.

2. Individual responsibility.

3. Unfruitful Church members need warning.

4. The day of grace is drawing to an end. What then?—W. Taylor.

The Teaching in the Parable—

I. Cuts up all pleas of negative goodness.

II. Calls on us to examine ourselves whether we be barren or fruitful, and to follow out the result aright, whatever it may be.

III. Calls on us to be thankful to the Lord for sparing us hitherto.

IV. Warns us not to abuse God’s mercy so as to presume upon it for the future.

The Parable also Teaches—

I. That a solemn responsibility attaches to those who are within the pale of revealed religion and of the Church.

II. That God notes the length of time that men continue fruitless under the means of spiritual culture.

III. To be cut down is the rich desert of all the fruitless.

IV. The purpose of the mercy that is shown to them is to produce a change in them.

V. Genuine repentance, however late, avails to save.

VI. The final destruction of those who are, after all forbearance, found fruitless, will be pre-eminently and confessedly just.

Luk_13:6. “Fig-tree in his vineyard.”—The most frequent emblem for the Jewish people is the vine. Here the fig-tree is chosen to imply advantages bestowed for a definite purpose, to be withdrawn if that purpose is not served. Vines belong to a vineyard: a fig-tree can only find a place in it by the choice of the owner of the vineyard. So God, of His own free will, chose Israel to occupy a special place in the world, and to fulfil special duties in the education of the world in spiritual things.

“Sought fruit.”—Cf. Isa_5:2 : “He looked that it should bring forth fruit.” He has a right to it, and will require it.

From Whom Results are Expected.—The time when God thus comes is not the day of judgment only; for the tree is represented as allowed to stand, with a view of its beginning to yield fruit. It is now, therefore, during our present state, that God comes seeking fruit from us. He expects results—

I. From those who have received a Christian education and are familiar with holy examples.

II. From the faithful sermons we have heard.

III. From the trials of life which are designed to discipline the soul.

“Fruit.”—There is a wonderful fitness in the simple image running all through Scripture which compares men to trees and their work to fruit. The three kinds of works whereof Scripture speaks may all be illustrated from this image.

I. Good works, when the tree, having been made good, bears fruit after its own kind.

II. Dead works, such as have a fair outward appearance, but are not the genuine outgrowth of the renewed man—fruit, as it were, fastened on externally, alms given that they may be gloried in, prayers made that they may be seen.

III. Wicked works, when the corrupt tree bears fruit, manifestly after its own kind. Here it is, of course, those good fruits of which none are found; both the other kinds of fruit the Jewish fig-tree only too abundantly bore.”—Trench.

Luk_13:7. “Cut it down.”—Threatenings precede judgment; in this the love of God is manifested, for the threatenings may excite a penitence which will avert judgment.

“Cumber the Ground.”—Why does it not only bear no fruit, but also hinder the land from bearing any, by occupying the place of a better tree? It is itself sterile and it sterilises the soil.

1. It occupies space.

2. It shuts out the sun.

3. It impoverishes the soil.

Luk_13:8. “Dig about it,” etc.—Sometimes affliction may turn the soul to God; sometimes the bounties with which He enriches us may have the same effect.

Time Left for Repentance.—The idea of God’s final sentence being delayed, that time may be left men to repent, runs all through the Scriptures. Before the Flood, there was appointed a space of a hundred and twenty years (Gen_6:3); Abraham intercedes on behalf of Sodom (ib., Luk_18:23, seqq.); the destruction of Jerusalem did not follow till forty years after the ascension of Christ; and the coming of Christ is delayed through the long-suffering of God (2Pe_3:9).

Luk_13:9. Intercession for a Respite.—Nature of Christ’s intercession: not that the sins of men may go unpunished, but that the sentence may for a while be suspended, to prove whether they will turn and repent.

The Significance of the Special Pains taken with the Tree.—The special treatment accorded by the vine-dresser to the barren tree represents the marvellous deeds of love wrought by Jesus in His death and resurrection, and afterwards in the gift of the Holy Spirit and the preaching of the apostles, in order to rouse the nation from its impenitence. This parable informs those who hear it that their life hangs by a thread, and that that thread is in the hand of Him who speaks to them.—Godet.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

THE FIG-TREE

Luk 13:6-9. “And He spoke this parable: A certain man had a fig-tree, which had been planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, Behold, three years during which I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree and find none; cut it down; wherefore indeed cumbereth it the ground? And responding, he says to him, Lord, let it alone also this year, until I shall dig about it, and cast fertilization. If indeed it may bring fruit in the future; but if not, you shall cut it down.” The vineyard here is the kingdom of grace on the earth, and the fig-tree the Jewish Church; the vinedresser the Holy Ghost, and the three years the time of our Lord’s ministry. Here we see, when the Lord says, “Cut it down, that it may no longer cumber the ground” — i.e., occupy the rich soil of His vineyard, absorbing the fertility and shading the crops growing about it — the Holy Ghost pleads for it, beseeching Him to spare it another year; meanwhile He will stir the soil about it, and throw fertility around it, giving it another chance. Then, in case that it does not bear fruit, the Holy Spirit consents to its destruction. Great regions of the world, where the gospel once flourished and Christians were counted by thousands, are now missionary ground, gone back to the heathens and Mohammedans. The awful doom which speedily overtook Judaism awaits every Church which does not bear fruit; and you know that this fruit is holiness, — no sham, but the Christlike spirit, disposition, and life, as He was meek and lowly in heart, going about doing good. Ichabod is written on the doors of every Church that grieves away the Holy Spirit.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13:6-9 The parable of the barren fig tree illustrated Jesus’ ministry to Israel. Unless the nation produced the fruit of repentance, it would face judgment. The parable is open-ended—Israel was being offered the chance to respond. Cp. Matt 21:18-19 // Mark 11:12-14.

13:6 a fig tree: Israel was sometimes portrayed as an unfruitful fig tree or a vineyard that God would judge (Isa 5:1-7; Mic 7:1-2; see Jer 8:13; 24:1-10; Hos 9:10).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 13:6. Συκῆν, a fig-tree) a tree which in itself has no rightful place in a vineyard. God took Israel as His people by the freest exercise of grace.—αὐτοῦ, His) The Father has a vineyard, and Christ cultivates and dresses it, עבד יהוה. Comp. Luk 13:8, Lord [which implies, the vineyard has Him for its Lord and owner]: or else Christ has the vineyard, and His ministers cultivate it.—πεφυτευμένην, planted) designedly.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk_13:6-9. Doctrine: the forbearance of God (of the Lord of the vineyard) endures only a short time longer; the ministry of me (the ἀμπελουργός) to you is the last attempt, and on it follows the decisionthe decision of the Messianic judgment. Comp. Luk_3:9. Explanations entering more into detail, for instance, of the three years (Augustine, Theophylact, Bisping, and others: the times of the law, the prophets, and Jesus; Euthymius Zigabenus: the τρεῖς πολιτείαι of the judges, the kings, and the high priests), in which, moreover, are not to be found the years of the ministry of Jesus (Jansen, Bengel, Michaelis, Wieseler, Synopse, p. 202, but that there would appear, besides the three years, a fourth also, in which the results of the manuring were to show themselves), mistake the colouring of the parable for its purpose.[161]

συκῆν εἶχέ τις] a certain person possessed a fig-tree. The fig-tree in the vineyard is not opposed to Deu_22:9, for there trees are not spoken of.

Luk_13:7. According to the reading τρ. ἔτη ἀφʼ οὗ (see the critical remarks): It is three years since I, etc. Comp. Thucyd. i. 18. 2.

ἱνατὶ καὶ κ.τ.λ.] wherefore also (besides that it itself bears nothing), see Hermann, ad Viger. p. 837; Klotz, ad Devar. p. 635 ff. The καί belongs, as is often the case in questions, to the whole sentence (Baeumlein, Partikeln, p. 152).

καταργεῖ] it makes the land uselessto wit, by useless occupation of the space, by exhausting and shading it. Examples of καταργεῖν, inertem facere, Eur. Phoen. 760; Ezr_4:21; Ezr_4:23; Ezr_5:5; Ezr_6:8.

Luk_13:8. καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἔτος] the present year alsoas already those three ineffectual past years.

ἕως ὅτου κ.τ.λ.] until the time that I shall have dug, etc.whereupon there shall occur, even according to the result, what is said at Luk_13:9.

κἂν μὲν ποιήσῃ καρπόν] and in case perchance it shall have brought forth fruiteven in the classical writers a frequent aposiopesis of the apodosis καλῶς ἔχει. See Valckenaer, Schol. p. 217; Hermann, ad Viger. p. 833; Buttmann, Neut. Gr. p. 339 [E. T. 396]. On the interchange of ἐάν and ΕἸ in such antitheses, in which the first conditional sentence is spoken with reference to the result, comp. Sauppe, ad Xen. Mem. ii. 6. 37; Stallbaum, ad Plat. Phaed. p. 93 B, Gorg. p. 470 A; Winer, p. 263 [E. T. 369].

εἰς τὸ μέλλον] sc. ἔτος, at the following year, which therefore comes in with the next years fig-harvest, thou shalt cut it down. Let it still therefore remain so long. Comp. on Luk_1:20. To supply ἔτος is by means of the correlation to ΤΟῦΤΟ ΤῸ ἜΤΟς, Luk_13:8, more strictly textual than the general notion postea (as it is usually taken).

ἐκκόψεις] Non dicit vinitor: exscindam, coll. Luk_13:7, sed rem refert ad dominum; desinit tamen pro ficu deprecari, Bengel.

[161] Grotius aptly says that the three years indicate in general the whole period before Christ: quo Deus patientissime expectavit Judaeorum emendationem. Within three years, as a rule, the tree when planted bore fruit, Wetstein in loc. The people addressed are the τινές, ver. 1 as ver. 2, but as members of Gods people (the vineyard), not as inhabitants of Jerusalem (Weizsäcker).

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 13:6-9 . Parable of the barren fig tree , peculiar to Lk., probably extemporised to embody the moral of the preceding narratives; takes the place in Lk. of the cursing of the fig tree in Mt. and Mk.

Luk 13:6 . Συκῆν εἶχέν τις : a fig tree, quite appropriate and common in corners of a vineyard, yet not the main plant in such a place; selected rather than a vine to represent Israel, by way of protest against assumed inalienable privilege. “Perish,” Jesus had said once and again (Luk 13:3 ; Luk 13:5 ). Some hearers might think: What! the Lord’s elect people perish? Yes, replies Jesus in effect, like a barren fig tree cast out of a vineyard, where at best it has but a subordinate place.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Great and longsuffering is the patience of God, but yet so that at length he executed judgment.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

This parable is intended to enforce that word of warning immediately going before, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish; except you be reformed, you will be ruined, as the barren tree, except it bring forth fruit, will be cut down."

I. This parable primarily refers to the nation and people of the Jews. God chose them for his own, made them a people near to him, gave them advantages for knowing and serving him above any other people, and expected answerable returns of duty and obedience from them, which, turning to his praise and honour, he would have accounted fruit; but they disappointed his expectations: they did not do their duty; they were a reproach instead of being a credit to their profession. Upon this, he justly determined to abandon them, and cut them off, to deprive them of their privileges, to unchurch and unpeople them; but, upon Christ's intercession, as of old upon that of Moses, he graciously gave them further time and further mercy; tried them, as it were, another year, by sending his apostles among them, to call them to repentance, and in Christ's name to offer them pardon, upon repentance. Some of them were wrought upon to repent, and bring forth fruit, and with them all was well; but the body of the nation continued impenitent and unfruitful, and ruin without remedy came upon them; about forty years after they were cut down, and cast into the fire, as John Baptist had told them (Mat 3:10), which saying of his this parable enlarges upon.

II. Yet it has, without doubt, a further reference, and is designed for the awakening of all that enjoy the means of grace, and the privileges of the visible church, to see to it that the temper of their minds and the tenour of their lives be answerable to their professions and opportunities, for that is the fruit required. Now observe here,

1. The advantages which this fig-tree had. It was planted in a vineyard, in better soil, and where it had more care taken of it and more pains taken with it, than other fig-trees had, that commonly grew, not in vineyards (Those are for vines), but by the way-side, Mat 21:19. This fig-tree belonged to a certain man, that owned it, and was at expense upon it. Note, The church of God is his vineyard, distinguished from the common, and fenced about, Isa 5:1, Isa 5:2. We are fig-trees planted in this vineyard by our baptism; we have a place and a name in the visible church, and this is our privilege and happiness. It is a distinguishing favour: he has not dealt so with other nations.

2. The owner's expectation from it: He came, and sought fruit thereon, and he had reason to expect it. He did not send, but came himself, intimating his desire to find fruit. Christ came into this world, came to his own, to the Jews, seeking fruit. Note, The God of heaven requires and expects fruit from those that have a place in his vineyard. He has his eye upon those that enjoy the gospel, to see whether they live up to it; he seeks evidences of their getting good by the means of grace they enjoy. Leaves will not serve, crying, Lord, Lord; blossoms will not serve, beginning well and promising fair; there must be fruit. Our thoughts, words, and actions must be according to the gospel, light and love.

3. The disappointment of his expectation: He found none, none at all, not one fig. Note, It is sad to think how many enjoy the privileges of the gospel, and yet do nothing at all to the honour of God, nor to answer the end of his entrusting them with those privileges; and it is a disappointment to him and a grief to the Spirit of his grace.

(1.) He here complains of it to the dresser of the vineyard: I come, seeking fruit, but am disappointed - I find none, looking for grapes, but behold wild grapes. He is grieved with such a generation.

(2.) He aggravates it, with two considerations: - [1.] That he had waited long, and yet was disappointed. As he was not high in his expectations, he only expected fruit, not much fruit, so he was not hasty, he came three years, year after year: applying it to the Jews, he came one space of time before the captivity, another after that, and another in the preaching of John Baptist and of Christ himself; or it may allude to the three years of Christ's public ministry, which were now expiring. In general, it teaches us that the patience of God is stretched out to long-suffering with many that enjoy the gospel, and do not bring forth the fruits of it; and this patience is wretchedly abused, which provokes God to so much the greater severity. How many times three years has God come to many of us, seeking fruit, but has found none, or next to none, or worse than none! [2.] That this fig-tree did not only not bring forth fruit, but did hurt; it cumbered the ground; it took up the room of a fruitful tree, and was injurious to all about it. Note, Those who do not do good commonly do hurt by the influence of their bad example; they grieve and discourage those that are good; they harden and encourage those that are bad. And the mischief is the greater, and the ground the more cumbered, if it be a high, large, spreading tree, and if it be an old tree of long standing.

4. The doom passed upon it; Cut it down. He saith this to the dresser of the vineyard, to Christ, to whom all judgment is committed, to the ministers who are in his name to declare this doom. Note, No other can be expected concerning barren trees than that they should be cut down. As the unfruitful vineyard is dismantled, and thrown open to the common (Isa 5:5, Isa 5:6), so the unfruitful trees in the vineyard are cast out of it, and wither, Joh 15:6. It is cut down by the judgments of God, especially spiritual judgments, such as those on the Jews that believed not, Isa 6:9, Isa 6:10. It is cut down by death, and cast into the fire of hell; and with good reason, for why cumbers it the ground? What reason is there why it should have a place in the vineyard to no purpose?

5. The dresser's intercession for it. Christ is the great Intercessor; he ever lives, interceding. Ministers are intercessors; they that dress the vineyard should intercede for it; those we preach to we should pray for, for we must give ourselves to the word of God and to prayer. Now observe,

(1.) What it is he prays for, and that is a reprieve: Lord, let it alone this year also. He doth not pray, "Lord, let it never be cut down," but, "Lord, not now. Lord, do not remove the dresser, do not withhold the dews, do not pluck up the tree." Note, [1.] It is desirable to have a barren tree reprieved. Some have not yet grace to repent, yet it is a mercy to them to have space to repent, as it was to the old world to have 120 years allowed them to make their peace with God. [2.] We owe it to Christ, the great Intercessor, that barren trees are not cut down immediately: had it not been for his interposition, the whole world had been cut down, upon the sin of Adam; but he said, Lord, let it alone; and it is he that upholds all things. [3.] We are encouraged to pray to God for the merciful reprieve of barren fig-trees: "Lord, let them alone; continue them yet awhile in their probation; bear with them a little longer, and wait to be gracious." Thus must we stand in the gap, to turn away wrath. [4.] Reprieves of mercy are but for a time; Let it alone this year also, a short time, but a sufficient time to make trial. When God has borne long, we may hope he will bear yet a little longer, but we cannot expect he should bear always. [5.] Reprieves may be obtained by the prayers of others for us, but not pardons; there must be our own faith, and repentance, and prayers, else no pardon.

(2.) How he promises to improve this reprieve, if it be obtained: Till I shall dig about it, and dung it, Note, [1.] In general, our prayers must always be seconded with our endeavours. The dresser seems to say, "Lord, it may be I have been wanting in that which is my part; but let it alone this year, and I will do more than I have done towards its fruitfulness." Thus in all our prayers we must request God's grace, with a humble resolution to do our duty, else we mock God, and show that we do not rightly value the mercies we pray for. [2.] In particular, when we pray to God for grace for ourselves or others, we must follow our prayers with diligence in the use of the means of grace. The dresser of the vineyard engages to do his part, and therein teaches ministers to do theirs. He will dig about the tree and will dung it. Unfruitful Christians must be awakened by the terrors of the law, which break up the fallow ground, and then encouraged by the promises of the gospel, which are warming and fattening, as manure to the tree. Both methods must be tried; the one prepares for the other, and all little enough.

(3.) Upon what foot he leaves the matter: "Let us try it, and try what we can do with it one year more, and, if it bear fruit, well, Luk 13:9. It is possible, nay, there is hope, that yet it may be fruitful." In this hope the owner will have patience with it, and the dresser will take pains with it, and, if it should have the desired success, both will be pleased that it was not cut down. The word well is not in the original, but the expression is abrupt: If it bear fruit! - supply it how you please, so as to express how wonderfully well-pleased both the owner and dresser will be. If it bear fruit, there will be cause of rejoicing; we have what we would have. But it cannot be better expressed than as we do: well. Note, Unfruitful professors of religion, if after long unfruitfulness they will repent, and amend, and bring forth fruit, shall find all is well. God will be pleased, for he will be praised; ministers' hands will be strengthened, and such penitents will be their joy now and their crown shortly. Nay, there will be joy in heaven for it; the ground will be no longer cumbered, but bettered, the vineyard beautified, and the good trees in it made better. As for the tree itself, it is well for it; it shall not only not be cut down, but it shall receive blessing from God (Heb 6:7); it shall be purged, and shall bring forth more fruit, for the Father is its husbandman (Joh 15:2); and it shall at last be transplanted from the vineyard on earth to the paradise above.

But he adds, If not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. Observe here, [1.] That, though God bear long, he will not bear always with unfruitful professors; his patience will have an end, and, if it be abused, will give way to that wrath which will have no end. Barren trees will certainly be cut down at last, and cast into the fire. [2.] The longer God has waited, and the more cost he has been at upon them, the greater will their destruction be: to be cut down after that, after all these expectations from it, these debates concerning it, this concern for it, will be sad indeed, and will aggravate the condemnation. [3.] Cutting down, though it is work that shall be done, is work that God does not take pleasure in: for observe here, the owner said to the dresser, "Do thou cut it down, for it cumbereth the ground." "Nay," said the dresser, "if it must be done at last, thou shalt cut it down; let not my hand be upon it." [4.] Those that now intercede for barren trees, and take pains with them, if they persist in their unfruitfulness will be even content to see them cut down, and will not have one word more to say for them. Their best friends will acquiesce in, nay, they will approve and applaud, the righteous judgment of God, in the day of the manifestation of it, Rev 15:3, Rev 15:4.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

fig tree--Israel, as the visible witness of God in the world, but generally all within the pale of the visible Church of God; a familiar figure (compare Isa 5:1-7; Joh 15:1-8, &c.).

vineyard--a spot selected for its fertility, separated from the surrounding fields, and cultivated with special care, with a view solely to fruit.

came and sought fruit--a heart turned to God; the fruits of righteousness; compare Mat 21:33-34, and Isa 5:2, "He looked that it should bring forth fruit"; He has a right to it, and will require it.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 6. A certain man] Many meanings are given to this parable, and divines may abound in them; the sense which our Lord designed to convey by it appears to be the following: -

1. A person, τις, God Almighty.

2. Had a fig tree, the Jewish Church.

3. Planted in his vineyard - established in the land of Judea.

4. He came seeking fruit - he required that the Jewish people should walk in righteousness, in proportion to the spiritual culture he bestowed on them.

5. The vine-dresser - the Lord Jesus, for God hath committed all judgment to the Son, Joh 5:22.

6. Cut it down - let the Roman sword be unsheathed against it.

7. Let it alone - Christ is represented as intercessor for sinners, for whose sake the day of their probation is often lengthened; during which time he is constantly employed in doing every thing that has a tendency to promote their salvation.

8. Thou shalt cut it down - a time will come, that those who have not turned at God's invitations and reproofs shall be cut off, and numbered with the transgressors.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(6) A certain man had a fig tree.—The parable stands obviously in very close connection with the foregoing teaching. The people had been warned of the danger of perishing, unless they repented. They are now taught that the forbearance and long-suffering of God are leading them to repentance. The sharp warning of the Baptist, “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down” (Mat_3:10), is expanded into a parable. As regards the outward framework of the story, we have only to note that the joint culture of the fig-tree and the vine was so common as to have passed into a proverb (2Ki_18:31; Son_2:13). The interpretation of the parable as to its general drift is easy enough. The barren fig-tree is the symbol of a fruitless profession of godliness; the delay represents the forbearance of God in allowing yet a time for repentance. When we come to details, however, serious difficulties present themselves. If we take the fig-tree as representing Israel, what are we to make of the vineyard? If the owner of the vineyard be Christ, who is the vine-dresser? Do the three years refer to the actual duration of our Lord’s ministry? Answers to these questions will be found in the following considerations:—(1) The vineyard is uniformly in the parabolic language of Scripture the symbol of Israel. (See Note on Mat_21:33.) (2) The owner of that vineyard is none other than the great King, the Lord of Hosts (Isa_5:7). (3) If this be so, then the fig-tree must stand for something else than Israel as a nation, and the context points to its being the symbol of the individual soul, which inheriting its place in a divine order, is as a tree planted in the garden of the Lord. (Comp. Psa_1:3; Jer_18:8.) (4) The “three years” in which the owner comes seeking fruit can, on this view, answer neither to the three stages of Revelation—Patriarchal, Mosaic, and Prophetic—nor the three years of our Lord’s ministry, but represent, as the symbol of completeness, the full opportunities given to men, the calls to repentance and conversion which come to them in the several stages of their lives in youth, manhood, age. (5) The dresser of the vineyard, following the same line of thought, is the Lord Jesus Himself, who intercedes, as for the nation as a whole, so for each individual member of the nation. He pleads for delay. He will do what can be done by “digging” into the fallow ground of the soul, and by imparting new sources of nourishment or fruitfulness. If these avail, well. If not, the fig-tree, by implication every fig-tree in the vineyard that continued barren, would be cut down.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6. a fig tree planted in his vineyard] The corners of vineyards were often utilised in this way, as they still are (Tristram, Nat. Hist. Bib. p. 352). Here the Jewish nation is compared to the fig-tree (Hos_9:10; Jer_24:3), as in the acted parable of the Barren Fig- tree (Mat_21:19); more often Israel is compared to the Vine or the Vineyard (Psa_80:8-11; Isa_5:2).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He spoke also this parable,.... That is, Jesus spake, as the Persic version expresses it, that which follows; and at the same time, and upon the above occasion; setting forth the patience of God towards the Jewish nation, their unfruitfulness, and the danger of their being destroyed, in case of non-amendment:

a certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. This was not at all contrary to the law in Deu 22:9 "thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds": for according to the Jewish canons (e),

"the prohibition on account of divers seeds in a vineyard, concerned divers sorts of corn, (as wheat, barley, &c.) and divers sorts of herbs only: but it was lawful to sow other sorts of seeds in a vineyard, and there is no need to say other trees.''

And there are cases put, and instances given, which express, or suppose fig trees, particularly, to have been planted in vineyards; for it is said (f),

"if a man carries a vine over part of a tree for meat, he may sow seed under the other part of it--it happened that R. Joshua went to R. Ishmael to Cephar Aziz, and he showed him a "vine", carried over, , "part of a fig tree".''

Again, more than once it is said in a parabolical way (g),

"this is like unto a king that has a paradise, or orchard planted, , "a row of fig trees, and of vines", and of pomegranates, and of apples, &c.''

By the "certain man" may be meant, either God the Father, who is sometimes called an husbandman; or rather the Lord Jesus Christ, who is truly man, as well as properly God; and "by his vineyard" may be meant, the Jewish nation; see Isa 5:1 which were his own nation and people, from whence he sprung, and to whom he was particularly sent, and among whom he had a special property; and may also be applied to the church of God in any age or nation, which is often compared to a vineyard, consisting of persons separated from the world, and planted with various plants, some fruitful, pleasant, profitable, and valuable, and are Christ's by his Father's gift, and his own purchase. And by "the fig tree planted" in it, may be principally meant the Scribes and Pharisees, and the generality of the Jewish people; who were plants, but not of Christ's Father's planting, and therefore to be cut down, or rooted up: and may be accommodated to professors of religion; some of which are true and real, and may be compared to the fig tree, because of its large and green leaves, expressive of their profession; and become fruitful, as they are, being filled with the fruits of the Spirit, of righteousness, and of grace; and because it puts forth its fruit before its leaves, as there should be the fruit of grace before a profession of faith is made. Others are only nominal professors; and are like a fig tree, of which sort was this in the parable, that has large leaves, but no fruit; make a large profession, but bring forth no fruit to the glory of God; and though they are planted in the house of God, yet not by God the Father, nor by Christ, only at best by ministers and churches hoping well of them, but mistaken in them:

and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. This, if understood of God the Father, designs his coming to the Jewish people by his servants and prophets, time after time, and at last by John the Baptist, and Jesus Christ, and his apostles, seeking and requiring fruits of holiness, righteousness, and judgment, but found instead thereof the wild grapes of wickedness, oppression, and violence: but if of Christ, which sense is rather to be chosen, it denotes his incarnation, or his coming into the world in human nature, and seeking by his ministry, the fruits of faith in himself, and repentance towards God among the people of the Jews, but found none; at least instances of faith in Israel were very rare, and few repented of their evil works; and hence he upbraided many with their impenitence and unbelief; see Mat 11:20.

(e) Maimon. Hilchot Celaim, c. 5. sect. 6. (f) Misn. Celaim, c. 6. sect. 4. (g) Vajikra Rabba, sect. 23. fol. 164. 3. Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 9. 2.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

Ver. 6. A vineyard] So the Church is frequently called. {See Trapp on "Mat 21:33"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This parable - See the notes at Mat 13:3.

Vineyard - A place where vines were planted. It was not common to plant fig-trees in them, but our Lord represents it as having been sometimes done.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

A certain man, &c. Each one, inasmuch as he holds a place in life, if he produce not the fruit of good works, like a barren tree encumbers the ground; because the place he holds, were it occupied by others, might be a place of fertility. (St. Gregory)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

This parable very fitly coheres with the preceding discourse: there he had let his hearers know, that though God spareth some sinners, and hath a longer patience with them than others, though they be every whit as great transgressors, in expectation still that they should bring forth fruit; yet if they answer not the means which God useth, with them to bring them to repentance, they shall not be spared long, but vengeance shall overtake them also. Those who think that this parable concerned not the Jews only, but all mankind, or more especially those who are in the pale of the church, judge well, provided that they allow it to have been spoken with a primary reference to that nation, amongst whom Christ had now been preaching and working miracles three years, and expected the fruits of repentance and reformation from them in vain. I do not think it any prejudice to this, that the vine dresser begged but for one year longer, whereas after this Christ had patience with them forty years, before they were destroyed; for one year may not be intended strictly, (though the three years be), but to signify some little time more, that the apostles might use all probable means to reclaim them, and make them more fruitful. Grotius thinks the term of three years is used, because every fig tree (not wholly barren) brought forth fruit one year in three; which notion (if true) of that plant is valuable, but may be of ill consequence, if any should thence conclude, that men’s days of grace exceed not three years: yet thus much is observable, that when God sends a faithful minister to a place, the greatest success and blessing of his ministry is within a few of his first years in a place. The parable doubtless extendeth much further than to the people of the Jews, and learns us all these lessons:

1. That where God plants any one within the pale of his church, he looks he or she should bring forth the fruits of repentance and faith.

2. That many are so planted, yet bring forth no fruit.

3. That there is a determined time beyond which God will not bear with barren souls.

4. That barren souls are not only useless, but also spoil others; την γην καταργει, they make the soil unprofitable: a quench coal spoils the fire.

5. That faithful ministers will be very earnest with God to spare even barren souls.

6. That it is their work and duty to use all probable means to make barren souls fruitful. I will dig about it, and dung it.

7. That bearing fruit at last will save souls from ruin and destruction.

8. That out it every soul, though standing in God’s vineyard, will at last perish eternally.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

He spake also this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. And then, without any further prelude, Jesus spoke this parable of the barren fig tree, which contained, in language scarcely veiled at all, warnings to Israel as a nation the most sombre and threatening he had yet given utterance to. "Hear, O people," said the Master. "In the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is a fig tree, long planted there, but utterly unfruitful. It is now on its last trial; indeed, were it not for the intercession of the Gardener, the Lord of the vineyard had already pronounced its final doom." "The very intercession, though, is ominous; the Vinedresser shows his mercifulness by deprecating immediate cutting down, but the careful specification of conditions, and the limitation of the period within which experiments are to be made, intimate that peril is imminent... The restriction of the intercession of the Vinedresser for a single year"s grace indicates Christ"s own sympathy with this Divine rigour... The Vinedresser knows that, though God is long-suffering, yet his patience as exhibited in the history of his dealings with men is exhaustible, and that in Israel"s case it is now all but worn out. And he sympathizes with the Divine impatience with chronic and incurable sterility" (Professor Bruce). A fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. It is not an uncommon practice to plant fig trees at the corners of vineyards, thus utilizing every available spot of ground. Still the Lord"s choice of a fig tree as the symbol of Israel, the chosen people, is at first sight strange. This image was no doubt selected to show those Pharisees and other Jews, proud of what they considered their unassailable position as the elect of the Eternal, that, after all, the position they occupied was but that of a fig tree in the corner of the vineyard of the world planted there and watched over so long as it promised to serve the Lord of the vineyard"s purpose; if it ceased to do that, if it gave no further promise of fruit, then it would be ruthlessly cut down.

Vers. 6-9. Fatal fruitlessness.

We have to consider

I THE PRIMARY SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PARABLE. What did the great Teacher intend his hearers to understand by his words? It was this (as I read it):

1. The vineyard is the kingdom of God that realm of truth and righteousness which he has been, from the beginning, establishing on the earth.

2. Israel is the fig tree which God planted in his vineyard a fig tree in a vineyard; there not by any natural right, but at the option and discretion of the Divine Owner; there "only so long as it served the purpose of him who planted it.

3. Sufficient time was given to Israel to show whether it would prove fruitful or fruitless, the "three years" standing for its day of probation, perhaps for the three periods represented by the judges, the kings, and the high priests.

4. Israel is found to be barren; to be without true loyalty, real piety, solid worth.

5. Thus fruitless, it is only in the way; it is failing to render the service which another "people of God," another Church, would render; it is thwarting the holy and beneficent purpose of its Creator. Not only is it useless, therefore; it is positively noxious and hurtful to the world; it is a tree that must be cut down, for it cumbers the ground.

6. Jesus Christ, the Vinedresser, intercedes for it and obtains a merciful reprieve; he will expend upon it the faithful toil of a gracious ministry.

7. But he recognizes the fact that persistent barrenness must meet its appropriate fate banishment from the kingdom of God.

II ITS APPLICATION TO OURSELVES.

1. God is founding a broad and blessed kingdom here a kingdom wherein dwelleth righteousness and peace; a spiritual, universal, benignant empire.

2. In it he places us, as the children and heirs of the most precious privileges, seeing and hearing (as we do) what kings and prophets saw not, nor heard; enlightened as to some most valuable points, in regard to which the disciples themselves were necessarily in the dark. (see homily on Luk_10:23, Luk_10:24)

3. From us, thus advantaged, the Divine Husbandman demands good fruit. He may well expect that we should "yield much fruit", (Joh_15:8) much reverence, purity, love, joy, service, usefulness. He as correspondingly disappointed and grieved when he finds but little, or even none at all.

4. The unfruitful are not only the guilty, but they are the intolerably wasteful; they receive without returning, whilst others in their place would receive and return.

(1) As those who are wrought upon by Christian truth and influence, they remain unblessed, where others in their place would hearken and heed, would obey and live.

(2) As those who are professing to work on and for others, they are holding some post uselessly, where others would be scattering benefit and blessing on every hand. They cause a deplorable and unendurable waste in the kingdom of God.

5. Christ offers us a merciful reprieve. Under his patient rule we are allowed another year, another period for repentance, for reformation, for renewal of heart and life. It is a sacred and a solemn time, an opportunity which we must not by any means neglect. For if we do, the word of Divine condemnation will be spoken, and we shall lose our place in the kingdom of our Lord. C.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A man had a fig tree - Either we may understand God the Father by him that had the vineyard, and Christ by him that kept it: or Christ himself is he that hath it, and his ministers they that keep it. Psalm lxxx, 8. &c.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The parable of the fig-tree:

v. 6. He spake also this parable: A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

v. 7. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none; cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

v. 8. And he, answering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it and dung it;

v. 9. and if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

A word-picture preaching an earnest lesson. A certain man, apparently one of means, had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard, in good soil, from which he naturally expected fruit. He waited for some time, but finally he voiced a complaint to the vinedresser, to the gardener in charge of the vineyard. The fig-tree was supposed to bear fruit three times a year, and the owner had not yet found a single fig on it. It seemed useless to waste any more time and work on its cultivation; it ought to be chopped down, since it interfered with, and spoiled the ground for, more productive fruit-trees. The master no longer felt like coming and coming again, and always being disappointed. But the vinedresser interceded for the tree. He begged for only one more year of grace, in which he intended to try all his art and labor in loosening the soil about the roots, in putting fertilizer into the ground; there might be some chances of coaxing the tree to bear fruit the coming year. But if not, then the doom of the tree is sealed, and the master may carry out his intention. The unfruitful fig-tree is a type of the Jewish people. During the entire time of the Old Testament the Lord had vainly looked for fruit commensurate with the amount of labor and the cost which He had put into the vineyard of His Church. Israel had received a rich measure of grace, but had not reacted in kind. It was like the unfruitful vineyard of which the Lord complained Isa 5:1-7. The fourth year, for which the love of the vinedresser, Jesus, pleaded, was the time of mercy which had dawned with the ministry of John, had burst into full brightness with the preaching of Jesus, and would continue thus during the ministry of the apostles. Here the vinedresser wanted to dig about and dung the fig-tree with the evidences of His most searching love, of His holiest zeal, and finally, through His servants, by the preaching of His suffering and death, of His resurrection and sitting at the right hand of Power. But the extra time of grace went by, the people as a whole brought no fruits worthy of repentance; and so finally the judgment of God was carried out upon the disobedient people: Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jewish nation rejected. Note: There is a lesson here for all times, for God deals with all men in a similar way. His justice is tempered with patience; He waits long before He condemns. The mercy and love on the part of Jesus succeeds often in extending the time of grace for a people. But finally the most loving patience must come to an end and justice be carried out.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Our blessed Saviour, that he might excite the Jews to the practice of the last mentioned duty of repentance, sets forth his long-suffering with them, and forbearance towards them, by the parable of the fig tree, which the Master of the vineyard had long expected fruit there from, but found none.

Where note, 1. The great care that God takes to make poor sinners happy; he plants them in his church, as in a vineyard, that by the cultivating care of his ministers, and the fructifying influences of his Spirit, they may be fruitful in good works.

Note, 2. That God keeps an exact account or reckoning, what means and advantages every place and people have enjoyed; These three years have I come seeking fruit, alluding to the three years of his own ministry among them. God keeps a memorial how many years the gospel has been amongst a people, how many ministers they have had, and how long with them, what pathetical exhortations, what pressing admonitions, what cutting reproofs; all are upon the file, and must be accounted for.

Learn, 3. That God expects suitable and proportionable fruit from a people, according to the time of their standing in his vineyard, and answering to the cost and culture which his ministers have expended upon them, and the pains they have taken with them.

Note farther, 4. That although God does and justly may expect fruit from such as are planted, in his vineyard, to with, the Christian church, yet he expects it with much patience and forbearnace, waiting from year to year, to see if time will work amendment. These three years I have come seeking fruit, and found none.

Lastly, if after all the cost that God has bestowed upon a people by his ministers and ordinances, they continue unfruitful, there is nothing to be expected but excision and final destruction: Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6–9. Had a fig tree. A common fruit in Palestine. It represents here the Jewish nation. Found none. The nation did not glorify God by fruitfulness in righteousness.

Three years. The period of Christ's ministry among the Jews. Cut it down. As worthless.

Let it alone this year also. The last year of opportunity was then being given. After that year and the final rejection of Christ the doom of the nation was sealed.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

General Information:

Jesus begins to tell the crowd a parable to explain his last statement, "But if you do not repent, all of you will also perish." (See: Parables)

Someone had a fig tree planted in his vineyard

The owner of a vineyard had another person plant a fig tree in the vineyard.

Why let it waste the ground?

The man uses a question to emphasize that the tree is useless and the gardener should cut it down. AT: "Do not let it waste the ground." (See: Rhetorical Question)

translationWords

parable

fig

vineyard

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

6. συκῆν … πεφυτευμένην ἐν τῷ ἀμπελῶνι αὐτοῦ. The corners of vineyards were often utilised in this way, as they still are (Tristram, Nat. Hist. Bib. p. 352). Here the Jewish nation is compared to the fig-tree (Hos 9:10; Jer 24:3), as in the acted parable of the Barren Fig-tree (Mat 21:19); more often Israel is compared to the Vine or the Vineyard (Psa 80:8-11; Isa 5:2).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6-9.] This Parable has perhaps been interpreted with hardly enough reference to its own peculiar context, or to the symbolic language of Scripture in other places. Ordinarily (also in Trench, Par. in loc.) the owner of the vineyard is explained to be the Eternal Father: the dresser and intercessor, the Son of God: the fig-tree, the whole Jewish people: the vineyard, the world. But it may be objected to this, that the owner comes to seek the fruit, which can be properly said only of Him who εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν—who is even in Matt. ὁ κληρονόμος—and by implication there, the possessor of the vineyard ὅταν ἔλθῃ (for that destruction He universally represents as His coming). The other objections will come out in the direct exposition of the Parable, which I take to be this:—The link which binds it to the foregoing is ἐὰν μὴ μετανοῆτε …; and it is addressed rather to individuals than to the whole nation—though of course to the whole nation as made up of individuals. The vineyard is not the world, which would be wholly inconsistent with Scripture symbolism (for Mat 13:24 the comparison is to ἡ βασ. τ. οὐρ.—the gospel dispensation, in which the field—not the vineyard—is the whole world); but, as in Isa 5:7, the house of Israel and the men of Judah (see notes on Mat 21:33 ff.). The fig-tree planted in the vineyard—among the vines—(a usual thing) denotes an individual application, fixing each man’s thought upon one tree—and that one, himself; just as the guest without the wedding-garment in Mat_22. He who had the tree planted in His vineyard (—‘All things that the Father hath, are Mine’—Joh 16:15), came seeking fruit, and found it not: see Mat 21:19 and note. (The vinedresser, see below.) He commands it to be cut down, as encumbering the soil (exhausting it, rendering it inactive: see reff.); three years has He been coming and seeking fruit in this tree, and he findeth none. Then, at the intercession of the vinedresser, He consents (for this is implied) to spare it this year also, until it has been manured; if that fail, the Intercessor himself has no more plea to urge—it is to be cut down. Now who is this Intercessor? First look at the matter of fact. Who were the vinedressers of God’s vineyard? They were many. Moses, the Prophets, the Baptist, the Lord Himself, the Apostles and Teachers after Him. But what one Personality might be set forth as pervading all these, ‘striving with man’ in them all—as being ὁ ἀμπελουργός? Clearly, it seems to me, the Holy Spirit of God. In the passage just alluded to, Gen 6:3, we can hardly but recognize the main features of our present parable; especially when the Days of Noah are compared by the Lord Himself to His own coming to vengeance. The intercessory office of the Spirit (ὁ παράκλητος, see on Joh 14:16), pleading with man and for man, and resigning that blessed conflict when met with inveterate obduracy, is often set before us in Scripture. (See the whole history of Saul; Zec 7:12-14: Pro 1:23-32: Isa 63:10: Neh 9:20: Rom 8:26, Rom 8:27.)

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6-9. § The Parable of the Barren Fig tree. It sets forth the longsuffering and the severity of God. His visitation of sin, however long delayed in order to give opportunity of repentance, is sure. The fig tree, as in Mar 11:13, is the Jewish nation, but also any individual soul. Comp. Hos 9:10; Joe 1:7. It is arbitrary to assert that the withering of the barren fig tree in Mat_21. and Mar_11. is a transformation of this parable into a fact, or that the supposed fact has here been wisely turned into a parable.

6. Ἔλεγεν δὲ ταύτην τὴν παραβολήν. See on 5:36. The parable is a continuation of the warning, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” D. C. G. art. “Fig-tree.”

Συκῆν … ἐν τῷ ἀμπελῶνι αὐτοῦ. The main subject of the parable is placed first. Deu 22:9 forbids the sowing of corn in vineyards, but to plant other fruit trees there was not a violation of this. At the present day fruit trees of various kinds are common in vineyards and in cornfields in Palestine (Stanley, Sin. & Pal. p. 421). “The fig tree ripeneth her green figs, and the vines are in blossom” (Son 2:13), perhaps implies this combination.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.