No Fruit on the Fig Tree - Luke 13:7

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”, and in chapter thirteen and verse seven of his book Luke shared how Jesus tells another parable about how Jesus tells how the owner of the vineyard says, “these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree” where we read:

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?

The verse reads, “Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none:” Luke began with the words, “Then said he” or “afterward, therefore, wherefore and these things being so the owner of the vineyard uttered, declared and proclaimed” “unto the dresser of his vineyard” which means “to the worker and pruner within the man's field for growing grapes” “behold” or “lo, look and consider”, “these three years” which means “for the previous three years” “I come seeking fruit” or “I, the man who owns the vineyard, have arose and appeared looking for the fruit of figs” “on this fig tree” which means “upon this tree that bears the fruit of figs”, “and find none” or “and do not discover or detect any fruit”. Luke shared how Jesus began to give instruction to the “worker” within his “vineyard” by recognizing the absence of “fruit” on this “fig tree” for the past “three years”.

The verse continues, “cut it down; why cumbers it the ground?” Luke added the words, “cut it down” or “hew and strike the fig tree to the ground”; “why cumbers it” which means “for what reason and cause does the fig tree destroy, bring to nought and make void” “the ground” or “the arable land, country, land and territory”? Luke shared how Jesus said the owner of the “vineyard” told his worker to “chop the fig tree down” as he asked his worker why the “fig tree” occupied or took up space within the ground.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we see how the owner of the vineyard was exhausted with this “fig tree” not bearing fruit. Because the purpose of the “fig tree” was being unfulfilled, there was no reason for it to continue to exist. He told his worker to “cut it down” because it was only occupying space which might have been used for another purpose. Jesus will say more about this “fig tree” in our next verse, but for now let us examine our lives and determine if we produce “fruit” for God in our lives. Have we submitted ourselves to His Son Jesus and asked Him to help us to be “fruitful” in His Kingdom? If so, bear “fruit” for Him, and if not, let today be the first day “fruit” in produced on God's behalf.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus tells how the dresser of the vineyard tells the owner, “Lord, let it alone this year also”, 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".