Bear Fruit or Cut It Down - Luke 13:9

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus, “spoke also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 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 cumbers it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it”, and in chapter thirteen and verse nine of his book Luke shared how Jesus said dresser of the vineyard tells the owner, “and if it bear fruit well: and if not … you shall cut it down” where we read:

And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that you shall cut it down.

The verse reads, “And if it bear fruit, well:” Luke began with the words, “and if it bear fruit” or “and whether the fig tree makes, produces and shoots forth fig fruit” “well” which means “it is good, profitable and beneficial”. Luke shared how Jesus said the “dresser” of the vineyard presented the condition of the “fig tree” producing “fruit” after being dug about and fertilized.

The verse continues, “and if not, then after that you shall cut it down.” Luke added the words, “and if not” or “and whether the fig tree does not produce fruit”, “then after that” which means “therefore, wherefore and on account that beyond the attempt to make the fig tree bear fruit” “you shall cut it down” or “you, the owner, will hew and chop the fig tree down”. Luke shared how Jesus said the “dresser” of the vineyard declared that “if” the fig tree did not produce fruit after attempting to fertilize it, then he could “chop” the tree down.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn more about how the “fig tree” would be able to continue to exist. Jesus said the “dresser” of the vineyard told him if the “fig tree” produced fruit, it would be preserved. However, if the “fig tree” did not produce “fruit”, it would be chopped down and destroyed. God's desire is to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and those who yield to Him are to produce “spiritual fruit” in their lives. God attends to His children, and those who are wise not only submit to Him, but also seek to produce “fruit” in His Kingdom. All others will be like the “fig tree” that produces no “fruit” and is “chopped down” and destroyed.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus, “was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".