A Second Look at the Barren Fig Tree

Luke 13:6-9

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

⁶ And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. ⁷ And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ ⁸ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. ⁹ Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Let's take a second look at the parable of the barren fig tree.  There are three characters: the vineyard owner, the vinedresser and the barren fig tree.  Clearly, the vineyard owner represents God who is the Creator of all things.  The vinedresser could represent believers (see previous post "The Good Soil") and the fig tree could be all who don't believe.  The  resulting message is that believers must work diligently to spread the gospel to the lost.  However, there is another way to look at this parable which can shed light on the character of God.  Stay with me as I look at this story again.

Let's keep the owner as God the Father.  This is obvious and there is no debate on that.  Let's change the vinedresser to also be God - specifically the Holy Spirit.  Now, the barren fig tree is a fruitless believer.  Jesus used a metaphor about a vine and branches in John 15 to which we can compare the parable of the barren fig tree.  In the vine metaphor, God is the vine dresser, Jesus is the true vine and believers are the branches who "abide" in Christ.  The vine dresser "takes away" every branch that does not bear fruit and "prunes" every branch that does bear fruit so that they will bear even more!

Jesus used this picture of the Christian journey to help us take courage while being pruned and to be warned of the eternal consequence of being fruitless.  Let's look at pruning.  Grape vines send out many branches or shoots from the true vine which is woody, well-established and is the source of new life each spring.  Only the branches that bear grapes can be allowed to remain on the vine.  Branches that do not bear fruit are counter productive to the vine and actually steal nutrition from the fruit bearing vines causing a poor crop.  If the fruitless branches remain, the whole plant will fail.  Like the vine, Jesus is the source of life.  The Father strips away everything that would distract us from bearing fruit.  This is done through the reading of God's word.  The Holy Spirit teaches us to surrender everything that has no eternal value which are the fruitless things in life.  Anyone who confesses Christ but continues to live a life that is unchanged by God is a fruitless branch.  The consequence of this is to be "cut off" from God.  Those who are separated from God are condemned to eternal punishment.  Does this remind you of the vineyard owner who threatened to cut down the fig tree that would not bear fruit?

Look again at the parable of the barren fig tree.  The Father (owner) wants to cut down the fruitless tree.  This image displays God's attribute of justice.  Regarding the justice of God, A. W. Tozer writes, "Everything in the universe is good to the degree it conforms to the nature of God and evil as it fails to do so."  Now, the Holy Spirit (vinedresser) bids the patience of the Father for more time to encourage growth in the fruitless believer.  [Yes, God discusses matters with Himself because He is all-wise and all-knowing.  If He needed to consult with anyone (which He does not need to because He is all-wise), there would be no one to consult with who is wiser that He.  (Check out his conversation in Genesis 3:22.)]  The request of the Holy Spirit to continue to work on the fruitless believer displays God's faithfulness, love and grace.  He does not give up on us when we fail to obey Him.

Another way to prune a tree is to dig around the base of the tree, breaking the ground and cutting through the roots at the outer circumference of the tree's branches.  This type of pruning forces the tree to produce a healthier and more plentiful supply of roots.  These roots draw up moisture and nutrients form the soil.  Without root pruning, the tree would send out long and scraggly roots that cover less soil and can't draw up large quantities of nourishment.  The Holy Spirit does not want us to set roots too far away from the focus of Jesus Christ.  Life is too brief to spend our energy on fruitless things.  So don't resist the pruning of the Holy Spirit.  There is much to learn as we grow up in Christ.  There is much to surrender and much to gain.  Remember that He will do the hard work in you.  Your job is to trust and obey.

Philippians 2:12-13

English Standard Version (ESV)

Lights in the World

¹² Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.