Fertilizer and Fig Trees

Luke 13, “Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil? “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

God has a vineyard and the Fig trees in this vineyard are people. God goes to inspect his vineyard and sees a Fig tree that has not produced a single Fig in three years time and he instructs his gardener (Jesus Christ) to cut it down. The gardener (Jesus Christ) says let me amend the soil and if it does not bear Figs in a year I will cut it down. God agrees.

This particular vineyard is the Jewish nation. Under the old Mosaic Law they were not fruitful. Jesus’ ministry has lasted about three years on earth and among the Jewish peoples. Jesus wants to infuse them with a new Law… a Law of love and see what they produce. At the end of his three year ministry he sacrifices himself and gives up his life to demonstrate unparalleled love to his disciples.

They took that love and started producing Figs. God looked at the tree that he was about to have cut down and smiled.